Questions & Answers about katsute kono machi ni sunda.
Why is there no subject like I, he, or she in this sentence?
Japanese often leaves out the subject when it is clear from context.
So かつて この 町 に 住んだ。 can mean something like I once lived in this town, he once lived in this town, and so on, depending on the situation.
If you want to state the subject explicitly, you could say:
- 私はかつてこの町に住んだ。
- 彼はかつてこの町に住んだ。
But in natural Japanese, leaving it out is very common.
What does かつて mean, and what kind of word is it?
かつて is an adverb. It means formerly, once, or at one time.
It has a somewhat formal or literary feel compared with very casual everyday alternatives like 昔.
For example:
- 昔、この町に住んでいた。
more conversational - かつて、この町に住んだ。
more formal or narrative
So かつて is not wrong at all, but it can sound a bit more written or reflective.
Why is この used before 町?
