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A1 noun #3,842 am häufigsten 8 Min. Lesezeit

昨日

kinō Top 3,842

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At the A1 level, '昨日' (Kinou) is introduced as a vital vocabulary word for basic storytelling. Learners are expected to understand that 'Kinou' refers to the day before today and must be paired with past tense verbs like '~mashita' or '~deshita'. The focus is on simple subject-verb-object structures. For example, 'Kinou, ringo wo tabemashita' (Yesterday, I ate an apple). Learners should also practice the 'Kinou no [Noun]' pattern, such as 'Kinou no ban' (Yesterday night) or 'Kinou no asa' (Yesterday morning). The primary challenge at this level is remembering not to use the particle 'ni' after 'Kinou', as English speakers are tempted to say 'on yesterday'. Mastery at A1 means being able to answer the question 'Kinou, nani wo shimashita ka?' (What did you do yesterday?) with a simple, grammatically correct past-tense sentence.

At the A2 level, the use of '昨日' (Kinou) expands to include more complex descriptions and the introduction of its formal counterpart, '昨日' (Sakujitsu). Learners begin to use 'Kinou' with compound sentences and a wider variety of adjectives in the past tense, such as 'Kinou wa samukatta desu' (Yesterday was cold). This level also introduces the concept of contrasting yesterday with today using the 'wa' particle: 'Kinou wa ame deshita ga, kyou wa hare desu' (Yesterday it was raining, but today it is sunny). Learners are expected to handle basic negative past forms correctly, like 'Kinou wa doko ni mo ikimasen deshita' (I didn't go anywhere yesterday). Additionally, A2 learners should recognize 'Sakujitsu' in polite listening contexts, such as an announcement at a train station or a polite clerk's greeting.

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At the B1 level, '昨日' (Kinou) is used within more sophisticated grammatical structures, such as relative clauses and conditional statements. For example, 'Kinou katta hon wo mou yomimashita' (I already read the book I bought yesterday). Here, 'Kinou' modifies the verb 'katta' inside a noun phrase. B1 learners also start using 'Kinou' to provide context for reasons and causes using '~node' or '~kara', such as 'Kinou wa osoku made hataraita node, kyou wa nemui desu' (Because I worked until late yesterday, I am sleepy today). The distinction between casual 'Kinou' and formal 'Sakujitsu' becomes more strictly applied in writing versus speaking. Learners should also be comfortable using 'Kinou' in reported speech: 'Tanaka-san wa, kinou gakko wo yasunda to iitte imashita' (Tanaka said that he was absent from school yesterday).

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At the B2 level, '昨日' (Kinou) appears in more abstract and idiomatic contexts. Learners explore how 'yesterday' can be used in discussions about trends, news, and social changes. For instance, comparing 'Kinou no joushiki' (yesterday's common sense) with today's values. B2 learners are expected to use 'Sakujitsu' fluently in business correspondence and formal presentations without hesitation. They also begin to understand more nuanced temporal expressions where 'Kinou' might be part of a larger phrase, like 'Kinou-kyou no koto dewa nai' (It's not something that just started yesterday/today; it's an old issue). The focus shifts from simple time-marking to using the word as a tool for rhetorical contrast and detailed chronological reporting in professional environments.

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At the C1 level, the learner's use of '昨日' (Kinou) and 'Sakujitsu' is indistinguishable from a native speaker's. They can appreciate the use of 'Kinou' in literature to evoke specific moods or nostalgic feelings. C1 learners can navigate complex honorific (Keigo) structures where 'Sakujitsu' is paired with humble or respectful verb forms, such as 'Sakujitsu wa go-busata itashimashita' (I apologize for the neglect in contacting you yesterday). They also understand the historical etymology of the kanji and can recognize archaic or poetic readings in classical texts. At this level, the word is used with high precision in legal, academic, or highly technical documents where the exact timing of events is critical to the logic of the argument.

