Which ふるい is used incorrectly?
a. この さかなは ふるい。
b. ジョンさんは ちちの ふるい ともだち です。
c. ちちは ふるい とけいが すきです。
d. ふるい おとこのひと から この ほんを もらいました。
Today’s topic is the いadjective, ふるい, which is usually translated as “old.”
What is meant by each choice sentence is:
a. This fish is old (not fresh).
b. John is my dad’s old (long time) friend.
c. My dad likes old (aged) watches.
d. I was given this book from an old (aged) man.
The answer is d. You cannot use ふるい with the meaning of “aged” to describe a person. d. should be:
(ある) おじいさんから この ほんを もらいました。
I put (ある) in brackets before おじいさん, which means “a certain,” You don’t need it but if you have it there, it is clear that he is NOT your grandfather. (You should be calling your own grandfather そふ.)
If I say ふるい shouldn’t be used with a person, somebody may say ともだち is a person (as in b.) but ふるい in ふるい ともだち means “long time” rather than “aged,” so that is OK.