代
Teens, Twenties, Thirties, 1910s, 20s/30s
Structure
Decade + 年代
Explanation
The suffix ～代 has a few different applications. One of its most frequent uses is to refer to the ten-year span of a person's life. This is much like how English uses terms such as 'teens,' 'twenties,' or 'thirties.' To use it, you simply attach 代 to the number representing the decade in Japanese.
- １０代の時は毎日ゲームをしていた。I played video games every day when I was in my teens.
- 姉は２０代で結婚した。My older sister got married in her twenties.
- 四十代の男性はとても元気だ。The men in their forties are very energetic.
Besides being used for a person's age, ～代 can also be used to refer to specific decades in time, like the 1980s or 1990s. This is done by using 年代 after the numbers of the decade.
- ９０年代の映画が見たいです。I want to watch a movie from the 90s.
- １９６０年代の車は素敵ですね。Cars from the 1960s are wonderful, aren't they?
Fun Fact
You will also encounter 代 when talking about historical periods or a succession of people, like in a family line or a series of leaders.
- 江戸時代は平和な時代でした。The Edo period was a peaceful era.
- 彼がその会社の第三代社長です。He is the third president of that company.
Examples
音楽評論家：「あのロックバンドが最も人気だったのは１９９０年代前半です。」
Music critic: 'That rock band was at its most popular in the early 1990s.'
上司が話している：「彼はまだ２０代ですが、とても有能です。」
A boss is talking: 'He is still in his twenties, but he is very capable.'
ファッション雑誌：「ベルボトムパンツは１９７０年代に大きな流行でした。」
Fashion magazine: 'Bell-bottom pants were a huge trend in the 1970s.'
医者が患者に言う：「４０代になったら健康にもっと気を使うべきです。」
A doctor speaks to a patient: 'Once you're in your forties, you should pay more attention to your health.'
おじいちゃんが孫に話す：「パソコンが一般家庭に広まったのは２０００年代の初めごろだよ。」
Grandfather speaks to his grandchild: 'Personal computers became common in ordinary homes around the early 2000s.'
母が娘に：「１０代のうちに、たくさん本を読んでおきなさい。」
Mother to her daughter: 'You should read a lot of books while you're in your teens.'
歴史の教科書：「日本は１９６０年代に高度経済成長を経験した。」
History textbook: 'Japan experienced rapid economic growth during the 1960s.'
同僚がうわさ話をしている：「田中さんの新しい彼氏は３０代後半らしいよ。」
Colleagues are gossiping: 'I hear Tanaka's new boyfriend is in his late thirties.'
ブログ記事：「多くの名作アニメが１９８０年代に生み出された。」
Blog post: 'Many classic anime were created in the 1980s.'
テレビのドキュメンタリー：「彼女は５０代で会社をやめ、画家になるという夢を追った。」
TV documentary: 'In her fifties, she quit her company job and pursued her dream of becoming a painter.'
観光ガイド：「この教会は１９２０年代半ばに建てられました。」
Tour guide: 'This church was built in the mid-1920s.'
お年寄りが一人でつぶやく：「ああ、２０代のころにもっと勉強しておけばよかった。」
An elderly person mutters to themself: 'Ah, I wish I had studied more when I was in my twenties.'