去年(きょねん)

きょねん
noun, adverb
last year
1. last year
The year before this one; the previous year. Used to refer to events or states in the year that just passed.
去年(きょねん)日本(にほん)に行(い)きました。
I went to Japan last year.
去年(きょねん)の夏(なつ)はとても暑(あつ)かったです。
Last summer was very hot.
去年(きょねん)から日本語(にほんご)を習(なら)っています。
I've been learning Japanese since last year.
去年(きょねん)の夏(なつ)に友達(ともだち)と海(うみ)に行(い)って、とても楽(たの)しかったです。
I went to the beach with friends last summer, and it was really fun.
去年(きょねん)は大(たい)変(へん)な一(いち)年(ねん)でした。引(ひ)っ越(こ)しもしたし、新(あたら)しい仕事(しごと)も始(はじ)めました。
Last year was a tough year. I moved and also started a new job.

去年(きょねん) means "last year" and is commonly used in everyday speech.

YEAR REFERENCE SERIES:

  • 一昨年(おととし): year before last
  • 去年(きょねん): last year
  • 今年(ことし): this year
  • 来年(らいねん): next year
  • 再来年(さらいねん): year after next

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 去年(きょねん)の夏(なつ): last summer
  • 去年(きょねん)から: since last year
  • 去年(きょねん)の今頃(いまごろ): around this time last year

FORMALITY:

  • 去年(きょねん): casual/neutral
  • 昨年(さくねん): formal, used in writing and formal speech

Both 去年(きょねん) and 昨年(さくねん) can function as adverbs without particles.

basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:49 · Revised 2026.2.22 15:56
00500/00727_kyonen