Past plain clause + noun
Describe nouns using past actions
You’ll be able to describe nouns using past events, like “the book I read yesterday.”
これは芽衣が描いた絵です。
kore wa mei ga kaita e desu.
What do you think this sentence means?
This is the picture Mei drew.
Describe a noun using a completed past action
Use a verb in the た-form before a noun when the action in the describing clause is completed or past.
昨日読んだ本は面白かったです。
kinou yonda hon wa omoshirokatta desu.
The book I read yesterday was interesting.
Verb-た clause + noun
Put the main verb of the describing clause in the た-form, then follow it directly with the noun.
昨日見た映画です。
kinou mita eiga desu.
It is the movie I watched yesterday.
日本で買ったお土産です。
nihon de katta omiyage desu.
It is a souvenir I bought in Japan.
先週行った店は安かったです。
senshuu itta mise wa yasukatta desu.
The shop I went to last week was cheap.
Past clause vs non-past clause
The verb form before the noun determines when that action happens. Use the た-form for actions already finished, and the dictionary form for actions that are upcoming or yet to happen.
Past clause, completed action
昨日読んだ本は面白かったです。
kinou yonda hon wa omoshirokatta desu.
The book I read yesterday was interesting.
The reading is finished (昨日), so 読む takes the plain past た-form (読んだ).
Non-past clause, upcoming action
明日読む本はこれです。
ashita yomu hon wa kore desu.
The book I will read tomorrow is this one.
The reading hasn’t happened yet (明日), so it stays in the plain non-past dictionary form (読む).
昨日買ったパンはおいしかったです。
kinou katta pan wa oishikatta desu.
The bread I bought yesterday was delicious.
父が撮った写真を見ました。
chichi ga totta shashin o mimashita.
I looked at the photo my father took.
駅で会った人は田中さんです。
eki de atta hito wa tanaka-san desu.
The person I met at the station is Tanaka.
8 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.