第??課: Used To: ～ものだ & かつて
In this lesson, we will learn how to express recalling how one used to do something, then investigate on how to express how something used to be.
Verb ＋ ～たものだ
The pattern ” Verb + ～たものだ” may be used to reminisce or confirm a past experience, often with an palpable attachment to said memory. In colloquial speech, you may also see ～ものだ contracted to ～もんだ. When used for this meaning1, it is usually accompanied with the adverbs of frequency such as よく (often), しばしば (frequently), いつも (always).
※This pattern is only used with verbs of volition (intent). Meaning, it may still be used with either intransitive verbs or transitive verbs, but if the verb itself has no relation with purposeful intent, ～ものだ cannot be seen as an indicator of once repetitive behavior. In the case it is paired with a non-volitional verb, ～ものだ should be interpreted as a final particle (終助詞) that emphasizes something as common knowledge/personal opinion.
1. 火曜日にはいつも友だちと釣りに行ったものだ。
I used to always go fishing with my friends on Tuesdays.
2. 学生時代は授業をサボってよく遊びにいったもんだ。
Back when I was a student, I’d often skip class and go have fun.
3. 子供のころ、俺もよくケンカしたもんだな。
I too sure used to argue a lot when I was a kid.
4. 昔はよく徹夜したものだが、今はもうそういう気力はない。
In the past, I used to stay up all night, but now I just don’t have that kind of energy.
5. あたしだって10代のときはよく家出したもんだよ。
Heck, I used to run away from home all the time in my teens.
The use of ～ものだった・もんだった adds another layer of emphasis, indicating just how much the memory of once past experiences still affect the speaker by ironically putting heavier emphasis on said past.
6. 以前はよく旅行に行ったものだった。
I used to travel often back in the day.
Ultimately, もの is grammatically a noun, no matter what grammar pattern it is used in. The nuance that it has when used to mean “used to,” from the perspective of indicating a knowledge-based experience, is something that you will discover is a commonality in various other patterns which utilize もの.
Ambiguity Note: The ～ものだ at the center of this grammar point is a final particle (終助詞), and so the もの should not be confused with its literal, completely nominal interpretation as meaning “thing.”
7. 抵当に入れたもんだぞ？
This is what you put as collateral, you know?
8. お前が払ったものだと思ってた！
I thought you had paid for that!
9. 派閥の政治資金の取り扱いについては刑事告発がなされ、それに関連して捜査が行われているもの（だ）と承知しております。
There has been a criminal indictment regarding the handling of the financing within political factions, and (we) are of the understanding that an investigation is underway regarding that matter.
Grammar Note: The use of ～ものだ to indicate an objective statement, as demonstrated by this sentence, does rely on its literal interpretation as a noun. This is “the thing” which is being stated as true. As for why だ is optional here, this is a both a matter of style and a reflection of how もの is more so than not functionally a final particle.
Customary Action
Customary action may also be simply expressed with ～ていた, which also equates to “used to.” However, unlike ～たものだ, there is no reminiscent undertone.
10. 毎朝ジョギングをしていました。
I used to jog every morning.
11. 中学校の時、毎晩9時に寝ていた。
I used to go to bed every night at nine when I was in junior high.
Though not shown previously, ～ていたものだ is, in fact, grammatical. In this situation, ～ていた maintains its function of describing repetitive action and/or action that is done over a prolonged period time, and ～ものだ reflects over that experience in hindsight.
12. 高校生の時、朝っぱらから毎日ジョギングをしていたもんだ。
When I was a high school student, I used to jog every day early in the morning.
Based on the emotional status of the speaker, however, even a rather emotionally significant matter need not necessarily be accompanied with ものだ. This is because, in many ways, ～ものだ functions as a complex final particle whose purpose is borne out by the speaker’s mental reflection on the experience. If the speaker does not feel any particular reason to add weight/significance to the statement, ～ものだ is less likely to be used.
13. 私が小さかった頃、毎夜おねしょしてよく泣いていました。なぜお漏らしするのと母によく聞かれ、怯えて答えられずにいました。
When I was little, I would wet the bed and cried a lot. I would be asked why I peed by my mother, but I could never answer out of fright.
The lack of ～ものだ does not pose a grammatical issue. Rather, if it had been used, the speaker would be trying to make a point based on this experience. Instead, the speaker here sounds composed. Note that the act of highlighting any particular emotion, positive or negative, by ～ものだ is done so at a personal yet objective level, often to make a point of some sort, which is not the speaker’s motive here.
かつて
Usually spelled in Hiragana2 as かつて, this adverb translates as “formerly/once,” which are both less colloquial means of phrasing “used to be.” かつて is not as common as 前は・以前は (previously), but they are largely synonymous.
As these temporal phrases serve to point to a vague point in time in the past, they may be used with ～ものだ when the emotional conditions are met.
14. 彼はかつて組織の一員であった。
He used to be a member of the organization.
15. かつてこちらに住んでいました。
I once used to live here.
16. かつて、第二次世界大戦にドイツはイタリアと同盟国でありました。
Germany was once an ally of Italy in World War II.
Occasionally, you may even see かつて followed by the particle の as an adverbial noun. In this situation, it is synonymous with 旧来の.
17. ｛かつて・旧来｝の友 (Somewhat lyrical)
A former friend
One unique usage of かつて is when it is paired with the negative, in which it is instead interpreted as “have yet to be so,” or more simply as “never before.”
18. こんな事件はいまだかつてなかった。
We have not yet had this kind of case ever before.
19. かつてないほどの円高だ。
The appreciation of the yen is better than it has ever been before.