Japanese for English speakers Zoo · Lesson 2

Past of -na ending adjectives

Past tense of な-adjectives — replace です with でした — 有名でした (was famous). Plus みんな (everyone), 動物 (animals).

Conversation

  1. Muri Muri

    今、インターネットでアザラシは有名ですね

    ima, intānetto de azarashi wa yūmē desu yone

    Seals are popular on internet now, aren't they?

    Tip: <intānetto> = internet

  2. Yaya Yaya

    そうですか？

    sō desuka?

    Is that so?

  3. Yaya Yaya

    前も有名でしたよ

    mae mo yūmē deshita yo

    They have always been popular

    Tip: <mae> = before, in the past <sonnani> = that much Past of "na" adjectives: take away <desu> and replace it with <deshita>. <Kirai desu> = I hate it. <Kirai deshita> = I used to hate it, I didn't like it before

  4. Yaya Yaya

    皆、動物のビデオが好きですからね

    minna, dōbutsu no bideo ga suki desu kara ne

    Because everyone likes videos of animals

    Tip: <minna> = everyone <dōbustu> = animals

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you say 'it was famous' in Japanese?

有名でした (yūmē deshita) — replace です with でした for past tense of な-adjectives.

What does 前 (mae) mean for time?

'Before' or 'in the past' — 前は = 'in the past, ...'. With specific times: 三日前 = 'three days ago'.

Why don't な-adjectives drop な in past?

な only appears before nouns. At the end of a sentence (with です), な is dropped: 有名な犬 ('famous dog') vs 有名です ('is famous').

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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