Japanese word

先週

Pronunciation

Romajisenshū

Meaning

  • nounlast week

Example

先週、映画を見ました。sen shū ei ga o mi ma shi ta

I watched a movie last week.

Illustration for 先週 (last week)

More examples

先週の土曜日に友達と買い物をしました。sen shū no do yō hi ni tomo dachi to ka i mono o shi ma shi ta

I went shopping with a friend last Saturday.

Core concept

Refers to the complete calendar week that directly precedes the week in progress.

Common phrases

  • 先週の土曜日sen shū no do yō hi

    last Saturday

  • 先週の予定sen shū no yo tei

    last week's plans

Definition in Japanese

現在の週の前にあたる週。gen zai no shū no mae ni a ta ru shū

Word origin

先週 (senshū) combines 先 (sen, "before") with 週 (shū, "week"), giving the sense of the week that comes before the current one.

Usage tips

  • The English phrase "last week" can suggest the past seven days, but 先週 (senshū) usually points to the preceding calendar week.

Opposites

Word lists with this word