あの とき は びんぼう だった。
Ano toki wa binbou datta.
I was broke at that time.
The thing is, だった (datta) is just the street-level way of sayin’ でした (deshita). It’s the past tense for a noun or a な-adjective. Think of it like this: でした (deshita) is what you say to your teacher or your grandma, all respectful and proper. だった (datta) is what you spit with your crew, your homies, or anybody you’re on a first-name basis with. It’s the difference between “He was a police officer, sir,” and “Yo, he was a cop.” See? One is formal, the other is real talk.
Here’s how you put it down with different words, no cap.
| English | Hiragana | Conjugation |
| was a doctor | いしゃだった | いしゃだった (isha datta) |
| was a gang leader | ギャングのリーダーだった | ギャングのリーダーだった (gyangu no riidaa datta) |
| was an idiot | バカだった | バカだった (baka datta) |
| was a detective | けいしだった | けいしだった (keishi datta) |
| was a good guy | いいやつだった | いいやつだった (ii yatsu datta) |
To use だった (datta), it’s real simple, fam. You just slap it on the end of a noun or a Na-adjective. A noun is a person, place, or thing, like “gangster” or “money.” A Na-adjective is a word that describes a noun, like “rich” or “quiet.” You don’t gotta do anything fancy. Just put the two words together, and you got yourself a past tense sentence.
This ain’t no complicated grammar, my G. Think of だった (datta) like a fresh pair of kicks. You got your dress shoes—that’s でした (deshita). You wear those when you’re tryna look slick and professional, like when you’re meeting the boss’s boss. But when you’re just chillin’ with your boys, hustlin’ on the block, you rock your fresh Jordans. They’re comfortable, they’re fly, and they’re what’s real. だった (datta) is those Jordans. It’s the language you use when you’re not trying to front. It’s the everyday, authentic way to talk about the past.
Peep these words before you hit the examples.
きせき (kiseki)
English: Miracle; wonder.
Yo, a miracle is when something so crazy and outta pocket happens that it can’t be explained. Like, your back’s against the wall, and there’s no way out, but then boom! Everything just works out. Think about when somebody takes a bunch of bullets and still walks away. That’s a miracle, for real.
むぼう (mubou)
English: Reckless; rash; foolhardy.
This is what you call a cat who acts without thinkin’ or plannin’ ahead. They just jump right into somethin’ without checkin’ for the consequences. It ain’t smart. It’s the opposite of bein’ clever. Like when some dude tries to rob a bank without a crew or a getaway plan. That’s a reckless move, and it’s gonna get you caught.
パクられる (pakurareru)
English: To be arrested; to be busted.
This is straight up slang for gettin’ caught by the police. When the cops put the cuffs on you and take you downtown, you’ve been “busted” or “busted.” It’s a quick, street way of sayin’ you’re in trouble with the law. Like when you’re caught with the goods and the heat shows up, you’re gettin’ packed.
よそうがい (yosougai)
English: Unexpected; unforeseen.
This is when something happens that you couldn’t have ever seen comin’. It’s outta left field. You got your whole plan mapped out, and then some wild stuff happens that you didn’t account for. Like when you’re settin’ up a deal, and the person you’re meetin’ up with brings their whole crew without warnin’ you. That’s totally unexpected.
しんじつ (shinjitsu)
English: Truth; reality.
This is the real deal. It’s the facts, what really went down, no lies or made-up stories. It’s the way things are, plain and simple. Like in a courtroom, you gotta tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothin’ but the truth. It’s what actually happened, no cap.
Aight, check out these sentences. They’re all about that street life.
むかし は ともだち だった。
Mukashi wa tomodachi datta.
We used to be friends.
きのう の しごと は たいへん だった。
Kinou no shigoto wa taihen datta.
Yesterday’s job was tough.
シャバ に もどれた のは きせき だった。
Shaba ni modoreta no wa kiseki datta.
It was a miracle that I got back to the outside world.
あの こ は かたぎ だった。
Ano ko wa katagi datta.
That girl was a civilian.
その けいかく は むぼう だった。
Sono keikaku wa mubou datta.
That plan was reckless.
パクられる のは うんめい だった。
Pakurareru no wa unmei datta.
Getting arrested was destiny.
ぬすんだ チャカ は にせもの だった。
Nusunda chaka wa nisemono datta.
The gun I stole was a fake.
あいつ の うらぎり は よそうがい だった。
Aitsu no uragiri wa yosougai datta.
His betrayal was unexpected.
かのじょ の ことば は しんじつ だった。
Kanojo no kotoba wa shinjitsu datta.
Her words were the truth.
まち は きけん だった。
Machi wa kiken datta.
The city was dangerous.
Peace out, stay safe, and keep it real. 💯
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