Example Sentences

Hisashiburi vs mukashi vs zutto mae ni

1. Hisashiburi (久しぶり)

• Meaning: "Long time no see" or "It's been a while"
• Examples:
• Hisashiburi! Genki datta?
  • Translation: "Long time no see! How have you been?"
• Ano eiga wo mita no wa hisashiburi datta.
  • Translation: "It was the first time in a long while that I watched that movie."

2. Hisashiburi ni (久しぶりに)

• Meaning: "For the first time in a long while" or "After a long time"
• Examples:
• Hisashiburi ni, tomodachi to asonda.
  • Translation: "I hung out with my friend for the first time in a long while."
• Hisashiburi ni sushi wo tabeta.
  • Translation: "I ate sushi after a long time."

3. Mukashi (昔)

• Meaning: "A long time ago" or "In the past"
• Examples:
• Mukashi wa kono machi ni takusan no ki ga atta.
  • Translation: "A long time ago, there were many trees in this town."
• Mukashi no hanashi wo shite kudasai.
  • Translation: "Please tell me a story from the past."

4. Zutto mae ni (ずっと前に)

• Meaning: "A long time ago" or "Long before"
• Examples:
• Zutto mae ni kono hon wo yonda koto ga aru.
  • Translation: "I read this book a long time ago."
• Zutto mae ni kare wa koko ni sundeita.
  • Translation: "He lived here a long time ago."

Summary:

• Hisashiburi is used when meeting someone after a long time or acknowledging that time has passed since an event.
• Hisashiburi ni is used to describe doing something again after a long time.
• Mukashi is used to refer to a distant, often unspecified, past.
• Zutto mae ni is used to indicate something happened a long time ago, possibly with a bit more specificity or emphasis on the duration.