Translation guide
How to refer to a specific past occasion or moment in Japanese, depending on formality, narrative style, and whether you are pointing to a shared memory or telling a story.
You and the listener both know which past event you are talking about. You want to say 'that time (when X happened)'.
The most natural and common way to say 'that time' when both speaker and listener share the memory. Works in casual and polite speech.
あの時は本当に楽しかったね。
That time was really fun, wasn't it?
You helped me out that time.
Also means 'that time', but feels slightly more narrative or sequential, like 'at that moment'. Often used when recounting a story rather than pointing to a shared memory.
その時、電話が鳴った。
At that time, the phone rang.
You are telling a story and want to say 'at that time' or 'then' to move the sequence forward.
Used in storytelling to mean 'at that moment' or 'then'. Often appears with past tense verbs.
彼は部屋に入った。その時、誰かがドアをノックした。
He entered the room. At that time, someone knocked on the door.
Means 'at that time' in a more formal or historical sense, often referring to a period rather than a specific moment. Common in writing.
You want to use 'that time' as the subject or object of a sentence, like 'That time was special' or 'I'll never forget that time'.
Works perfectly as a noun phrase for a shared memory.
あの時は一生忘れない。
I'll never forget that time.
Means 'those days' or 'that period', more vague than a specific moment. Use when referring to a phase of life.
あの頃は毎日が冒険だった。
Back in those days, every day was an adventure.
You want to say 'that time when we went to the beach' or 'that time you forgot your keys'.
Use あの時 followed by a past tense clause. The clause describes what happened.
あの時、海に行ったよね。
That time we went to the beach, remember?
あの時、君が鍵を忘れたんだよ。
That time you forgot your keys.
Literally 'the time when (I/you) did ~'. More integrated into the sentence. Often used without あの if the context is clear.
初めて会った時のことを覚えてる？
Do you remember that time we first met?
あの時 points to a shared memory between speaker and listener. その時 is more like 'at that moment' in a narrative and can be used even if the listener doesn't share the memory. Using あの時 when the listener doesn't know what you're referring to can cause confusion.
あの時はありがとう。
Thank you for that time. (both know which time)
彼は笑った。その時、電話が鳴った。
He laughed. At that moment, the phone rang.
Saying その時は楽しかったね to a friend about a past event you both experienced sounds unnatural. Use あの時 instead.
あの時、迷子になって怖かったね。
That time we got lost was scary.
その時、私は東京に住んでいました。
I was living in Tokyo at that time.
At that time, he was still a student.