JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N3 grammar · Chapter 24

～たものだ

Recall something you used to do

You’ll be able to look back nostalgically or reflectively on repeated actions and states from the past.

Illustration of the scene described by When I was a child, I often used to fish in this river with my father.
Read it first

子こどものころは、父ちちとこの川かわでよく魚さかなを釣つったものだ。

kodomo no koro wa, chichi to kono kawa de yoku sakana o tsutta mono da.

What do you think this sentence means?

When I was a child, I often used to fish in this river with my father.

Why it means that

Recall a habitual past action with nostalgia

～たものだ connects to the past plain form of a verb to recall repeated actions or continuous states from the past with nostalgia or deep reflection. It is often paired with time words like 子こどものころ or 昔むかし.

Examples

小学生しょうがくせいのころは、暗くらくなるまで外そとで遊あそんだものだ。

shougakusei no koro wa, kuraku naru made soto de asonda mono da.

In elementary school, I used to play outside until it got dark.

夏休なつやすみには、祖母そぼの家いえでよくスイカを食たべたものだ。

natsuyasumi ni wa, sobo no ie de yoku suika o tabeta mono da.

During summer vacation, I often used to eat watermelon at my grandmother's house.

How it is built

Forming nostalgic past recollections

Attach ものだ to a verb in its plain past (た) form to look back on what used to happen frequently in the past.

verb plain past (た-form)+ものだ
Example

学生がくせいのころは、夜よる遅おそくまで友達ともだちと語かたり合あったものだ。

gakusei no koro wa, yoru osoku made tomodachi to katariatta mono da.

When I was a student, I often talked late into the night with friends.

Compare

～たことがある vs ～たものだ

～たことがある says you have done something at least once. ～たものだ says you used to do it often, and looks back on it with feeling.

  • ～たことがある, have done (at least once)

    祖父そふとこの山やまに登のぼったことがある。

    sofu to kono yama ni nobotta koto ga aru.

    I have climbed this mountain with my grandfather.

    An experience; maybe only once.

  • ～たものだ, used to (often)

    祖父そふとこの山やまによく登のぼったものだ。

    sofu to kono yama ni yoku nobotta mono da.

    I used to climb this mountain with my grandfather a lot.

    A habit, remembered fondly.

Examples

学生がくせいのころはお金かねがなくて、毎日まいにちのようにインスタントラーメンを食たべたものだ。

gakusei no koro wa okane ga nakute, mainichi no you ni insutanto raamen o tabeta mono da.

When I was a student I had no money, so I used to eat instant noodles almost every day.

昔むかしは、駅えきの近ちかくにあった古ふるい映画館えいがかんに、友達ともだちとよく通かよったものです。

mukashi wa, eki no chikaku ni atta furui eigakan ni, tomodachi to yoku kayotta mono desu.

In the old days, I often went with friends to an old movie theater near the station.

以前いぜんは、週末しゅうまつになると朝あさまで友達ともだちとカラオケで歌うたったものだ。

izen wa, shuumatsu ni naru to asa made tomodachi to karaoke de utatta mono da.

In the past, every weekend I used to sing karaoke with friends until morning.

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.