yesterday
yesterday — 副詞
1. on the day that came before today — used to say when something happened in relat
昨天
今天的前一天
on the day that came before today — used to say when something happened in relation to the present day.
Noor went to the pharmacy yesterday to pick up her medicine.
Noor 昨天去藥局拿她的藥。
yesterday with simple past tense
The jacket that Yuki ordered online yesterday has already arrived.
Yuki 昨天在網路上訂的那件外套已經到了。
yesterday in a relative clause modifying a noun
Élise asked me yesterday if I wanted to join her running group.
Élise 昨天問我想不想參加她的跑步團。
Was the train really that crowded yesterday evening?
昨天晚上火車真的有那麼擠嗎？
Ramón called his mother yesterday to tell her the good news.
Ramón 昨天打電話給他媽媽，告訴她這個好消息。
- the previous day
more formal; used in narrative or written reports
- tomorrow
the opposite time direction from today
文法句型
yesterday + past simple
用法筆記
The most common use of 'yesterday'. Requires a past-tense verb — never use with present or future tenses. No preposition (on, in, at) is needed before 'yesterday'.
常見錯誤
2. an informal, exaggerated way of demanding that something happen right away — oft
立刻；馬上
要求立即行動，語氣強烈
an informal, exaggerated way of demanding that something happen right away — often because the speaker feels there has already been too much delay.
The boss wants that report finished yesterday, not by next week!
老闆說那份報告不是下週交，是立刻就要！
figurative urgency with 'wants + object + yesterday'
Ryo told the plumber, "I need this pipe fixed yesterday — the basement is flooding."
Ryo 對水電工說：「這根管子你馬上給我修好——地下室正在淹水。」
imperative context: 'need + object + yesterday'
The client emailed saying they needed the revised contract yesterday.
客戶寄了電子郵件說他們修改後的合約要立刻給。
Christopher looked at the kitchen renovation and said, "I wanted this done yesterday!"
Christopher 看著廚房裝潢說：「我原本要這個馬上就做好！」
- immediately
neutral and formal; the standard word for urgency
- right now
informal but less exaggerated than 'yesterday'
- as soon as possible
polite and professional; softer than 'yesterday'
- eventually
suggests no urgency, opposite of immediate demand
文法句型
wants/needs + noun + yesterday
yesterday used adverbially for urgency
用法筆記
Strictly informal. Common in workplace complaints, customer-service frustrations, and urgent requests. Often appears in exclamations. Do not use in academic or formal writing.
常見錯誤
yesterday — 名詞
1. the day that came before today — referring to that day as a thing, event, or per
昨天
今天的前一天（作為名詞）
the day that came before today — referring to that day as a thing, event, or period of time rather than a time marker.
Yesterday was Apinya's first day at her new job.
昨天是 Apinya 在新工作的第一天。
yesterday as subject of the sentence
I will never forget yesterday — it was the most exciting day of the trip.
我永遠不會忘記昨天——那是整趟旅行最精彩的一天。
yesterday as object of the verb
Yesterday's newspaper is still sitting on the kitchen table.
昨天的報紙還放在廚房桌上。
Nikos said that yesterday felt like the longest day of his life.
Nikos 說昨天感覺像他人生中最漫長的一天。
- the previous day
more formal; used in written narratives and reports
文法句型
yesterday as subject
yesterday as object
yesterday's + noun
用法筆記
Unlike the adverb form, the noun 'yesterday' can be the subject ('Yesterday was rainy') or object ('I enjoyed yesterday') of a sentence. It also takes the possessive form 'yesterday's' to describe things belonging to or happening on that day.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Yesterday's meeting was very productive.' (correct, but often overused with 's) — Ensure you need the noun form; if you mean 'on the day before,' use the adverb: 'We met yesterday.'
2. the day that was two days before today — used in the fixed phrase 'the day befor
前天
今天的兩天前
the day that was two days before today — used in the fixed phrase 'the day before yesterday' to refer to the day before the most recent one.
Anjali arrived the day before yesterday, so she has already settled into her apartment.
Anjali 前天就到了，所以她已經安頓好住處了。
fixed phrase: 'the day before yesterday' as a time noun
The job interview was supposed to be the day before yesterday, but the company rescheduled it.
工作面試本來是前天，但公司改期了。
'the day before yesterday' as sentence subject complement
Gabriel sent the application form the day before yesterday, but it has not arrived yet.
Gabriel 前天寄出了申請表，但到現在還沒寄到。
Nora baked a cake the day before yesterday, so it is still fresh.
Nora 前天烤了一個蛋糕，所以現在還是新鮮的。
- two days ago
more direct and common than 'the day before yesterday'
文法句型
the day before yesterday
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the set phrase 'the day before yesterday.' This is the standard English way to refer to two days ago. Avoid the non-standard form 'before yesterday' without 'the day.'
常見錯誤
3. times or events in the recent past that are remembered or contrasted with the pr
往日；過去
不久前的時光
times or events in the recent past that are remembered or contrasted with the present — often used in the plural form 'yesterdays' to create a poetic or nostalgic tone.
Nora smiled as she thought about all the happy yesterdays of her childhood.
Nora 想起童年那些快樂的往日，不禁微笑起來。
plural 'yesterdays' meaning 'past happy times'
The older generation often says that all yesterdays were better than today.
老一輩的人常說過去的一切都比今天好。
'all yesterdays' as a general reference to the past
All the yesterdays of their friendship came flooding back when Femi saw his old classmate at the station.
Femi 在車站看到老同學時，她們友誼中的所有往事都湧上心頭。
Nikos flipped through the photo album and smiled at the yesterdays of his university years.
Nikos 翻著相簿，看著大學時代的往日時光微笑。
- the past
neutral and general; less poetic than 'yesterdays'
- bygone days
formal and literary; similar nostalgic tone
- former times
neutral formality; slightly old-fashioned
- the future
time yet to come
- tomorrow
the next day or the future metaphorically
文法句型
the yesterdays of + noun
all the yesterdays
用法筆記
More common in literature, song lyrics, and reflective speech than in everyday conversation. The plural 'yesterdays' is the typical form for this sense. Often carries a tone of nostalgia or regret.