21187
I'm not sure if I'm overcomplicating this. I'm talking about events in the
past, and I want to use relative time markers within that time frame. For
example, "the day after that", or "the day before that", or "a year later".
I'm not sure if I can use 明日【あした】, 昨日【きのう】 and 来年【らいねん】, because as I see it,
I would be referring to the present timeline, the next day/previous day/next
year _for me_. Is this so, or am I overcomplicating it?

Is there a separate set of words for talking about relative time in the past,
or is this something that is simply understood from context?
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2015-01-06T20:57:43.480
21186
2015-01-07T01:41:27.923
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question
time
How would you talk about relative time in the past?
There are a few ways to express this.

You can use 翌{よく} as in:

```

    翌年{よくとし}（orよくねん）
    
    翌月{よくげつ}
    
    翌週{よくしゅう}
    
    翌日{よくじつ}
    
```

These means year, month, week, day, following a particular point in time.

Other ways are to use 次の〇 or 前の〇 as in:

```

    次{つぎ}の年{とし}　or 前{まえ}の年{とし} （前年{ぜんねん} for more of a 熟語{じゅくご} feel）
    
```
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2015-01-06T21:15:43.567
21187
2015-01-06T21:15:43.567
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answer
**Past Perspective:**

> **_Formal_**

As usual, expect to hear lots of "on" sounds.

Preceding time: 「[前]{ぜん} + time word」
[前年]{ぜんねん}、[前月]{ぜんげつ}、[前週]{ぜんしゅう}、[前日]{ぜんじつ}

Succeeding time: 「[翌]{よく} + time word」 [翌年]{よくねん}、[翌月]{よくげつ}, etc.

> **_Informal_**

That means lots of "kun" sounds.

Preceding time: 「（その）[前]{まえ}の + time word」
（その）[前]{まえ}の[年]{とし}、[前]{まえ}の[月]{つき}, etc.

Succeeding time: 「（その）[次]{つぎ}の + time word」 （その）[次]{つぎ}の[週]{しゅう}、次の[日]{ひ},
etc.

「その」 is optional but is used frequently.
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2015-01-07T01:41:27.923
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2015-01-07T01:41:27.923
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answer