GRAMMAR
〜ものだ・〜ものではない ③
used to (nostalgia)
Explanation
NOTE
〜ものだ (third sense) expresses nostalgic recollection — I used to ~ — looking back fondly on a past habit or recurring event.
子供の頃、よく川で泳いだものだ。
When I was a child, I used to swim in the river a lot.
Often paired with よく (often) to evoke a fond, recurring memory.
NOTE
The verb is in the past plain form (〜た). The sentence usually refers to a distant time in the speaker's life — childhood, school days, youth.
NOTE
Unlike the should/ought to sense, this nostalgic 〜ものだ is always past-tense and personal — it reflects on what the speaker actually experienced.
STRUCTURE
Vた
ものだ子供の頃、よく川で遊んだものだ。
Kodomo no koro, yoku kawa de asonda monoda.
When I was a child, I used to play by the river often.
昔は、この町で良く映画を見たものだ。
Mukashi wa, kono machi de yoku eiga o mita monoda.
I used to watch movies in this town often in the past.
学生時代、夜遅くまで勉強したものだ。
Gakusei jidai, yoru osoku made benkyou shita monoda.
During my student days, I used to study until late at night.
学生の頃、よく夜遅くまで勉強したものだ。
Gakusei no koro, yoku yoru osoku made benkyou shita mono da.
When I was a student, I used to study until late at night.
昔はよく家族で旅行に行ったものだ。
Mukashi wa yoku kazoku de ryokou ni itta mono da.
In the past, we used to often go on trips as a family.
若い頃、父とよく釣りに行ったものだ。
Wakai koro, chichi to yoku tsuri ni itta mono da.
When I was young, I used to go fishing with my father a lot.
Practice exercises
1
昔は、時間を忘れて本を読んだものだ。
In the past, I used to read books, forgetting the time.
Answer
ものだ
2
夏休みは、家族と旅行へよく出かけたものだ。
During summer vacation, I often used to go on trips with my family.
Answer
ものだ
3
学生の時は、毎晩のように友達と語り合ったものだ。
When I was a student, I used to talk with my friends almost every night.
Answer
ものだ
4
子どもの頃はよく川で泳いだものだ。
When I was a child, I often used to swim in the river.
Answer
ものだ
5
彼と夜通し議論し、喧嘩したものだ。
He and I used to debate all night and fight.
Answer
ものだ