In English we have the expressions, the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday. How often do you use them? I don’t think I hear people using these expressions too often. Instead people seem to prefer to say, this Friday, this past Monday, two days ago, etc.

On the other hand, the Japanese equivalents of the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday are VERY often used. あさって asatte is the day after tomorrow and おととい ototoi is the day before yesterday. As you probably have noticed, while it takes four words in English to say the day after tomorrow or the day before yesterday, we have single corresponding words in Japanese. That may be why they are often used in Japanese.... it’s so much easier to say あさって asatte than saying, for example, こんしゅうのきんようび konshuu no kinyoobi (this Friday). Just count the characters!

So next time you speak Japanese, throw in the words あさって asatte and おととい ototoi instead of saying this Friday or two days ago. You’ll sound like a native! (^-^)