行った
itta
In Japanese, "I went" is expressed as 行った (itta).
This phrase is the past tense of the verb go, used to indicate that someone moved from one place to another. When specifying a destination, the particle に is commonly used to indicate the place where the action of going occurs.
Which one should you use?
While 行った is the casual past tense, it is often replaced by 行きました in standard polite conversation to avoid sounding blunt. Additionally, the form 行ってきた can be used if you want to indicate that you not only went to a place but have also returned from it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 行った is the plain/casual form of "went". The polite form is 行きました.
How do you pronounce it?
itta
When do people say it?
The expression 参りました is specifically used when referring to visits to shrines, temples or other esteemed locations.
Did you know?
- The word 行った is a homophone for the word 言った, which means 'said'. In spoken Japanese, listeners rely entirely on context to know if someone went somewhere or said something.
- The verb 行く (to go) and the verb 来る (to come) are used differently than in English. In Japanese, you use 行った even if you are speaking to someone who is currently at the destination you went to.
- The phrase 行った can be used as a slang expression meaning 'it is finished' or 'it is gone' when referring to a broken object or a lost opportunity.
Examples in context
- 私も行った。I went, too.This sentence is useful for saying someone else also went.Tatoeba #152192 by bunbuku, translation #1300817 by CK
- 釣りに行った。I went fishing.This sentence is useful for expressing a specific activity you went to do.Tatoeba #125558 by bunbuku, translation #278435 by CK
- 病院に行った。I went to the hospital.This sentence is useful for stating a destination you visited.Tatoeba #2661778 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2661742 by CK
- 昨日、博物館に行きました。I went to the museum yesterday.
- 京都に参りました。I went to Kyoto.
- パーティーに行ったよ。I went to the party.
- 海に行ってきた。I went to the beach.
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about their weekend at a cafe.
- 陽太 Yota昨日はどこに行ったの？Kinou wa doko ni itta no?Where did you go yesterday?
- 美咲 Misakiデパートに行った。Depaato ni itta.I went to a department store.
- 陽太 Yota何か買った？Nani ka katta?Did you buy anything?
- 美咲 Misaki新しい靴を買ったよ。Atarashii kutsu o katta yo.I bought new shoes.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