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At the C2 level, mastery involves the ability to use '昨日' (Kinou) and its variants in any possible context, including deep philosophical discourse or high-level creative writing. A C2 speaker might use 'Kinou' to discuss the fluidity of time or the psychological perception of the past. They can effortlessly switch between the casual 'Kinou', the formal 'Sakujitsu', and even more obscure literary terms like 'Saku-jitsu' (with a slight emphasis) to achieve specific stylistic effects. They are fully aware of the socio-linguistic implications of choosing one term over another in sensitive diplomatic or social situations. For a C2 learner, '昨日' is no longer just a vocabulary word; it is a versatile instrument for nuanced expression, capable of conveying subtle shifts in tone, respect, and temporal perspective.

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昨日 in 30 Sekunden

昨日 (Kinou) means 'yesterday' and is a core A1 vocabulary word.
It requires the verb in the sentence to be conjugated into the past tense.
Do not use the particle 'ni' after 'Kinou' in standard sentences.
In formal situations, the reading changes from 'Kinou' to 'Sakujitsu'.

The Japanese word 昨日 (きのう, kinou) is one of the most fundamental temporal markers in the Japanese language, serving as the primary way to refer to 'yesterday'. For English speakers, the concept is straightforward, yet the linguistic application in Japanese involves specific grammatical nuances that differ from Western languages. Primarily categorized as a noun that functions adverbially, it anchors the speaker's narrative in the immediate past. In daily life, this word is ubiquitous, appearing in everything from casual morning greetings to formal business reports. When you use 昨日, you are not just indicating a point in time; you are setting the stage for the past tense conjugation of the verbs that follow. Understanding its usage is the first step toward mastering the 'Relative Time' system in Japanese, where words like today, tomorrow, and yesterday act as floating anchors relative to the moment of speaking.

Core Temporal Function: It refers strictly to the 24-hour period preceding the current day. Unlike English, where 'yesterday' can sometimes be used metaphorically for the recent past, Japanese usage tends to be quite literal unless specified by context.
Grammatical Flexibility: It functions as a 'Meishi' (noun) but often behaves like an adverb. This means it can start a sentence without a particle, though it can take particles like 'wa' for topic marking or 'no' to modify other nouns.

昨日はとても忙しかったです。(Kinou wa totemo isogashikatta desu.)

Translation: Yesterday was very busy.

In a broader communicative context, mentioning 'yesterday' serves as a social lubricant. Japanese culture often emphasizes shared experiences or checking in on previous states. For example, asking about someone's health 'yesterday' versus 'today' shows a high level of empathy and social awareness (Kizukai). It is also the anchor for the 'Saku-' prefix family, which includes 'Sakuban' (last night) and 'Sakunen' (last year), though 'Kinou' remains the most common spoken form for the specific previous day.

昨日の夜、何をしましたか？ (Kinou no yoru, nani wo shimashita ka?)

Translation: What did you do yesterday night?

Syntactic Position: Usually placed at the very beginning of the sentence to establish the timeframe immediately, ensuring the listener is prepared for the past-tense verb endings that will conclude the thought.

Mastering the sentence structures involving 昨日 (Kinou) requires an understanding of how time interacts with Japanese verb conjugation and particles. Unlike English, where 'yesterday' can be moved around quite freely ('I went yesterday' or 'Yesterday I went'), Japanese sentences are most natural when the time is stated early. This sets the 'temporal scene'. Because Kinou refers to the past, it mandates that the main verb of the clause be in the past tense (e.g., -mashita or -ta forms). Failing to match the time word with the correct verb tense is one of the most common errors for A1 learners.

昨日、友達に会いました。(Kinou, tomodachi ni aimashita.)

Translation: I met my friend yesterday. (Note the past tense 'aimashita')

Another key structural use is the Noun-Modifying form. By adding the particle の (no), you can turn 'yesterday' into an adjective-like modifier to describe other nouns. This is how you say things like 'yesterday's homework' or 'yesterday's weather'. This construction is incredibly productive in Japanese and allows for concise descriptions of events or objects tied to that specific day.

