JLPT N2Written, formalNews and ceremonies

に先さき立だって・に先さき立だちbefore, ahead of

"Before, ahead of": something is done first, to prepare for a main event or lead into it. It is the "before" of news reports and official notices.

新しん製せい品ひんの発はつ売ばいに先さき立だって、報ほう道どう関かん係けい者しゃ向むけの説せつ明めい会かいを開ひらきます。

Ahead of the new product's launch, we will hold a briefing for the press.

試し合あいに先さき立だち、両りょう国こくの国こっ歌かが演えん奏そうされた。

Before the match, the national anthems of both countries were played.

How to form it

Noun／verb in the dictionary form + に先立って

Mostly after a noun, with no の. に先さき立だち is the more written of the two, and before a noun it is に先さき立だつ.

Before it: The main event, which comes later: 発はつ売ばい, 開かい会かい, 試し合あい, 公こう演えん, 工こう事じ, 手しゅ術じゅつ.
After it: What is done first for it: a briefing, a check, a rehearsal, a ceremony, an explanation.
Where you'll meet it: News, official notices, announcements at events. In conversation people say 前まえに.

In use

公こう演えんに先さき立だって、出しゅつ演えん者しゃによる記き者しゃ会かい見けんが行おこなわれた。

Ahead of the performance, the performers gave a press conference.

工こう事じの開かい始しに先さき立だち、近きん隣りん住じゅう民みんへの説せつ明めい会かいが開ひらかれた。

Before construction began, a briefing was held for nearby residents.

治ち療りょうを開かい始しするに先さき立だって、患かん者じゃ本ほん人にんの同どう意いを確かく認にんした。

Before treatment began, the patient's own consent was confirmed.

After a verb.

手しゅ術じゅつに先さき立だつ検けん査さで、心しん臓ぞうの状じょう態たいを詳くわしく調しらべた。

In the tests before the operation, the condition of the heart was examined closely.

Before a noun, に先さき立だつ.

Not every "before"

前まえに only gives the order, so it fits anything. に先さき立だって needs a main event, and what comes first is usually a step toward it. With a daily routine it comes out as a joke.

Sounds odd: 朝あさご飯はんに先さき立だって、歯はを磨みがいた。

Ahead of breakfast, I brushed my teeth.

朝あさご飯はんを食たべる前まえに.

Close neighbours

前にN5

The everyday word, for any two things in order, big or small.

朝あさご飯はんを食たべる前まえに、歯はを磨みがいた。

I brushed my teeth before eating breakfast.

に際してN2

"On the occasion of" one particular, weighty event, as it happens or just before. The event can be one nobody wanted, such as a disaster.

退たい任にんに際さいして、長なが年ねんのご支し援えんに心こころより感かん謝しゃ申もうし上あげます。

As I step down, I would like to thank you sincerely for your many years of support.

にあたってN2

"On setting out to do" something big: what you do, or should bear in mind, at the outset.

奨しょう学がく金きんに応おう募ぼするにあたって、研けん究きゅう計けい画かく書しょを全ぜん面めん的てきに見み直なおした。

In applying for the scholarship, I revised my research proposal from top to bottom.

Check yourself

1What happened first?

映えい画がの公こう開かいに先さき立だって、試し写しゃ会かいが行おこなわれた。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

に先さき駆がけて (N1) looks similar, but it means ahead of everyone else: the first to do something.

研けん究きゅうチームは世せ界かいに先さき駆がけて、この病びょう気きを早そう期きに発はっ見けんする検けん査さ法ほうを開かい発はつした。

The research team was the first in the world to develop a test that detects this disease early.

More sentences

新しんシステムを導どう入にゅうするに先さき立だち、全ぜん職しょく員いんを対たい象しょうに研けん修しゅうを実じっ施しする。

Before the new system is introduced, training will be held for all staff.

式しき典てんの開かい催さいに先さき立だち、安あん全ぜん確かく認にんが行おこなわれた。

Before the ceremony was held, a safety check was carried out.

調ちょう査さに先さき立だつ予よ備び面めん談だんで、参さん加か条じょう件けんを説せつ明めいした。

The conditions for taking part were explained at a preliminary interview before the survey.

データを収しゅう集しゅうするに先さき立だって、研けん究きゅう目もく的てきを参さん加か者しゃに説せつ明めいします。

Before collecting data, we will explain the purpose of the research to the participants.