Meaning and Usage
"去年" (きょねん) means "last year" and is used to refer to the previous calendar year from the current year. It is a common time expression in everyday conversation and writing.
Common Contexts
You will often hear or see "去年" when talking about past events, changes, or comparisons involving the previous year. It can be used with seasons, activities, or general time references.
Collocations and Patterns
- 去年の夏 (きょねんのなつ): last summer, specifying a season in the previous year
- 去年と比べて (きょねんとくらべて): compared to last year, used when making comparisons
- 去年から (きょねんから): since last year, indicating a starting point in time
Usage Notes
"去年" is a straightforward temporal noun and is neutral in formality, suitable for both casual and formal contexts. It is often paired with verbs in past tense to describe completed actions or states in the previous year.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "去年" with "昨年" (さくねん), which also means last year but is slightly more formal and often used in written or polite contexts. For everyday conversation, "去年" is more common and natural.