The Topic Marker 'Wa': Use 'Kinou wa...' when you want to contrast yesterday with today. 'Yesterday (as for yesterday) it was raining, but today it is sunny.' This creates a clear boundary between time periods.
Adverbial Usage (No Particle): When simply stating when an action happened without emphasizing the day itself as the topic, 'Kinou' is used alone at the start of the sentence, often followed by a comma in writing.

昨日のテストは難しかったです。(Kinou no tesuto wa muzukashikatta desu.)

Translation: Yesterday's test was difficult.

Advanced learners should note that Kinou can also be used in relative clauses. For instance, 'The book I bought yesterday' becomes 昨日買った本 (Kinou katta hon). Here, the time word stays close to the verb it modifies, showing that the action of buying occurred on that day. This demonstrates the versatility of the word across different levels of sentence complexity.

You will encounter 昨日 (Kinou) in almost every layer of Japanese society. In casual settings, it is the standard 'icebreaker' word. When friends meet, they often recap the previous day's events. You'll hear it in coffee shops, at train stations, and in school hallways. It is the foundation of 'recap culture' in Japan, where summarizing recent events helps maintain social harmony (Wa) and keeps everyone on the same page.

A: 昨日、何食べた？ (Kinou, nani tabeta?)
B: ラーメン食べたよ。(Raamen tabeta yo.)

Translation: A: What did you eat yesterday? B: I ate ramen.

In the Workplace: In morning meetings (Chourei), employees report on 'Kinou no shinpochou' (yesterday's progress). While 'Sakujitsu' is used in written emails or formal reports, 'Kinou' is still widely accepted in spoken business conversations between colleagues of similar rank.
In Media and News: News anchors will almost exclusively use 'Sakujitsu' when reporting events from the previous day to maintain a professional, objective tone. However, in variety shows or interviews, 'Kinou' is the standard.

In customer service, you might hear it when a clerk refers to a previous visit. 'Kinou mo o-koshi itadakimashita ne' (You also came yesterday, didn't you?). This usage demonstrates the importance of 'Kinou' in building rapport and recognizing recurring customers. Whether it's a polite observation or a casual question, the word is a vital tool for navigating Japanese social interactions.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with 昨日 (Kinou) is the 'Particle Overuse' error. In English, we often say 'On yesterday' or 'At that time yesterday'. This leads learners to incorrectly say 昨日に行きました (Kinou ni ikimashita). In Japanese, relative time words (words whose meaning changes based on when they are said, like today, tomorrow, next week) do not take the particle 'ni'. This is a hard rule for A1-A2 learners to internalize.

Incorrect: 昨日にお酒を飲みました。
Correct: 昨日、お酒を飲みました。

Tense Mismatch: Learners often forget to conjugate the verb to the past tense. Saying 'Kinou ikimasu' (I go yesterday) is grammatically impossible in Japanese. The verb ending must always reflect the past nature of the time word.
Confusing 'Kinou' and 'Sakujitsu': While they mean the same thing, using 'Sakujitsu' in a very casual chat with a best friend can sound overly stiff or even sarcastic. Conversely, using 'Kinou' in a highly formal written apology to a CEO might be seen as slightly too informal.

Finally, avoid using 'Kinou' when you mean 'the other day' (senjitsu). If you can't remember if it was exactly yesterday, 'Kinou' is too specific. Japanese speakers are quite precise with these temporal labels.

While 昨日 (Kinou) is the most common term, Japanese offers several alternatives depending on the level of formality and the specific time of day you are referencing. Understanding these synonyms allows you to tailor your speech to the social situation perfectly.

