古い
furui[ɸɯ̟ɾɯ̟i]
The Japanese phrase for "something is old" is 古い (furui).
古い is used to describe inanimate objects that have existed for a long time. Other words like ダサい can be used informally to imply something is outdated or uncool. In certain contexts, people might use the expression 古いけど、懐かしい to express that something is old but evokes a sense of nostalgia and fondness.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the age of objects and the age of people. Use 古い for inanimate objects, but do not use it to describe an old person. To describe an older person, use 年をとっている or 年配の. For items that are specifically vintage or antique and retain their value due to their age, the more formal term 年代物 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
古い is an adjective that can be conjugated into several forms. The past tense "was old" is 古かった, the negative form "is not old" is 古くない and the conditional "if it is old" is 古ければ. To connect the adjective to another clause, such as "It is old and [broken/large/etc.]", use the te-form 古くて.
How do you pronounce it?
furui
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 古い to describe people. Use 年をとっている or 年配の instead.
Did you know?
- While 古い cannot be used for people today, it evolved from the verb ふる, which in Old Japanese described both things and people becoming older.
- The word 古い is so ancient that it appears in the Man'yōshū, a collection of poetry dating back to the 8th century.
- The term 年代物 is used specifically for antiques where age increases the value, whereas 古い often implies simple wear and tear.
Examples in context
- この寺は、 古い 建物です。This temple is an old building.
- あのTシャツ、 古ぼけて 見えるね。That t-shirt looks worn-out, doesn't it?
- 田中さん、まだガラケーを使っているんだ? ダサい よ。Tanaka is still using a flip phone? That's so outdated!
- この建物はとても古いです。Kono tatemono wa totemo furui desu.This building is very old.
- 古い辞書を読みました。Furui jisho o yomimashita.I read an old dictionary.
- その靴は少し古いですね。Sono kutsu wa sukoshi furui desu ne.Those shoes are a little old, aren't they?
Example conversation
Youta and Himari are looking at a map.
- 陽太 Yotaこの地図はかなり古いね。Kono chizu wa kanari furui ne.This map is quite old, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ。道が変わっているかも。Hontou da. Michi ga kawatte iru kamo.You're right. The roads might have changed.
- 陽太 Yota新しい地図を探そうか。Atarashii chizu o sagasou ka.Shall we look for a new map?
- 陽葵 Himariそうしよう、陽太。Sou shiyou, Youta.Let's do that, Youta.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 古い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 古い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
