✨ Why Learn Japanese Time Expressions?

Mastering time expressions like “last week,” “this week,” and “next week” is essential for talking about past, present, and future events in Japanese. These phrases help you organize your thoughts and communicate effectively about your plans, routines, and experiences. Whether you’re discussing your weekly schedule or sharing past activities, understanding these time expressions will improve your ability to converse naturally and precisely in Japanese.

☛ Key Sentences

• When did you go to the movie theater?
  Japanese: いつ映画館に行きましたか？
  Roman Letters: Itsu eigakan ni ikimashita ka?
• I went last week.
  Japanese: 先週行きました。
  Roman Letters: Senshū ikimashita.
• I went last Saturday.
  Japanese: 先週の土曜日に行きました。
  Roman Letters: Senshū no doyōbi ni ikimashita.
• When did you go to the restaurant?
  Japanese: 最近、レストランに行きましたか？
  Roman Letters: Saikin, resutoran ni ikimashita ka?
• When did you go to the shopping mall?
  Japanese: いつショッピングモールに行きましたか？
  Roman Letters: Itsu shoppingumōru ni ikimashita ka?

Vocabulary

• last week: 先週 (せんしゅう) | Senshū
• this week: 今週 (こんしゅう) | Konshū
• next week: 来週 (らいしゅう) | Raishū
• week before last: 先々週 (せんせんしゅう) | Sensenshū
• week after next: 再来週 (さらいしゅう) | Saraishū
• last month: 先月 (せんげつ) | Sengetsu
• this month: 今月 (こんげつ) | Kongetsu
• next month: 来月 (らいげつ) | Raigetsu
• last year: 昨年 (さくねん) | Sakunen
• this year: 今年 (ことし) | Kotoshi
• next year: 来年 (らいねん) | Rainen
• last weekend: 先週末 (せんしゅうまつ) | Senshūmatsu
• end of last month: 先月末 (せんげつまつ) | Sengetsumatsu
• recently: 最近 (さいきん) | Saikin
• when: いつ | Itsu

📝 Practice Questions

• 最近、レストランに行きましたか？
  Saikin, resutoran ni ikimashita ka?
  Did you go to the restaurant recently?
  
  いつレストランに行きましたか？
  Itsu resutoran ni ikimashita ka?
  When did you go to the restaurant?
  
• 最近、映画館に行きましたか？
  Saikin, eigakan ni ikimashita ka?
  Did you go to the movie theater recently?
  
  いつ映画館に行きましたか？
  Itsu eigakan ni ikimashita ka?
  When did you go to the movie theater?
  
• 最近、ショッピングモールに行きましたか？
  Saikin, shoppingumōru ni ikimashita ka?
  Did you go to the shopping mall recently?
  
  いつショッピングモールに行きましたか。
  Itsu shoppingumōru ni ikimashita ka?
  When did you go to the shopping mall

🌟 Pro Tips for Effective Learning

✅ Practice Time Expressions Regularly
Use time expressions like senshū (last week), konshū (this week), and raishū (next week) to practice talking about different timeframes.

✅ Learn the Days of the Week
Master the days of the week (e.g., doyōbi – Saturday) and combine them with time expressions for accurate sentence formation.

✅ Create a Timeline in Japanese
Try making a timeline of your past, present, and future activities in Japanese to better understand the flow of time expressions.

✅ Use Time Expressions in Conversation
When talking about your day-to-day life or past experiences, challenge yourself to use time expressions in your conversations.

Mastering these time-related vocabulary words will make your Japanese sound more natural and help you express time frames effectively. 🕰️

Boost Your Japanese Fluency with Personalized Lessons!

My name is Ellie<Eri えり>, and I’m a Japanese tutor on italki. If you’re looking to practice speaking Japanese and improve your fluency, I’d love to help! Feel free to schedule a lesson with me, and let’s start speaking Japanese together. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, I’ll tailor the lesson to your needs. Looking forward to our conversation! Apply for italki here!