昨日 (Sakujitsu): The formal version of Kinou. Use this in business emails, formal announcements, and news reporting. It uses the same kanji but a different reading.
一昨日 (Ototoi): Meaning 'the day before yesterday'. It is essential to learn this alongside Kinou to navigate past events accurately.
昨晩 (Sakuban) / 昨夜 (Sakuya): These refer specifically to 'last night'. While you can say 'Kinou no yoru', these single-word alternatives are more elegant and common in literature or formal speech.

Comparison:
Casual: 昨日、楽しかった！ (Kinou, tanoshikatta!)
Formal: 昨日は誠にありがとうございました。(Sakujitsu wa makoto ni arigatou gozaimashita.)

In summary, choose 'Kinou' for 90% of daily interactions, 'Sakujitsu' for work/formal settings, and 'Ototoi' when you need to step one day further back in time.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The reading 'Kinou' is actually 'Ateji', meaning the sounds were applied to the kanji characters for their meaning, rather than their standard phonetic readings (which would be Sakujitsu).

Aussprachehilfe

UK kʲinoː

US kinoʊ

Japanese doesn't have stress accent like English, but a pitch accent. In 'Kinou', the first syllable 'Ki' is higher than the following 'nou'.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 1/5

The kanji is simple but the reading 'Kinou' is irregular (Ateji).

Schreiben 2/5

The kanji for 'Saku' (昨) takes some practice to distinguish from 'Saku' (作).

Sprechen 1/5

The word is short and easy to pronounce once the pitch is learned.

Hören 1/5

Very common and distinct sound.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

今日 (Kyou) 日 (Hi) 先 (Saki) 今 (Ima) 前 (Mae)

Als Nächstes lernen

明日 (Ashita) 一昨日 (Ototoi) 明後日 (Asatte) 先週 (Senshuu) 先月 (Sengetsu)

Fortgeschritten

昨今 (Sakkon) 昨日今日 (Kinou-kyou) 前日 (Zenjitsu) 昨年度 (Sakunendo)

Wichtige Grammatik

Past Tense Conjugation (~mashita)

昨日、行きました。

Past Tense of Adjectives (~katta)

昨日は寒かったです。

Noun Modification with 'no'

昨日の本。

Relative Time Markers (No 'ni' particle)

昨日、食べました。 (NOT 昨日にお食べました)

Topic Marking with 'wa'

昨日は雨でした。

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Beispiele nach Niveau

昨日、パンを食べました。

Yesterday, I ate bread.

Uses 'Kinou' without a particle and the past tense verb 'tabemashita'.

昨日は日曜日でした。

Yesterday was Sunday.

Uses 'wa' to make yesterday the topic of the sentence.

昨日の天気は良かったです。

Yesterday's weather was good.

Uses 'no' to link 'yesterday' and 'weather'.

昨日、テレビを見ましたか？

Did you watch TV yesterday?

A basic question in the past tense.

昨日、学校へ行きました。

I went to school yesterday.

Shows the past tense of the verb 'to go'.

昨日は寒かったです。

Yesterday was cold.

Uses an i-adjective in its past tense form 'samukatta'.

昨日、本を読みませんでした。

I did not read a book yesterday.

Uses the negative past tense 'yomimasen deshita'.

昨日、何を買いましたか？

What did you buy yesterday?

Interrogative sentence using 'nani' (what).

昨日は雨でしたが、今日は晴れです。

Yesterday it was raining, but today it is sunny.

Contrasts two time periods using 'wa' and 'ga'.

昨日の夜、友達と電話しました。

Yesterday night, I talked with my friend on the phone.

Uses 'Kinou no yoru' for 'last night'.

昨日のテストはあまり難しくなかったです。

Yesterday's test was not very difficult.

Negative past tense of an i-adjective.

昨日、どこかへ行きましたか？

Did you go somewhere yesterday?

Uses 'dokoka' meaning 'somewhere'.

昨日の宿題はもう終わりました。

I already finished yesterday's homework.

