きのう

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

The Japanese word “きのう” (kinou) means “yesterday”. It's a common noun that you'll use all the time when talking about past events. Think of it like the English word “yesterday”; you use it to specify that an action or event happened on the day before today.

You'll hear and use “きのう” in everyday conversations, just like in English. For example, if someone asks you what you did, you might start your answer with “きのう” to set the time frame.

DEFINITION

Yesterday.

Let's look at some basic examples to see how “きのう” is used in sentences.

Hint: What did you do yesterday?

Hint: I went to the department store yesterday.

You might also see “きのう” paired with other time expressions or particles to create more specific meanings, but for now, just focus on its core meaning of “yesterday”. It doesn't need any special particles attached to it when it functions as a simple adverb of time at the beginning of a sentence. For example, you don't say “きのうに” (kinou ni) when you mean “yesterday” as in “on yesterday”. You just use “きのう” by itself. This is different from some other time words in Japanese, so it's a good point to remember.

Think of “きのう” as one of the essential building blocks for talking about your daily life and past experiences in Japanese. Mastering its usage early on will greatly improve your ability to communicate effectively. It's a fundamental word for anyone learning Japanese. Start by incorporating it into simple sentences about your own day, and you'll quickly get comfortable with it.

Hint: It rained yesterday.

Notice how “は” (wa) is sometimes used after “きのう”. This particle highlights “yesterday” as the topic of the sentence. It's not always necessary, but it's very common. If you want to emphasize that it was *yesterday* specifically, then “は” is a good choice.

• When to use it:

  • Talking about events that happened on the previous day.
  • Answering questions about past actions.
  • Setting the time context for a story or report.

Just like “today” or “tomorrow”, “きのう” is one of those words you need to internalize to comfortably navigate conversations in Japanese. Don't overthink it. Just remember it means “yesterday” and pair it with past tense verbs.

§ Understanding 'kinoo'

Let's talk about how to use きのう (kinō), meaning "yesterday," in Japanese sentences. It's a fundamental word, and getting its usage right will help you speak and understand Japanese better.

DEFINITION

きのう (kinō): Yesterday. (noun)

First, it's a noun. This means it acts like a regular noun in a sentence, but with some special considerations because it refers to a specific point in time.

§ Basic sentence structure with 'kinoo'

You can use きのう directly to indicate when something happened. No particle is needed when it's the subject or a simple adverbial of time.

• きのう (kinō): Yesterday
• わたしは (watashi wa): I (topic marker)
• がっこうへ (gakkō e): To school (direction particle)
• いきました (ikimashita): Went (past tense of行く - to go)

Hint: Yesterday, I went to school.

• きのう (kinō): Yesterday
• は (wa): Topic marker (here, emphasizing yesterday)
• とても (totemo): Very
• あつかったです (atsukatta desu): Was hot (past tense of 暑い - hot)

Hint: Yesterday was very hot.

§ Using 'kinoo' with particles (when necessary)

While you usually don't need に (ni) with きのう, there are specific situations where other particles are used, especially when きのう is modifying another noun.

§ 'きのう の' (kinō no): Yesterday's [noun]

When きのう modifies a noun, use the possessive particle の (no).

• きのうの (kinō no): Yesterday's
• えいが (eiga): Movie
• は (wa): Topic marker
• おもしろかったです (omoshirokatta desu): Was interesting (past tense of 面白い - interesting)

Hint: Yesterday's movie was interesting.

• きのうの (kinō no): Yesterday's
• しごと (shigoto): Work
• は (wa): Topic marker
• たいへんでした (taihen deshita): Was tough/hard (past tense of 大変 - tough, difficult)

Hint: Yesterday's work was tough.

§ Common expressions with 'kinoo'

Here are a couple of common phrases you'll hear with きのう:

• きのう きょう (kinō kyō): Yesterday and today. Often used to mean "recently" or "these past couple of days."
• おととい (ototoi): The day before yesterday. This is a separate word, but it's good to know alongside きのう.

Keep practicing these examples, and you'll get comfortable using きのう in no time!

§ What きのう Means

Japanese Word

きのう (kinō)

Part of Speech

Noun

CEFR Level

A2

Definition

Yesterday.

きのう is one of the most basic time-related words you'll learn in Japanese. It means 'yesterday'. You'll use it all the time to talk about things that happened in the past. It's a simple noun, so you can stick it right into sentences to indicate when something occurred. Think of it as a direct equivalent to 'yesterday' in English.

§ How to Use きのう in Sentences

When using きのう, you often pair it with a past tense verb. Japanese verbs change form to show past tense, and きのう helps set that timeframe clearly. You don't usually need a particle like 'に' (ni) after きのう when it's just indicating time, though sometimes you might see it for emphasis. For now, keep it simple.

Hint

Yesterday I read a book.

Hint

Did you work yesterday?

§ Where You'll Hear きのう

You'll encounter きのう everywhere. It's fundamental. Here are some common places and situations:

• At work: Talking about deadlines, reports, or meetings that happened.
• At school: Discussing homework, tests, or club activities.
• In casual conversations: Chatting with friends about what you did, saw, or ate.
• In the news: Reporters will use it to refer to events that took place the previous day.

