► 助動詞
た [た] meaning: past tense rank: 1
☆ 昨日彼に会った ⇨ Yesterday I saw/met him
☆ 昨日彼女と映画を見に行った ⇨ Yesterday I went to see a movie with my girlfriend
☆ 薬を飲んだが全く効かなかった ⇨ I took the medicine but it didn’t work at all
☆ 彼は癌で死んだ ⇨ He died of cancer (☛ た becomes voiced after certain verbs)
けり [けり] [arch] meaning: past tense rank: 3
☆ 争う七つの国ありけり ⇨ I heard there were seven warring nations (☛ Past tense for second-hand information)
☆ 昭和は遠くになりにけり ⇨ Showa era has become a long time ago (☛ Past tense with the speaker’s emotion infused)