Japanese Verbs Nineteen

In this Japanese Verbs Nineteen, of our Learn Japanese series, let's look at some uses of the plain past form of the verb, plus how to say "one used to ..." or that something just happened.

For example, you can use it to modify a noun as in:

    The cake I ate yesterday.

     kinou tabeta ke-ki.

Or used in the familiar form:

     I ate cake yesterday.

     Kinou ke-ki o tabeta.


After the word list are a few examples:

To borrow = 借りる = かりる book = 本 = ほん belonging to = の  thing(s) =  こと

was interesting = 面白かった =  おもしろかった is interesting = おもしろい

was tasty = おいしかった is tasty = おいしい  

The book I borrowed was Jill's. 

   私が借りた本はジルのです。

The things he studied were interesting.

 彼が勉強したことは面白かったです。

The sushi I ate was very tasty. 

私が食べたすしはとてもおいしかったです。


The ...ta form plus mono means "used to ..."

After the below word list are a few examples:

Children = 子供 = こども when =とき winter = 冬 = ふゆ vacation = 休み = やすみ

Hokkaido = 北海度 = ほっかいど to go = 行く  = く  young = 若い = わかい 

when = ころ every night = 毎晩 = まいばん music = 音楽 = おんがく 

to listen to = 聴く = きく  many years ago = 昔 = むかし this= この town = 町 = まち 

lively = にぎやか was = だった is = です 

When I was a kid, I used to go to Hokkaido during winter vacation every year.

    子供のとき冬休みには北海度に行ったものです。

When I was young, I used to listen to music every night.

  若いころは毎晩音楽を聴いたものです。

Many years ago, this town used to be lively.

  昔この町はにぎやかだったものです。


Let's look at the "…ta" form, plus bakkari 

This translates to "someone just did something."

After the word list are a few examples:

Grandfather = おじいさん to return = 帰る = かえる breakfast = 朝ご飯 = あさごはん

car = 車 = くるま to clean = 掃除する = そうじする 

Grandfather just got back.

     おじいさんは帰ったばっかりです。

I just ate breakfast.

     朝ご飯を食べたばっかりです。

I just cleaned my car.

  私の車を掃除したばっかりです。


Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

Summer = 夏  = なつ vacation = 休み = やすみ belonging to = の 

to stay = 泊まる = とまる hotel = オーテル was awesome = すごかった

is awesome = すごい she = 彼女 = かのじょ that = その 

2 months = 二ヶ月 にかげつ before = 前 まえ to build = 建てる  = たてる

house = 家  = いえ to live in = 住む = すむ  yesterday = 昨日 = きのう 

to meet = 会う = あう person = 人 = ひと  Mr Suzuki = 鈴木さん = すずきさん 

Sunday = 日曜日 = にちようび to go for a walk = 散歩に行く = さんぽにいく 

university student = 大学生 = だいがくせい  every week = 毎週 

to have a party = パーテイーをする to play baseball = 野球をする = やきゅうをする 

recently = この前 = このまえ cigarettes = タバコ to quit = やめる 

rent = 家賃 = やちん to pay = 払う = はらう to leave = 出かける = でかける


Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.

1. The hotel we stayed in last summer was awesome. 

2. She lives in that house that was built two months ago.

3. The person I met yesterday was Mr Suzuki.

4. I used to go walking every Sunday.

5. When I was a university student, I used to party every week. 

6. When he was young he played baseball.

7. I just quit smoking. 

8. I just paid the rent

9. Mr Suzuki just left.


Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Nineteen is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

  1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 9 Japanese phrases.
  2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
  3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.

Back to the Japanese words page