Uses 'mou' (already) with a past tense verb.

昨日、お母さんに手紙を書きました。

Yesterday, I wrote a letter to my mother.

Indicates the recipient of an action with 'ni'.

昨日は仕事が忙しかったです。

Yesterday, work was busy.

The subject 'shigoto' (work) is marked with 'ga'.

昨日、デパートで靴を買いました。

Yesterday, I bought shoes at the department store.

Indicates the location of an action with 'de'.

昨日買ったカメラはとても使いやすいです。

The camera I bought yesterday is very easy to use.

Relative clause: 'Kinou katta' modifies 'kamera'.

昨日、風邪をひいたので休みました。

I was absent because I caught a cold yesterday.

Uses '~node' to explain a reason.

昨日言ったことは本当ですよ。

What I said yesterday is true.

Relative clause: 'Kinou itta koto' as the subject.

昨日、田中さんが来ると思っていたのに。

I thought Tanaka-san would come yesterday, but...

Uses '~to omotte ita' for a past belief.

昨日、もっと勉強すればよかったです。

I should have studied more yesterday.

Uses the conditional '~ba yokatta' for regret.

昨日の晩御飯は何だったか覚えていますか？

Do you remember what yesterday's dinner was?

Embedded question with '~ka' and 'oboete imasu'.

昨日は、一日中家で映画を見ていました。

Yesterday, I was watching movies at home all day.

Past continuous form '~te imashita'.

昨日お会いした方はどなたですか？

Who was the person you met yesterday?

Humble/Polite phrasing 'o-ai shita'.

昨日の会議での決定事項を報告します。

I will report the items decided at yesterday's meeting.

Formal business context using 'Kinou' as a modifier.

昨日の今日でそんなに状況は変わりませんよ。

Situations don't change that much from just yesterday to today.

Idiomatic use of 'Kinou no kyou' (overnight/suddenly).

昨日、あんなに怒らなければよかったと後悔している。

I regret that I shouldn't have gotten so angry yesterday.

Complex emotional expression with regret 'koukai'.

昨日の敵は今日の友という言葉があります。

There is a saying: 'Yesterday's enemy is today's friend.'

Proverbial usage showing contrast.

昨日の試合での彼の活躍は素晴らしかった。

His performance in yesterday's game was brilliant.

Noun modification with 'no'.

昨日、新しいプロジェクトの提案書を提出いたしました。

I submitted the proposal for the new project yesterday.

Very formal 'itashimashita' humble form.

昨日の失敗を糧にして、今日は頑張ります。

I will do my best today, learning from yesterday's failure.

Metaphorical use of 'kate' (nourishment/lesson).

昨日の時点では、まだ詳細は不明でした。

As of yesterday, the details were still unknown.

Using 'no jiten de' (as of/at the point of).

昨日の出来事は、私の人生における大きな転換点となった。

The events of yesterday became a major turning point in my life.

Formal and abstract 'ni okeru' structure.

昨日までの努力が、ようやく実を結びました。

The efforts up until yesterday have finally borne fruit.

'Kinou made no' (up until yesterday).

昨日の今日で結論を出すのは、いささか早急すぎます。

Reaching a conclusion so soon after yesterday's events is a bit premature.

Sophisticated adverb 'isasaka' (somewhat).

昨日の自分を超えることが、私の毎日の目標です。

Surpassing the 'me' of yesterday is my daily goal.

Philosophical use of 'Kinou no jibun'.

昨日の議論を踏まえ、本日は具体的な施策を検討したい。

Based on yesterday's discussion, I want to consider specific measures today.

Formal 'wo fumaete' (based on/taking into account).

昨日の惨状を目の当たりにし、言葉を失った。

I was at a loss for words after witnessing yesterday's disastrous scene.

Literary 'wo me no atari ni shi' (witnessing).

昨日の新聞によれば、景気は回復傾向にあるとのことだ。

According to yesterday's newspaper, the economy is on a recovery trend.

