Japanese - Past Experiences

Lesson 67 of 168

Two colleagues talking about a business trip in Japanese, practicing past-experience phrases like 'そのとき、私は...'.

Goal: Talk about what happened, how you felt, and what you realized

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to tell a story about something that already happened? This lesson helps you describe background, reactions, and changes of plan from past events. Short and focused — you'll listen, practice, and say the phrases aloud.

Level B1: In this lesson you'll practice polite phrases to describe past situations (そのとき、私は___でした。 (Sono toki, watashi wa ___ deshita.)), realize things after the fact (___ことに気づきませんでした。 (___ koto ni kizukimasen deshita.)), give results (結局、___でした。 (Kekkyoku, ___ deshita.)) and reflect (今考えると、___と思います。 (Ima kangaeru to, ___ to omoimasu.)). This CEFR-aligned set is practical for telling short personal stories and explaining what changed during an experience.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Practice B1-level phrases to set the scene and describe how an experience ended.
  • Be able to say what you were doing or feeling in the past (そのとき、私は___でした。 (Sono toki, watashi wa ___ deshita.)).
  • Explain a change of plan and what you realized afterward, with polite language you can use with coworkers and friends.
A traveler telling a friend about a past trip, using polite Japanese reflections and background phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

そのとき、私は___でした。

Sono toki, watashi wa ___ deshita.

At the time, I was ___.

Meaning: At the time, I was ___.

When to use: Use this to describe your situation or role during a past event (a noun or na-adjective fits well).

Tip: Beginners sometimes try to use a verb's past plain form here. If you mean a role or state, use a noun or na-adjective (or use ～していました for ongoing actions).

大学に入ったばかりで、そのとき、私はまだ新人でした。

Daigaku ni haitta bakari de, sono toki, watashi wa mada shinjin deshita.

I had just entered university — at that time I was still new.
就職した年、そのとき、私は学生ではありませんでした。

Shūshoku shita toshi, sono toki, watashi wa gakusei dewa arimasen deshita.

The year I started the job, at that time I wasn't a student.

___ことに気づきませんでした。

___ koto ni kizukimasen deshita.

I didn’t realize that ___.

Meaning: I didn’t realize that ___.

When to use: Use this to explain something you only noticed after the event; insert a plain-form clause before ことに気づきませんでした。

Tip: Make sure to nominalize the clause with こと; learners sometimes forget and try to attach 気づきませんでした directly to a full sentence.

帰ってから、財布を忘れていたことに気づきませんでした。

Kaette kara, saifu o wasurete ita koto ni kizukimasen deshita.

I didn't realize I had left my wallet until I got home.
途中で、彼が日本語を上手に話すことに気づきませんでした。

Tochū de, kare ga Nihongo o jōzu ni hanasu koto ni kizukimasen deshita.

I didn't realize during the event that he spoke Japanese well.

結局、___でした。

Kekkyoku, ___ deshita.

It turned out to be ___.

Meaning: It turned out to be ___.

When to use: Use this to summarize the result or your evaluation of an experience; place a noun or adjective in the blank.

最初は大変そうに見えましたが、結局、いい経験でした。

Saisho wa taihen sō ni miemashita ga, kekkyoku, ii keiken deshita.

At first it looked hard, but in the end it was a good experience.
心配していましたが、結局、思ったより簡単でした。

Shinpai shite imashita ga, kekkyoku, omotta yori kantan deshita.

I was worried, but it turned out to be easier than I thought.

今考えると、___と思います。

Ima kangaeru to, ___ to omoimasu.

Looking back, I think ___.

Meaning: Looking back, I think ___.

When to use: Use this to state your present reflection about a past event; follow with a plain-form clause plus と思います。

今考えると、もっと準備すればよかったと思います。

Ima kangaeru to, motto junbi sureba yokatta to omoimasu.

Looking back, I think I should have prepared more.
今考えると、あれは良い選択だったと思います。

Ima kangaeru to, are wa yoi sentaku datta to omoimasu.

Now that I think about it, I believe that was a good choice.

___とき、どんな気持ちでしたか。

___ toki, don'na kimochi deshita ka.

How did you feel when ___?

Meaning: How did you feel when ___?

When to use: Use this polite question to ask someone about their feelings at a particular past moment; insert a plain-form clause before とき。

初めて海外に行ったとき、どんな気持ちでしたか。

Hajimete kaigai ni itta toki, don'na kimochi deshita ka.

How did you feel when you first went abroad?
合格通知を受け取ったとき、どんな気持ちでしたか。

Gōkaku tsūchi o uketotta toki, don'na kimochi deshita ka.

How did you feel when you received the acceptance letter?

___、___をして過ごしました。

___, ___ o shite sugoshimashita.

I spent ___ doing ___.

Meaning: I spent ___ doing ___.

When to use: Use this to describe how you used a time period in the past: start with a time expression, then an activity with をして過ごしました。

休暇中は、毎日散歩をして過ごしました。

Kyūka chū wa, mainichi sanpo o shite sugoshimashita.

