Japanese: Talking About Past Habits and States with 〜ていた and よく〜た
Learn to say what you used to do or used to be in Japanese using past continuous 〜ていた for states and よく／〜たものだ for repeated past habits, with clear examples and a dialogue.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
English 'used to' covers two ideas: a past state that is no longer true (I used to live in Rome) and a repeated past habit (I used to play tennis). Japanese does not have one single word for 'used to'. Instead, it uses the past continuous form 〜ていた for past states and ongoing situations, and past tense verbs with よく or 〜たものだ for repeated habits. This lesson teaches these structures directly, so you can talk about your own past without confusing them with present-tense statements.
By the end, you can…
- say where I used to live or work using 〜ていた.
- describe a repeated past habit with よく〜た or 〜たものだ.
- ask someone about their past habits and states.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
ローマに住んでいました。
I used to live in Rome.
Rōma ni sunde imashita.
Past continuous polite form of 住む. States a past situation that is no longer true. に marks the place of residence.
子供のころ、よくテニスをしました。
I used to play tennis a lot when I was a child.
Kodomo no koro, yoku tenisu o shimashita.
よく before the past verb shows a repeated past habit. 子供のころ means 'when I was a child'.
毎朝、走っていました。
I used to run every morning.
Maiasa, hashitte imashita.
〜ていました can also describe a repeated past routine, especially when a time expression like 毎朝 is present.
この町には、大きな公園がありました。
There used to be a big park in this town.
Kono machi ni wa, ōkina kōen ga arimashita.
Past polite form of ある for past existence. には emphasizes the location.
昔は、ここに住んでいましたか。
Did you used to live here?
Mukashi wa, koko ni sunde imashita ka.
Question form made by adding か to the polite past continuous. 昔は sets the past time frame.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For past states, use the て-form plus いました: 住んでいました (I used to live), 働いていました (I used to work), 通っていました (I used to commute). The plain form is 住んでいた, 働いていた. This pattern describes a situation that continued for some time in the past and is no longer true now. Example: 大阪に住んでいました。Ōsaka ni sunde imashita. 'I used to live in Osaka.' For repeated habits, use the past tense with よく: よく映画を見ました。Yoku eiga o mimashita. 'I used to watch movies a lot.'
When to use it
Use 〜ていました when the focus is on a continuing past state or an ongoing activity: 東京で働いていました。Tōkyō de hataraite imashita. 'I used to work in Tokyo.' Use よく〜ました or 〜たものだ when the focus is on repetition: 子供のころ、よく川で泳ぎました。Kodomo no koro, yoku kawa de oyogimashita. 'I used to swim in the river when I was a child.' 〜たものだ sounds more nostalgic and is common in written or reflective speech. Do not use 〜ています for past meaning; that would describe a current situation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
子供のころ、どこに住んでいましたか。
Where did you use to live when you were a child?Kodomo no koro, doko ni sunde imashita ka.京都に住んでいました。
I used to live in Kyoto.Kyōto ni sunde imashita.そうですか。子供のころ、何をよくしましたか。
I see. What did you often do when you were a child?Sō desu ka. Kodomo no koro, nani o yoku shimashita ka.よく神社へ行きました。
I often used to go to shrines.Yoku jinja e ikimashita.A little context goes a long way
Japanese often uses 昔は (mukashi wa, 'in the past') or 子供のころ (kodomo no koro, 'when I was a child') to make the past time frame clear. Without such a time expression, 〜ていました can sound like a temporary past action rather than a long-term 'used to' state, so include a time phrase when the contrast with now matters.
One thing to watch for
Using the present continuous 住んでいます to mean 'I used to live'.
Try this instead: Use the past continuous 住んでいました for a past state. ローマに住んでいます means 'I live in Rome now', while ローマに住んでいました means 'I used to live in Rome'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I used to work in Tokyo' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
東京で働いていました。
The て-form of 働く plus いました gives the past continuous. で marks the location of work. 東京に働いていました would be wrong because に is not used with 働く for location.
2Which word often appears before a past verb to show a repeated past habit?
Show a sample answer
よく
よく means 'often' and combines with past tense to show a repeated habit: よくテニスをしました. Other frequency words like ときどき or 毎日 can also work, but よく is the most common for 'used to' habits.
3Translate: 'There used to be a big park here.'
Show a sample answer
ここには、大きな公園がありました。
Past polite ありました expresses past existence. には highlights the location. ここに大きな公園がありました is also correct; the は adds emphasis.
Use 〜ていました for past states and ongoing situations, and よく〜ました or 〜たものだ for repeated past habits. Always add a past time phrase like 昔は or 子供のころ when you want to contrast the past with now.
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