Formal reporting with 'ni yoreba... to no koto da'.

昨日の今日で、彼が辞職するとは夢にも思わなかった。

I never dreamed that he would resign so soon after yesterday's events.

Idiomatic 'yume ni mo omowanakatta' (never dreamed of).

昨日という日は、歴史の奔流の中に飲み込まれていった。

The day known as yesterday was swallowed up into the torrent of history.

Highly poetic 'to iu hi' (the day called...).

昨日の記憶は、霧の中に消えゆく幻影のようであった。

Yesterday's memories were like illusions vanishing into the fog.

Metaphorical and literary 'kiyuku gen'ei'.

昨日の過ちを悔いる暇があるなら、明日への一歩を踏み出すべきだ。

If you have time to regret yesterday's mistakes, you should take a step toward tomorrow.

Rhetorical 'hima ga aru nara' structure.

昨日の今日で事態が急変し、我々は対応に追われている。

The situation changed abruptly following yesterday's events, and we are struggling to respond.

Advanced idiom 'taiou ni owarete iru'.

昨日という概念さえ、この絶対的な静寂の中では無意味に思える。

Even the concept of 'yesterday' seems meaningless in this absolute silence.

Philosophical exploration of time.

昨日の敵と今日の友が、同じテーブルで未来を語り合う皮肉。

The irony of yesterday's enemy and today's friend discussing the future at the same table.

Noun-heavy literary style.

昨日の今日でそんな要求を突きつけるとは、厚顔無恥にも程がある。

To make such a demand so soon after yesterday is the height of impudence.

Use of four-character idiom 'kouganmuchi'.

昨日、彼が残した言葉が、今になって重くのしかかってくる。

The words he left behind yesterday are weighing heavily on me now.

Abstract emotional weight 'omoku noshikakaru'.

Synonyme

さくじつ (昨日) きのう (昨日) 前日先日昨夕昨夜

Gegenteile

明日今日明後日

Häufige Kollokationen

昨日の夜

昨日の朝

昨日の午後

昨日のニュース

昨日の続き

昨日の自分

昨日の試合

昨日の分

昨日の夕食

昨日の天気

Häufige Phrasen

昨日、どうしたの？

— What happened yesterday? Used to ask about an absence or event.

昨日、どうしたの？学校に来なかったね。

昨日の今日で

— So soon after yesterday. Implies something happened very quickly.

昨日の今日で返事が来るなんて驚いた。

昨日から

— Since yesterday. Used to describe a continuing state.

昨日からずっと雨が降っています。

昨日までに

— By yesterday. Indicates a deadline in the past.

昨日までに終わらせるべきでした。

昨日のこと

— About yesterday / Yesterday's matter.

昨日のことは忘れてください。

昨日のような

— Like yesterday. Comparing current state to yesterday.

今日も昨日のような暑さだ。

昨日と同じ

— The same as yesterday.

今日も昨日と同じ服を着ています。

昨日だけ

— Only yesterday.

昨日だけは特別に許しました。

昨日の夜中

— Middle of the night yesterday.

昨日の夜中に電話がありました。

昨日の昼間

— During the day yesterday.

昨日の昼間は外にいました。

Wird oft verwechselt mit

昨日 vs 一昨日 (Ototoi)

Ototoi is two days ago, Kinou is one day ago.

昨日 vs 先日 (Senjitsu)

Senjitsu is 'the other day' (vague), Kinou is 'yesterday' (specific).

昨日 vs 前日 (Zenjitsu)

Zenjitsu is the day before a specific event, Kinou is the day before today.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"昨日の敵は今日の友"

— Yesterday's enemy is today's friend. Rivalries can change quickly.

試合が終われば昨日の敵は今日の友だ。

Common Proverb

"昨日の今日"

— Very recently; only a day has passed.

