Welcome back, language heroes! You’ve hit Day 47 of our 100-day JLPT N5 challenge, and you’re powering through like champs.
We’re diving into the past tense in Japanese, a must-know for sharing what you did, ate, or saw yesterday.
Let’s jump into the past tense and make your Japanese shine!
Main Lesson: Breaking Down Past Tense Step by Step
Grammar Rules:
In Japanese, the past tense turns verbs into their “what happened” form. For JLPT N5, we focus on masu-form verbs (polite) and their past tense, which is super straightforward. Here’s how it works:
Masu-Form Past Tense:
Take a polite verb ending in ます (e.g., たべます, eat).
Replace ます with ました to make it past tense.
Example:
たべます (tabemasu, eat) → たべました (tabemashita, ate).
For negatives, replace ません (masen) with ませんでした (masen deshita).
Example:
たべません (tabemasen, don’t eat) → たべませんでした (tabemasen deshita, didn’t eat).
Usage:
Use for actions completed in the past (yesterday, last week, etc.).
This grammar is a game-changer for learn Japanese for beginners, letting you share past experiences confidently.
Vocabulary Lists
Nouns (for objects or places):
| Japanese (ひらがな) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| テレビ | terebi | TV |
| ラジオ | rajio | radio |
| みせ | mise | shop |
Time Expressions (for past context):
| Japanese (ひらがな) | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| きのう | kinou | yesterday |
| ゆうべ | yuube | last night |
| あさ | asa | morning |
Examples
Let’s see past tense in action! Practice these aloud to build fluency.
きのう ほんを かいました。
(Kinou hon o kaimashita.)
– I bought a book yesterday.
ゆうべ テレビを みました。
(Yuube terebi o mimashita.)
– I watched TV last night.
あさ おきました が、ねむい です。
(Asa okimashita ga, nemui desu.)
– I woke up this morning, but I’m sleepy.
きのう ラジオを ききませんでした。
(Kinou rajio o kikimasen deshita.)
– I didn’t listen to the radio yesterday.
きのう みせに いきました。
(Kinou mise ni ikimashita.)
– I went to the shop yesterday.
Conclusion: Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Great job on Day 47! You’ve mastered the past tense (ました/ませんでした), unlocking the ability to share what happened – a big step for learn Japanese for beginners.
Consistency is your superpower – 15 minutes daily builds fluency. Loving this JLPT N5 prep journey? Subscribe for more lessons or share with your study buddy.
