JLPT N5Everyday

前まえにbefore; ago

前まえに is "before": 寝ねる前まえに, before going to bed. After an amount of time it is nearly always "ago": 三さん年ねん前まえに, three years ago.

before doing

寝ねる前まえに、少すこし本ほんを読よみます。

I read a little before going to bed.

before a noun

食しょく事じの前まえに、手てを洗あらいましょう。

Let's wash our hands before the meal.

ago

三さん年ねん前まえに日本にほんに来きました。

I came to Japan three years ago.

Before doing

Verb in the dictionary form + 前まえに

行いく前まえに, 食たべる前まえに. Always the dictionary form, even when the sentence is about the past.

Before a noun

Noun + の + 前まえに

食しょく事じの前まえに, 試し験けんの前まえに.

Ago

Amount of time + 前まえに

No の: 三さん年ねん前まえに, 一いち時じ間かん前まえに.

Before doing something

寝ねる前まえに is one piece, "before sleeping": 前まえに follows its verb, where English "before" goes in front. The rest of the sentence is what you do first.

家いえを出でる前まえに、窓まどを閉しめます。

I close the windows before leaving home.

映えい画がが始はじまる前まえに、席せきに座すわりました。

I sat down before the movie started.

The first half can have its own subject, marked with が.

Always the dictionary form

The thing before 前まえに has not happened yet when the other one does. So its verb stays in the dictionary form, even in a sentence about the past.

昨日きのう、寝ねる前まえに日にっ記きを書かきました。

Yesterday, I wrote in my diary before going to bed.

Not said: 昨日きのう、寝ねた前まえに日にっ記きを書かきました。

(Yesterday, I wrote in my diary before going to bed.)

あとで, "after", is the other way around.

ご飯はんを食たべる前まえに、手てを洗あらいます。

I wash my hands before eating.

Before: the meal is still ahead. Dictionary form.

ご飯はんを食たべたあとで、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth after eating.

After: the meal is over. た-form.

Before a noun

A noun needs の. A verb never takes it.

旅りょ行こうの前まえに、新あたらしい靴くつを買かいました。

I bought new shoes before the trip.

Ago

After an amount of time, 前まえに counts back, nearly always from now. There is no の.

一いち時じ間かん前まえに昼ひるご飯はんを食たべました。

I had lunch an hour ago.

Not said: 三さん年ねんの前まえに日本にほんに来きました。

(I came to Japan three years ago.)

三さん年ねん前まえに.

By itself, 前まえに can mean "before" in the sense of "at some time in the past".

この映えい画がは前まえに見みました。

I've seen this movie before.

前まえに or てから?

The same two things can be told from either end.

寝ねる前まえに、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth before going to bed.

前まえに goes on what happens later.

歯はを磨みがいてから、寝ねます。

I brush my teeth, and then go to bed.

てから goes on what happens first.

Close neighbours

あとでN5

"After" as a time, and by itself "later". A verb before it is in the た-form.

仕し事ごとのあとで、友とも達だちと食しょく事じをします。

I will have a meal with a friend after work.

てからN5

"After doing", with the order in plain view. It is also "since".

日本にほんに来きてから、三さん年ねんになります。

It has been three years since I came to Japan.

までにN4

"By": a deadline. Any time up to then will do.

明日あしたの朝あさまでに返へん事じをします。

I will reply by tomorrow morning.

の前まえに (a place)N5

After a place or a thing, の前まえに is "in front of".

駅えきの前まえに銀ぎん行こうがあります。

There is a bank in front of the station.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

昨日きのう、学がっ校こうへ（　　）前まえに、パンを買かいました。

Choose an answer to see why.

2"The bus left ten minutes ago."

バスは（　　）出でました。

Choose an answer to see why.

3What does this person do first?

出でかける前まえに、電でん気きを消けします。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Three days before the exam

With an event in front, the amount of time counts back from that event and not from now.

試し験けんの三みっ日か前まえに、風邪かぜをひきました。

I caught a cold three days before the exam.

Without の

In writing, and on signs and labels, the の is often dropped after a noun for an event: 出しゅっ発ぱつ前まえに (before departure), 使し用よう前まえに (before use).

出しゅっ発ぱつ前まえに、もう一いち度ど切きっ符ぷを確かく認にんしました。

I checked my ticket once more before departure.

More sentences

会かい議ぎの前まえに、受うけ付つけで名な前まえを書かいてください。

Please write your name at reception before the meeting.

試し験けんの前まえに、図と書しょ館かんで勉べん強きょうします。

I will study at the library before the exam.

雨あめが降ふる前まえに、洗せん濯たく物ものを中なかに入いれました。

I brought the laundry inside before it rained.

面めん接せつの前まえに、質しつ問もんへの答こたえを練れん習しゅうしました。

I practiced my answers to questions before the interview.

Compared with similar forms

When, while, before, after