昨日の今日でそんなに変わるわけがない。

Colloquial

"昨日の夢"

— Something that is already a thing of the past; fleeting.

あの栄光も今や昨日の夢だ。

Literary

"昨日今日"

— A very short period of time; recently started.

昨日今日始めたばかりの初心者です。

Neutral

"昨日の花は今日の塵"

— Yesterday's flower is today's dust. Everything is ephemeral.

昨日の花は今日の塵、人生は儚いものだ。

Archaic/Poetic

"昨日の淵は今日の瀬"

— Yesterday's deep pool is today's shallow. The world is constantly changing.

世の中は昨日の淵は今日の瀬だ。

Proverbial

"昨日の自分に勝つ"

— To be better than you were yesterday.

毎日、昨日の自分に勝つことを意識している。

Motivational

"昨日のような今日"

— A monotonous life where every day is the same.

昨日のような今日がずっと続いている。

Poetic

"昨日を振り返る"

— To reflect on the past/yesterday.

昨日を振り返って反省する。

Neutral

"昨日までの自分"

— One's past self up until yesterday.

今日からは昨日までの自分とは違う。

Neutral

Leicht verwechselbar

昨日 vs 昨年 (Sakunen)

Both start with the kanji 昨 (Saku).

Sakunen means 'last year', while Kinou means 'yesterday'.

昨年は日本に行きました。昨日も日本食を食べました。

昨日 vs 昨夜 (Sakuya)

Both refer to the previous day.

Sakuya is specifically 'last night', Kinou is the whole day.

昨夜はよく眠れました。

昨日 vs 明日 (Ashita)

Opposite meanings but similar sentence structure.

Ashita is future (tomorrow), Kinou is past (yesterday).

明日は休みです。昨日は仕事でした。

昨日 vs 今日 (Kyou)

Temporal proximity.

Kyou is the present day.

今日はいい天気ですが、昨日は雨でした。

昨日 vs 先週 (Senshuu)

Both are past time markers.

Senshuu is 'last week', a longer period.

先週から昨日まで忙しかったです。

Satzmuster

昨日、[Noun]を[Verb-mashita]。

昨日、りんごを食べました。

昨日は[Adjective-katta]です。

昨日は暑かったです。

昨日の[Noun]は[Adjective]です。

昨日のテストは難しかったです。

昨日、[Place]へ行きましたか？

昨日、海へ行きましたか？

昨日[Verb-past]ので、[Result]。

昨日遅く寝たので、今日は眠いです。

昨日[Verb-past] [Noun]。

昨日見た映画。

昨日の今日で[Unexpected Result]。

昨日の今日で壊れるなんて。

昨日の議論を踏まえて...

昨日の議論を踏まえて、修正します。

Wortfamilie

Substantive

昨日 (Kinou)

昨夜 (Sakuya)

昨晩 (Sakuban)

Verwandt

今日 (Kyou)

明日 (Ashita)

一昨日 (Ototoi)

昨年 (Sakunen)

先週 (Senshuu)

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frequency

Extremely high in all domains.

Häufige Fehler

昨日に行きました → 昨日行きました
You don't use the particle 'ni' with 'Kinou'.
昨日、食べます → 昨日、食べました
The verb must be in the past tense.
昨日のあした → 今日
Logic error: The day after yesterday is today.
昨日、寒いです → 昨日、寒かったです
Adjectives must also be in the past tense.
さくじつ (in a casual chat) → きのう
'Sakujitsu' is too formal for casual conversation.

Tipps

Verb Matching

Always ensure your verb matches 'Kinou'. If you say 'Kinou', use '~mashita'.

Emphasis

If you want to emphasize that it happened specifically yesterday, add 'wa': 'Kinou wa...'

Kanji Practice

Practice writing 昨 and 日 together. They both contain the sun radical.

Next-Day Thanks

It's polite to thank someone 'today' for what they did 'yesterday'.

