古い・旧い・故い|ふるいfurui[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N5approx.Common
Which spelling to use
古い古い is the most common form and the default choice for beginners; use it when writing this adjective in ordinary Japanese.
旧い旧い is a kanji-and-kana variant that is rarely used, so learners will seldom need to choose it in place of 古い.
故い故い is a kanji-and-kana variant that is rarely used, so learners will seldom need to choose it in place of 古い.
Definitions
  1. i-adjectiveold; aged; ancient; antiquated; antique; timewornof things, not people
    ケンが使つかっている机つくえはもう古ふるい。↗
    The desk that Ken uses is old.
  2. i-adjectivelong; since long ago; time-honored
  3. i-adjectiveof the distant past; long-ago
  4. i-adjectivestale; threadbare; hackneyed; corny
  5. i-adjectiveold-fashioned; outmoded; out-of-date
Conjugation
Plain form古い(ふるい)
Polite (desu)古いです(ふるいです)
Negative (kunai)古くない(ふるくない)
polite (ku arimasen)古くありません(ふるくありません)
Past (katta)古かった(ふるかった)
Past negative (kunakatta)古くなかった(ふるくなかった)
Te form (kute)古くて(ふるくて)
Adverbial (ku)古く(ふるく)
Conditional (kereba)古ければ(ふるければ)
kattara古かったら(ふるかったら)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Japanese definitions
  1. 長ながい時間じかんが経過けいかしている様子ようす。
  2. 昔むかしから続つづいている様子ようす。
  3. 遠とおい過去かこの出来事できごとである様子ようす。
  4. 新鮮しんせんさがなく、ありふれている様子ようす。
  5. 現代げんだいの考かんがえや流行りゅうこうに合あわない様子ようす。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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