A1 Verb Basics 1 min read 简单

Polite Past Tense: ました (mashita) — "I did..."

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To turn a polite present verb into the past tense, simply replace 'masu' with 'mashita'.

  • Identify the polite present verb ending in 'masu' (e.g., {食べます|たべます}).
  • Remove the 'masu' suffix.
  • Add 'mashita' to create the past tense (e.g., {食べました|たべました}).
Verb-stem + ます (masu) → Verb-stem + ました (mashita)

Overview

To express past tense politely in Japanese (I did..., I ate..., I went...), replace ます with ました. Like the negative form, this is perfectly regular with zero exceptions. 食べます → 食べました (I ate).
行きます → 行きました (I went). します → しました (I did). 来ます → 来ました (I came).
Japanese past tense does not distinguish between simple past (I ate), present perfect (I have eaten), or past continuous in many contexts. The single ました form covers situations that English splits into multiple tenses. Context and time expressions clarify the exact meaning.
For example: 昨日すしを食べました can mean
I ate sushi yesterday
(simple past) and 日本に行ったことがあります uses a different pattern for experiences. The polite past tense is essential for daily conversation — talking about what you did today, yesterday, last week, or at any point in the past. Combined with time expressions like 昨日 (yesterday), 先週 (last week), さっき (just now), and 去年 (last year), you can express a wide range of past events.

Polite Past Tense Conjugation

Verb (Dictionary) Polite Present Polite Past
食べる (taberu)
食べます
食べました
行く (iku)
行きます
行きました
飲む (nomu)
飲みます
飲みました
買う (kau)
買います
買いました
話す (hanasu)
話します
話しました
見る (miru)
見ます
見ました
する (suru)
します
しました
来る (kuru)
来ます
来ました

Meanings

This grammar is used to describe completed actions in a polite, respectful manner.

1

Completed Action

An action that finished in the past.

“{勉強|べんきょう}しました。”

“{行きました|いきました}。”

Reference Table

Reference table for Polite Past Tense: ました (mashita) — "I did..."
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Stem + mashita
食べました
Negative
Stem + masen deshita
食べませんでした
Question
Stem + mashita ka?
食べましたか？
Short Answer (Yes)
Hai, mashita.
はい、食べました。
Short Answer (No)
Iie, masen deshita.
いいえ、食べませんでした。

正式程度

正式
食べました。

食べました。 (General)

中性
食べました。

食べました。 (General)

非正式
食べた。

食べた。 (General)

俚语
食った。

食った。 (General)

The Mashita Flow

Verb Stem

Present

  • masu Polite Present

Past

  • mashita Polite Past
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按水平分级的例句

1

{昨日|きのう}、{学校|がっこう}へ{行きました|いきました}。

I went to school yesterday.

2

{寿司|すし}を{食べました|たべました}。

I ate sushi.

3

{本|ほん}を{読みました|よみました}。

I read a book.

4

{日本語|にほんご}を{勉強|べんきょう}しました。

I studied Japanese.

1

{昨日|きのう}、{友達|ともだち}と{映画|えいが}を{見ました|みました}。

I watched a movie with a friend yesterday.

2

{デパート|でぱーと}で{服|ふく}を{買いました|かいました}。

I bought clothes at the department store.

3

{先生|せんせい}に{質問|しつもん}しました。

I asked the teacher a question.

4

{公園|こうえん}で{走りました|はしりました}。

I ran in the park.

1

{先週|せんしゅう}、{東京|とうきょう}へ{出張|しゅっちょう}しました。

I went on a business trip to Tokyo last week.

2

{昨日|きのう}の{会議|かいぎ}で{発表|はっぴょう}しました。

I gave a presentation at yesterday's meeting.

3

{駅|えき}で{切符|きっぷ}を{買いました|かいました}。

I bought a ticket at the station.

4

{手紙|てがみ}を{書きました|かきました}。

I wrote a letter.

1

{プロジェクト|ぷろじぇくと}の{計画|けいかく}を{変更|へんこう}しました。

I changed the project plan.

2

{昨日|きのう}、{重要|じゅうよう}な{書類|しょるい}を{確認|かくにん}しました。

I checked the important documents yesterday.

3

{彼|かれ}に{電話|でんわ}しました。

I called him.

4

{新|あたら}しい{家|いえ}に{引|ひ}っ{越|こ}しました。

I moved to a new house.

1

{昨日|きのう}の{講演|こうえん}で{興味深|きょうみぶか}い{話|はなし}を{聞|き}きました。

I heard an interesting story at yesterday's lecture.

2

{彼|かれ}の{意見|いけん}を{尊重|そんちょう}しました。

I respected his opinion.

3

{昨日|きのう}の{トラブル|とらぶる}を{解決|かいけつ}しました。

I resolved yesterday's trouble.

4

{長年|ながねん}の{夢|ゆめ}を{実現|じつげん}しました。

I realized my long-held dream.

1

{昨日|きのう}の{式典|しきてん}に{参列|さんれつ}しました。

I attended yesterday's ceremony.

2

{彼|かれ}の{功績|こうせき}を{称|たた}えました。

I praised his achievements.

3

{昨日|きのう}の{議論|ぎろん}を{総括|そうかつ}しました。

I summarized yesterday's discussion.

4

{彼|かれ}の{提案|ていあん}を{承諾|しょうだく}しました。

I accepted his proposal.

容易混淆

Polite Past Tense: ました (mashita) — "I did..." 对比 Masu vs Mashita

Learners mix present and past.

Polite Past Tense: ました (mashita) — "I did..." 对比 Mashita vs Ta-form

Register confusion.

