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Question to Teacher: Is TAKAI DESHITA correct?
Course 2 Lesson 8: Samantha's Dorm (Question and Answer)

Matrixpachi

Post Date: 2016-11-01 23:56:51

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2016 Oct 15

Questions: 3
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Is there a difference between:
たかかったです
and
たかいでした
From my understanding, they both mean "It was exepnsive".

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JFZ Teacher (Kanako)

Post Date: 2016-11-02 17:06:28

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たかい (TAKAI/expensive) is an い adjective.

If it is an い adjective, you must use　～かったです (-KATTA DESU) to change it into the past tense.

For example:

おおきいです。(OOKII DESU) = It is big.
おおきかったです。(OOKIKATTA DESU) = It was big.

おいしいです。(OISHII DESU) = It is delicious.
おいしかったです。(OISHIKATTA DESU) = It was delicious.

As for でした (DESHITA), it is used for nouns and な adjectives.

(な adjective)

きれいです。(KIREI DESU) = It is beautiful.
きれいでした。 (KIREI DESHITA) = It was beautiful.

(Noun)
あれはぎんこうです。(ARE WA GINKOU DESU) = That is a bank.
あれはぎんこうでした。(ARE WA GINKOU DESHITA) = That was a bank.

Therefore, you can never say たかいでした (TAKAI DESHITA).

We have answered this question before. Please take a look at the link below.
http://yesjapan.com/YJ6/?page=question&var3=1543