During the vacation, I spent every day taking walks.
週末は勉強をして過ごしました。

Shūmatsu wa benkyō o shite sugoshimashita.

I spent the weekend studying.

___するはずでしたが、___。

___ suru hazu deshita ga, ___.

We were supposed to ___, but ___.

Meaning: We were supposed to ___, but ___.

When to use: Use this to explain a plan that changed in the past: put the intended action before するはずでしたが and then the reason or outcome.

Tip: Check verb form before するはずでしたが — put the noun/verb-stem you planned to do. Beginners sometimes use the wrong tense or full sentence there.

プレゼンをするはずでしたが、機材トラブルで中止になりました。

Purezento o suru hazu deshita ga, kizai toraburu de chūshi ni narimashita.

We were supposed to give the presentation, but it was canceled due to equipment trouble.
一緒に旅行するはずでしたが、仕事で行けませんでした。

Issho ni ryokō suru hazu deshita ga, shigoto de ikemasen deshita.

We were supposed to travel together, but we couldn't because of work.

最初は___が不安でした。

Saisho wa ___ ga fuan deshita.

I was nervous about ___ at first.

Meaning: I was nervous about ___ at first.

When to use: Use this to explain an initial emotional reaction; put a noun with が (or nominalize a verb) before 不安でした。

最初は英語で話すのが不安でした。

Saisho wa Eigo de hanasu no ga fuan deshita.

At first I was nervous about speaking English.
最初は新しい仕事が不安でしたが、すぐ慣れました。

Saisho wa atarashii shigoto ga fuan deshita ga, sugu naremashita.

At first I was anxious about the new job, but I got used to it quickly.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna tells David about a business trip where plans changed and she learned something about herself.

Anna and David sitting at a café, naturally using past-experience sentence frames to share what happened.

What happened to Anna's planned presentation?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

去年の出張の話をします。そのとき、私はまだ新人でした。

Kyonen no shutchō no hanashi o shimasu. Sono toki, watashi wa mada shinjin deshita.

I'll tell you about last year's business trip. At that time, I was still new.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

出張では何をして過ごしましたか？

Shutchō de wa nani o shite sugoshimashita ka?

What did you do during the trip?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

会議に出席して、夜は資料を作って過ごしました。結局、いい経験でした。

Kaigi ni shusseki shite, yoru wa shiryō o tsukutte sugoshimashita. Kekkyoku, ii keiken deshita.

I attended meetings and spent the evenings preparing materials. In the end, it was a good experience.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

最初は不安でしたか。そのとき、どんな気持ちでしたか？

Saisho wa fuan deshita ka. Sono toki, don'na kimochi deshita ka?

Were you nervous at first? How did you feel then?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

最初は失敗がこわくて不安でした。でも、実はプレゼンをするはずでしたが、機材トラブルでできませんでした。

Saisho wa shippai ga kowakute fuan deshita. Demo, jitsu wa purezento o suru hazu deshita ga, kizai toraburu de dekimasen deshita.

At first I was afraid of failing. Actually, we were supposed to give a presentation, but we couldn't because of equipment trouble.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

今考えると、どう思いますか？

Ima kangaeru to, dō omoimasu ka?

Looking back, what do you think?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

今考えると、あれはいい経験だったと思います。

Ima kangaeru to, are wa ii keiken datta to omoimasu.

Looking back, I think it was a good experience.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which sentence means: 'I didn't realize the store was closed.'?

Choose the sentence that best matches: 'Looking back, I think it was a good learning experience.'

Which Japanese sentence expresses: 'We were supposed to give a presentation, but it was canceled.'?

Pick the best translation for: 'In the end, it was easier than I thought.'

After graduating high school and becoming a full-time employee for the first time, at that time I was still a newcomer.

高校を卒業して、初めて会社で正社員になった。そのとき、私は___でした。

Anna is telling a story about her first solo trip abroad. David asks: 'When you first went abroad, how did you feel?'

Annaは初めて海外に一人で行った話をしている。Davidが聞く：「___、どんな気持ちでしたか。」

We made sandwiches together. On Saturday we were supposed to have a picnic in the park, but it was canceled because of rain.

みんなでサンドイッチを作った。土曜日は公園で___するはずでしたが、雨で中止になりました。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

そのとき、私は___でした。

Sono toki, watashi wa ___ deshita.

At the time, I was ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___ことに気づきませんでした。

___ koto ni kizukimasen deshita.

I didn’t realize that ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

結局、___でした。

Kekkyoku, ___ deshita.

It turned out to be ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

今考えると、___と思います。

Ima kangaeru to, ___ to omoimasu.

Looking back, I think ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___とき、どんな気持ちでしたか。

___ toki, don'na kimochi deshita ka.

How did you feel when ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

___、___をして過ごしました。

___, ___ o shite sugoshimashita.

I spent ___ doing ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___するはずでしたが、___。

___ suru hazu deshita ga, ___.

We were supposed to ___, but ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

最初は___が不安でした。

Saisho wa ___ ga fuan deshita.

I was nervous about ___ at first.