Polite Past Tense: ました (mashita) — "I did..." 对比 Mashita vs Masen deshita

Affirmative vs Negative.

常见错误

✗

tabeta mashita

✓

tabemashita

Don't mix casual and polite forms.
✗

tabemashi

✓

tabemashita

Don't drop the 'ta'.
✗

tabemasu deshita

✓

tabemashita

The past tense is mashita, not masen deshita.
✗

tabemashita desu

✓

tabemashita

Do not add 'desu' after a verb.
✗

ikimashita desu

✓

ikimashita

Verb endings are complete; no 'desu' needed.
✗

nomu mashita

✓

nomimashita

Use the stem, not the dictionary form.
✗

kaimashita ka

✓

kaimashita ka?

Remember the question particle.
✗

tabeta desu

✓

tabemashita

Mixing registers.
✗

ikimashita deshita

✓

ikimashita

Redundant past tense.
✗

shita mashita

✓

shimashita

Incorrect stem usage.
✗

tabemashita-ta

✓

tabemashita

Double past tense.
✗

ikimashita-n desu

✓

ikimashita

Unnecessary explanatory 'n'.
✗

tabemashita deshita

✓

tabemashita

Redundant.

句型

___ を ___ ました。

昨日、___ へ ___ ました。

___ と ___ ました。

___ で ___ ました。

Real World Usage

Texting a boss constant

会議に参加しました。

Ordering food very common

これを注文しました。

Job interview constant

前職で営業をしました。

Travel very common

切符を買いました。

Social media occasional

今日、勉強しました。

Food delivery app common

注文を完了しました。

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💡

Consistency

Always use 'mashita' in polite settings. Consistency builds trust.
⚠️

Don't mix

Never mix casual 'ta' with 'desu/masu' forms.
🎯

Listen

Listen to how native speakers use 'mashita' to end stories.
💬

Politeness

Using 'mashita' shows respect to your listener.

Smart Tips

Always use 'mashita' for past events.

Kino tabeta. → Kino tabemashita.

Default to 'mashita' to be safe.

Kino itta? → Kino ikimashita ka?

Use 'mashita' for each sentence.

Kino tabeta, nonda. → Kino tabemashita, nomimashita.

Use 'mashita' for completed actions.

Kino okutta. → Kino okurimashita.

发音

ma-shi-ta

Mashita

The 'i' in 'shi' is often devoiced, sounding like 'mash-ta'.

Statement

Mashita↓

Falling intonation for statements.

Question

Mashita↑

Rising intonation for questions.

记住它

记忆技巧

Mashita sounds like 'Ma, she ate'. Imagine your mom (Ma) eating a big meal in the past.

视觉联想

Imagine a 'Masu' robot turning into a 'Mashita' robot by putting on a 'Past' hat.

Rhyme

To talk of the past, don't be a shy-ta, just add the ending mashita.

Story

Yesterday, I went to the park. I walked (arukimashita). I saw a bird (mimashita). I bought a drink (kaimashita).

Word Web

mashitamasukinosenshusakikako

挑战

Write 5 sentences about what you did yesterday using only 'mashita' verbs.

文化笔记

Used in all polite contexts.

Often uses 'mashita' but with different pitch accent.

Essential for all professional reports.

The 'masu' suffix evolved from the auxiliary verb 'mairasu'.

对话开场白

“

Yesterday, what did you do?

“

Did you eat lunch?

“

Did you finish the work?

“

What did you buy at the store?

日记主题

Write about your weekend.
Describe your last trip.
What did you do at work today?
Reflect on a past achievement.

常见错误

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

Incorrect

正确

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Test Yourself

Fill in the past tense.

私は寿司を___ (eat).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Mashita is the past tense.
Choose the correct form. 多项选择

昨日、学校へ___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Past tense is required.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

昨日、本を読んだました。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Remove 'da' before 'mashita'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Standard SOV order.
Translate to Japanese. 翻译

I bought a book.

Answer starts with: a...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Polite past.
Conjugate 'nomu'. Conjugation Drill

Nomu -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Stem + mashita.
Match the verb. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Kaimasu matches Kaimashita.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'kino' and 'taberu'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Past tense for yesterday.

Score: /8

练习题

8 exercises
Fill in the past tense.

私は寿司を___ (eat).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Mashita is the past tense.
Choose the correct form. 多项选择

昨日、学校へ___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Past tense is required.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

昨日、本を読んだました。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Remove 'da' before 'mashita'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

昨日 / 映画 / 見ました / を

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Standard SOV order.
Translate to Japanese. 翻译

I bought a book.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Polite past.
Conjugate 'nomu'. Conjugation Drill

Nomu -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Stem + mashita.
Match the verb. Match Pairs

Kaimasu -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Kaimasu matches Kaimashita.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'kino' and 'taberu'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Past tense for yesterday.

Score: /8

常见问题 (8)

Yes, it is the standard polite past for all verbs.

You can, but it sounds distant. Use 'ta' instead.

There are no irregular verbs for 'mashita'.

The 'i' is often devoiced in fast speech.

It is polite, which is standard for most interactions.

Yes, it is very common in polite emails.

It is 'masen deshita'.

No, Japanese verbs do not change by gender.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Preterite tense

Japanese is invariant for person.

French moderate

Passé composé

Japanese suffix is attached directly.

German moderate

Präteritum

Japanese has no irregular past forms.

Japanese high

Ta-form

Register.

Arabic moderate

Past tense conjugation

Japanese is gender-neutral.

Chinese low

Le particle

Japanese is agglutinative.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Polite Negative: ません (masen) — "I don't..."
Next
Polite Past Negative: ませんでした (masen deshita) — "I didn't..."

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