去年

きょねん

last year

JLPT N5

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"去年" means "last year" and is used to refer to the calendar year immediately before the current one. It is a common time expression in everyday conversation and writing.

Common Contexts

You will often see "去年" used to talk about past events, experiences, or changes that happened in the previous year. It can describe travel, study, work achievements, weather, or social activities.

Collocations and Patterns

Nuances

Using "去年" implies a clear temporal reference to the previous year, which helps listeners or readers situate events in time. It is neutral in tone and suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse "去年" with "" (the year before last). "去年" always means the immediate past year, while "" refers to two years ago.

Example Sentences

Last year I traveled to Beijing.

He started learning Chinese last year, and now he speaks very well.

Last year the company's performance improved significantly compared to the

Last winter was especially cold; everyone wore a lot of clothes.

Last year I attended an important meeting.