ではありませんでした

N5
was not, polite past negative

Structure

Noun + ではありませんでした

Noun + じゃありませんでした

な-Adjective + ではありませんでした

な-Adjective + じゃありませんでした

Description

The phrase ではありませんでした is the polite past negative form of です, meaning "was not" in English. It is used to formally negate statements about nouns or な-adjectives in the past.

In slightly less formal contexts, じゃありませんでした is a softer alternative.

Affirmative vs. Negative Past

Examples

。
I was not a student.
。
He was not a teacher.
。
This was not a school.
。
That was not true.
。
She was not kind.
。
This problem was not easy.
。
That opinion was not correct.
。
It was not sunny yesterday.
。
That was not my house.
。
This car was not new.
ではありません
～てはいけない
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