JLPT N5 grammar
～ました — Meaning & Examples
Polite past tense: did ~. Replace ます with ました. たべました (ate), いきました (went), べんきょうしました (studied).
Practice questions
Try this question on ～ました. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. きのうは がっこうに いきました (kinō wa gakkō ni ikimashita) means?
- Today I go to school
- Tomorrow I will go to school
- Yesterday I went to school
- I never go to school
Show answer
Answer: Yesterday I went to school
ました is the polite past tense: いきます → いきました (went). きのう (yesterday) confirms past tense. "Yesterday I went to school."
Practise ～ました in the free app
This point is part of the “Negative, Past and て-Form” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N5 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N5 grammar points
From the same lesson: Negative, Past and て-Form
Frequently asked questions
What does ～ました mean?
Polite past tense: did ~. Replace ます with ました. たべました (ate), いきました (went), べんきょうしました (studied).
Is ～ました on the JLPT N5 test?
～ました is taught in the JLPT N5 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Negative, Past and て-Form”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise ～ました?
Open the “Negative, Past and て-Form” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N5 mock exams, with no ads.