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To make a positive statement in the past tense, we simple use でした instead of です.

English	Japanese
Was it you?	あなたでしたか？ anata desita ka?

To make sentences that are both negative and in the past, we use じゃ　なかった　です.

English	Japanese
Was it not food?	食たべ物ものじゃなかったですか？ tabemono zya nakatta desu ka?
That was not beef.	それは牛ぎゅう肉にくじゃなかったです。 sore ha gyuuniku zya nakatta desu.

Question	Answer
Was it you?	あなたでしたか？ anata desita ka?
(concrete) thing	物もの mono
food	食たべ物もの tabemono
Was it not food?	食たべ物ものじゃなかったですか？ tabemono zya nakatta desu ka?
meat	肉にく niku
beef	牛ぎゅう肉にく gyuuniku
That was not beef.	それは牛ぎゅう肉にくじゃなかったです。 sore ha gyuuniku zya nakatta desu.

Practice this lesson

Learn Japanese Lesson 39: Nouns and the past tense