How are these translations of "I had an exam yesterday" different?


How would "I had an exam yesterday" be translated?

> きのうテストをありました。
>
> きのうテストをしました。

If both of the above are correct, what is the difference between them?




Your first sentence is almost grammatical. It has one big problem, though: ある
doesn't take a direct object (marked with を). If you replaced it with が, it
would be grammatical with the intended meaning:

> 昨日{きのう}テスト **が** ありました。

I think in this context you could also say 試験{しけん}:

> 昨日[試験]{しけん} **が** ありました。

Alternatively, you can use the verb 受{う}ける, saying you _took_ a test rather
than _had_ a test:

> 昨日テスト **を** 受{う}けました。

Notice the を here rather than が, because テスト is the direct object of 受けました.

Your second sentence is grammatical but テストをする wouldn't be my first choice to
express having a test. I think that phrase would be more likely if you were
giving someone else a test than taking one yourself.




Your first sentence is almost grammatical. It has one big problem, though: ある
doesn't take a direct object (marked with を). If you replaced it with が, it
would be grammatical with the intended meaning:

> 昨日{きのう}テスト **が** ありました。

I think in this context you could also say 試験{しけん}:

> 昨日[試験]{しけん} **が** ありました。

Alternatively, you can use the verb 受{う}ける, saying you _took_ a test rather
than _had_ a test:

> 昨日テスト **を** 受{う}けました。

Notice the を here rather than が, because テスト is the direct object of 受けました.

Your second sentence is grammatical but テストをする wouldn't be my first choice to
express having a test. I think that phrase would be more likely if you were
giving someone else a test than taking one yourself.