Formal Reading

Learn 'Sakujitsu' as soon as you start business Japanese.

Context Clues

If you hear 'Saku...', it almost always refers to something in the past.

Key-No

The Key (Ki) to knowing (No) the past is yesterday.

No 'Ni'

Repeat: Kinou, Ashita, Kyou do not take 'ni'.

Compound Words

Learn 'Kinou-kyou' to describe things that just started.

Daily Diary

Write one sentence about 'Kinou' every morning.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Imagine a 'KEY' (Ki) opening a 'KNOW'ledge (Nou) book about what happened one day ago.

Visuelle Assoziation

Picture a calendar page being torn off and flying into a 'Past' bin.

Word Web

Past Time History Memory Calendar Diary Yesterday Recall

Herausforderung

Try to write three sentences in your diary starting with 'Kinou' every night for a week.

Wortherkunft

The kanji 昨日 literally translates to 'Previous (昨) Day (日)'. 'Saku' (昨) refers to something that has passed or is previous.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: The day that has passed.

Sino-Japanese (Kango origin for the kanji, but 'Kinou' is a Kun-yomi reading associated with these characters).

Kultureller Kontext

None. It is a neutral time word.

In English, we often use 'yesterday' metaphorically ('Yesterday's news'). In Japanese, 'Kinou' is more literal, while 'Mukashi' is used for the distant past.

The song 'Yesterday' by The Beatles is famous in Japan as 'Iesutadei'. Many anime episodes use 'Kinou' in their titles to denote a flashback. The phrase 'Kinou no Teki wa Kyou no Tomo' is a common trope in Shonen manga.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Daily Greeting

昨日はどうも。
昨日ぶりですね。
昨日はお疲れ様でした。
昨日、楽しかったね。

Weather Discussion

昨日は暑かったですね。
昨日は雨でした。
昨日の夜は寒かったです。
昨日は風が強かった。

Reporting Absence

昨日は休みました。
昨日は体調が悪かったです。
昨日は用事がありました。
昨日は遅れました。

Diary Writing

昨日の出来事。
昨日は一日中...
昨日、思ったこと。
昨日、見た夢。

Business Email

昨日の打ち合わせの件。
昨日はご多忙の折...
昨日お送りしたメール。
昨日の修正点です。

Gesprächseinstiege

"昨日の夜、何を食べましたか？ (What did you eat last night?)"

"昨日のテレビ番組、見ましたか？ (Did you see that TV show yesterday?)"

"昨日は何時に寝ましたか？ (What time did you go to bed yesterday?)"

"昨日の休みはどうでしたか？ (How was your day off yesterday?)"

"昨日の天気、すごかったですね。 (The weather yesterday was amazing, wasn't it?)"

Tagebuch-Impulse

昨日一番楽しかったことは何ですか？ (What was the most fun thing yesterday?)

昨日、誰と話しましたか？ (Who did you talk to yesterday?)

昨日、新しく覚えた言葉は何ですか？ (What new word did you learn yesterday?)

昨日の自分にアドバイスをするなら？ (What advice would you give your yesterday self?)

昨日の天気と今日の気分を比べてください。 (Compare yesterday's weather with today's mood.)

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, you should avoid using the particle 'ni' with relative time words like 'Kinou'. Just say 'Kinou' or 'Kinou wa'.

They use the same kanji. 'Kinou' is for everyday speech, while 'Sakujitsu' is for formal writing and business.

You use the particle 'no': 'Kinou no asa'.

It is a noun that can function adverbially, meaning it doesn't need a particle to modify the verb.

It is an 'Ateji' or 'Gikun' reading, where the sound was assigned to the characters based on meaning.

No, that would be logically incorrect. 'Kinou' always requires the past tense.

It is written as きのう.

That is 'Ototoi' (一昨日), meaning the day before yesterday.

Usually, yes. It refers to the previous calendar day.

You say 'Kinou kara'.

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