What did you do yesterday in Japanese? This question is a common way to initiate a conversation about daily activities, and understanding how to express it in Japanese can be quite useful. In this article, we will explore the translation of this question and other related phrases in Japanese, along with some practical examples.
The phrase “what did you do yesterday” can be translated into Japanese as “きょうは何をしたの？” (Kyou wa nan o shita no?). Here’s a breakdown of the translation:
– きょう (Kyou) – yesterday
– は (wa) – topic marker
– 何 (nan) – what
– を (o) – object marker
– した (shita) – past tense of する (suru) – to do
– の (no) – possessive particle
To ask this question in a more formal context, you can say “きょうは何をされましたか？” (Kyou wa nan o saremashita ka?). The formal version uses “されました” (saremashita) instead of “した” (shita) to show respect.
If you want to answer the question, you can say “学校に行きました” (Gakkou ni ikimashita), which means “I went to school.” Here’s the breakdown:
– 学校 (Gakkou) – school
– に (ni) – to
– 行きました (ikimashita) – went (past tense of 行く (iku) – to go)
In a more detailed response, you might say “学校に行って勉強しました” (Gakkou ni itte benkyou shita), which means “I went to school and studied.” The phrase “勉強しました” (benkyou shita) means “studied” (past tense of 勉強する (benkyou suru) – to study).
Understanding these phrases will help you navigate conversations about daily activities in Japanese. Remember that language is dynamic, and there are often multiple ways to express the same idea. Practice using these phrases in different contexts to become more fluent in Japanese.
