
How to Say “~Ago” in Japanese
When talking about past events in Japanese, you’ll often want to say things like “three days ago” or “two years ago.” In English, we use the word “ago” to describe how long before the present something happened. In Japanese, the equivalent expression is 「〜前」.
Let’s dive into how to use 前 correctly!
Using 「前」 to Say “~ Ago”
In Japanese, 「前」 is placed after a time expression to indicate how long ago something happened.
Basic Formula:
[Time duration] + 前
For example:
- 1時間前 → one hour ago
- 3日前 → three days ago
- 2週間前 → two weeks ago
- 5年前 → five years ago
Example Sentences
- 私は1時間前に昼ごはんを食べました。
(Watashi wa ichi-jikan mae ni hirugohan o tabemashita.)
→ I ate lunch one hour ago. - 3日前に映画を見ました。
(Mikka mae ni eiga o mimashita.)
→ I watched a movie three days ago. - 2週間前に日本に来ました。
(Nishuukan mae ni Nihon ni kimashita.)
→ I came to Japan two weeks ago. - 5年前は学生でした。
(Go-nen mae wa gakusei deshita.)
→ Five years ago, I was a student.
Common Mistakes
「前」 goes after the time duration, not before!
- 前3日 → Incorrect
- 3日前 → Correct
Don’t confuse 前 (ago) with 前 (before) in other contexts!
- 授業の前に勉強しました。 (Jugyoo no mae ni benkyoo shimashita.)
→ “I studied before class.” (This does NOT mean “X hours ago.”)
Want to Sound More Natural?
If you want to sound more fluent, you can use さっき or この前 for casual conversations!
さっき → A little while ago / just now
- さっき食べたよ。(Sakki tabeta yo.) → I ate just now.
この前 → The other day / some time ago
- この前の旅行は楽しかった!(Kono mae no ryokoo wa tanoshikatta!)
→ The trip the other day was fun!
Quick Recap
- Use [time duration] + 前 to say “~ ago.”
- Place 前 AFTER the time word (e.g., 1週間前, not 前1週間).
- Use さっき (just now) and この前 (the other day) for more natural speech.
Now, try making your own sentences! What’s something you did one week ago (1週間前)? Write it in the comments!
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