Let's look at more examples to solidify your understanding.

Hint

Did you read yesterday's newspaper?

Here, 'きのう の' functions like 'yesterday's' in English. The particle 'の' (no) connects 'きのう' to 'しんぶん' (newspaper), showing possession or association.

Hint

The meeting was yesterday.

In this case, 'でした' (deshita) is the past tense of 'です' (desu), meaning 'was'. It's a common way to say something 'was' on a certain day.

Practicing with different verbs and situations will make using きのう natural for you. Try to make a few sentences yourself about what you did yesterday!

§ Don't Use Past Tense with きのう

This is a big one. In English, we often say things like, "Yesterday I went..." or "Yesterday I was..." We naturally use past tense verbs. In Japanese, when you use きのう (kinou - yesterday), the word itself already indicates past time. So, you don't need to put the verb in the past tense if it's describing an event that happened and concluded yesterday. This is a common pitfall for English speakers. Think of きのう as carrying the past tense meaning all on its own for the time expression.

Hint

Yesterday I read a book. (The verb よみました is already in past tense, which is correct here because きのう is acting as the time marker and the action concluded.)

However, the mistake people often make is trying to double up on the past tense by adding another past tense marker to a verb that doesn't need it or using a past tense form that isn't appropriate for a simple past action with きのう. The key is to remember that the verb itself will be in its past form if the action was completed yesterday. What you shouldn't do is try to add another past tense indicator *to* きのう itself, or use a present tense verb after it for a past event. If the event truly happened and finished yesterday, use the plain past form of the verb.

§ Using きのう for the Day Before Yesterday

きのう specifically means "yesterday." It does not mean "the day before yesterday." This might seem obvious, but sometimes learners get confused and try to stretch the meaning. If you want to say "the day before yesterday," the correct word is おととい (ototoi).

Hint

The day before yesterday, I watched a movie.

§ Misplacing きのう in a Sentence

While Japanese is quite flexible with word order, placing time words like きのう often comes at the beginning of a sentence or directly before the verb phrase it modifies. It's less common to put it in the very middle of a subject-object-verb structure unless for specific emphasis. Getting the placement right helps your sentences sound more natural.

• Natural: きのう わたしは コーヒーを のみました。

• Less natural: わたしは コーヒーを きのう のみました。(While not strictly wrong, the first is more common for simply stating when something happened.)

Always aim for the natural flow. When in doubt, put the time word at the beginning.

§ Confusing きのう with こんしゅう (This Week) or らいしゅう (Next Week)

This might sound like a basic error, but when you're just starting out, all the new vocabulary can get mixed up. きのう is about a specific day: yesterday. Words like こんしゅう (konshuu - this week) and らいしゅう (raishuu - next week) refer to broader periods. Make sure you're using the right word for the right timeframe. Each time word has its own meaning and isn't interchangeable.

Hint

This week, there is a lot of work.

Pay attention to the specific time frame each vocabulary word covers. Don't try to force きのう to mean something it doesn't. Consistent review of time-related vocabulary will help prevent these kinds of mix-ups.

§ What is きのう (kinou)?

Japanese Word

きのう (kinou)

Meaning

Yesterday

Part of Speech

Noun

CEFR Level

A2

きのう (kinou) is the most common and standard Japanese word for 'yesterday'. You'll use it in almost all situations. It's a straightforward word, and you don't need any special particles after it when using it to indicate 'when' something happened.

§ Examples with きのう (kinou)

§ Similar words: 昨 (saku) and 昨日の (kinou no)

While きのう (kinou) is your go-to word, you might encounter other ways to talk about 'yesterday'. Let's look at a few common ones.

The kanji 昨 (saku) means 'previous' or 'last'. It's not used by itself to mean 'yesterday' in everyday conversation, but it appears in compound words like:

• 昨日 (sakujitsu)

  This is another word for 'yesterday'. While きのう (kinou) is more common in spoken Japanese, 昨日は (sakujitsu) is more formal. You'll often see it in written documents, news reports, or very polite speech. Think of it like the difference between 'yesterday' and 'on the previous day' or 'the day prior' in English.

• 昨年 (sakunen)

  Last year.

• 昨晩 (sakuban)

  Last night.

§ When to use きのう (kinou) vs. 昨日の (kinou no)

You might also see 昨日の (kinou no). This uses the possessive particle の (no) and means 'yesterday's' or 'of yesterday'. It's used when 'yesterday' modifies another noun, acting like an adjective.

きのう (kinou)

Used as a standalone noun for 'yesterday'.

昨日の (kinou no)

Used to describe a noun, meaning 'yesterday's [noun]'.

§ Key Takeaways

• Use きのう (kinou) for 'yesterday' in almost all casual and standard conversations.

• Use 昨日の (kinou no) when 'yesterday' modifies another noun (e.g., 'yesterday's newspaper').

• Use 昨日 (sakujitsu) for 'yesterday' in formal situations, writing, or news.

By understanding these differences, you can accurately express 'yesterday' in various Japanese contexts. Start with きのう, and gradually incorporate the others as your comfort level grows!