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How to Say ‘It was crowded’ in Japanese

混んでいました

kon de i mashi ta

[KOHN deh ee mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: 混む "to get crowded" describes a change. The 〜ていました form describes the state that resulted, so it means "it was crowded" rather than "it was getting crowded".

Phrase Breakdown

混ん

kon

[KOHN]

crowded; congested

Te-form stem of 混む (to be crowded); with でいる it describes a current state of congestion.

Example

電車が混んでいます。

The train is crowded.

で

[deh]

(te-form connector)

Part of the te-form 混んで, linking the verb to いる to show an ongoing state.

Example

道が混んでいます。

The road is congested.

い

[ee]

be; ongoing state part

Part of the continuous form that shows an action is currently happening.

Example

今も条件を比べている最中です。

I am still in the middle of comparing conditions.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

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