“Old” in Japanese is 古い (ふるい), pronounced furui.
Pronunciation
The word has 3 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Old, for things only. For people, say 年を取った or politely 年配の.
Example sentences
- 古いお寺を見ました。ふるいおてらをみました。I saw an old temple.
- このパソコンは古いです。このパソコンはふるいです。This computer is old.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 古い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 古い ふるい | old |
| Polite present | 古いです ふるいです | is old |
| Negative | 古くないです ふるくないです | isn’t old |
| Past | 古かったです ふるかったです | was old |
| Past negative | 古くなかったです ふるくなかったです | wasn’t old |
| て-form | 古くて ふるくて | old and… |
| Adverb (く) | 古く ふるく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
いいgood悪いbad暑いhot (weather)熱いhot (to the touch)寒いcold (weather)冷たいcold (to the touch)高いexpensive安いcheap
FAQ
How do you say old in Japanese?
Old in Japanese is 古い (ふるい), pronounced “furui”.
How do you write old in Japanese?
It's written 古い with kanji, or ふるい in hiragana. Both are read furui.
Is 古い on the JLPT?
Yes. 古い (furui) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.