JLPT N5 grammar

Casual Pastmeaning and usage

Meaning

The affirmative casual past describes an action or state in the past. The negative casual past says it did not happen or hold.

How to form it

  • verb (ta-form)
  • verb (nai-form without ない)なかった
  • い-adjective stem (without い)かった/い-adjective (-く form)なかった
  • な-adjective (stem)/nounだった/じゃなかった

How it is used

Used with friends and family, and in writing such as diaries and articles; with superiors or strangers use 「ました」 or 「でした」. Note that the past of 「いい」 is 「よかった」.

Examples

  1. 駅まで歩いた。

    I walked to the station.

  2. 先週は一度も料理をしなかった。

    I didn't cook even once last week.

  3. きのうは雨だったけど、楽しかった。

    It rained yesterday, but I had fun.

About the example 「歩いた」 is the affirmative casual past of 「歩く」. It places the walk to the station in the past.