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〜かった

was (い-adjective)

い-adjective − い + かった (polite: かったです)

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The past of an い-adjective: drop い, add かった. 楽しい → 楽しかった, "it was fun"; 寒い → 寒かった, "it was cold". Politely, add です: 楽しかったです.

This is where the two kinds of adjective part ways most visibly. Nouns and な-adjectives use でした (静かでした), but い-adjectives never do: 楽しいでした is one of the most common beginner mistakes, and one worth unlearning early.

And again いい is the exception, built on よい: "it was good" is よかった. You'll hear it constantly, as a word of its own: よかった! "Thank goodness!"

Examples

  • 昨日きのうのパーティーは楽たのしかったです。

    Yesterday's party was fun.

  • 昨日きのうはすごく暑あつかった。

    It was really hot yesterday.

  • 先週せんしゅうのテストは難むずかしかったです。

    Last week's test was hard.

  • あの店みせのケーキ、おいしかったね。

    The cake at that place was good, wasn't it?

  • 旅行りょこうはとてもよかったです。

    The trip was really good.

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