Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

先だって (sendatte) Japanese meaning: the other day | Kotomora

先せんだって

せ

ん

だ

っ

て

○

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

the other day; recently; some time ago

Refers to a recent but not immediate past event; often used in conversation or informal writing.

先せんだってはどう

も

ありがとう

ござい

まし

た

。

Thank you for the other day.

先せんだってお会あいしたときにお話はなしした件けんですが。

Regarding the matter we discussed when we met recently.

Usage patterns

先せんだって〜たところだused to note that something happened just recently, not long ago
先せんだって新あたらしい店みせに行いったところだ。
I just went to the new shop the other day.
先せんだってお会あいするto have met someone recently (polite/conversational)
先せんだってお会あいした際さいにお話はなしした件けんです。
This is the matter we discussed when we met the other day.

Kanji

先before, ahead, previous
達accomplished, reach, arrive

Related words

先せん日じつN3
先だって and 先日 both mean 'the other day', but 先日 is more formal and common in written or business contexts while 先だって is used mainly in casual conversation.
この間あいだN4
この間 and 先だって both refer to a recent past event, but この間 is more casual and often points to something more immediate than 先だって.
過か日じつ
過日 is a stiffer, literary way to say 'the other day' compared to the conversational 先だって.
先さき立だって
先だって is the common word for 'the other day', while 先立って is a rarer, more old-fashioned variant used in the same sense.

Don't confuse with

先さき立だって
先だって (noun/adverb 'the other day') is a homophone of 先立って (verb form meaning 'ahead of, prior to'), and the two are easily confused despite unrelated meanings.

Written forms

先せんだってUsage56%
Standard spelling using okurigana; preferred for clarity.
せんだってUsage37%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and avoids kanji ambiguity.
先せん達だってUsage8%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji spelling; rarely used and may confuse readers.

Etymology

Developed as a sound change from 先立って, “previously” or “beforehand.” It became established as an adverb meaning “recently” or “the other day.”