以前 (yǐqián): How to Say “Before…” and “In the Past”
以前 (yǐqián) is the mirror of 以后: attached to a time or event it means “before” (吃饭以前 = “before eating”), and on its own it means “before / in the past / used to” (以前我不会说中文). Like 以后, it comes AFTER the time, not before.
Why this trips learners up
To say before a time or event, Chinese tacks 以前 (yǐqián) onto the END of it — the exact mirror of 以后 (“after”), and the reverse of English. It's [Time / Event] + 以前: 三点以前 (“before three o'clock”), 吃饭以前 (“before eating”), 上大学以前 (“before going to college”). English puts “before” in front; Chinese parks 以前 behind. The time can be a clock time, a date, or a whole event.
On its own, with nothing in front, 以前 means “before / in the past / formerly” — and very often “used to.” 以前我不喝咖啡 = “I didn't use to drink coffee.” Standing alone it goes at the front of the clause or right after the subject (我以前…), never at the end — and it pairs naturally with 现在 (“now”) for a then-vs-now contrast: 以前他是服务员，现在是老板. The slot in front of 以前 is the tell: something there → “before that”; nothing there → “in the past.” (In writing it often shortens to just 前: 三天前, 饭前.)
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
bā diǎn 八点 Time yǐqián 以前 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject yào 要 Function word dào 到 Verb gōngsī 公司 Object
I need to get to the office before 8.
yǐqián 以前 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject bù 不 Negation xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb hē 喝 Verb kāfēi 咖啡 Object
I didn't use to like coffee.
shuìjiào 睡觉 Verb yǐqián 以前 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb kàn 看 Verb yíhuìr 一会儿 Time shū 书 Object
Before going to sleep, I like to read for a while.
zhè tiáo jiē 这条街 Subject yǐqián 以前 Pattern hěn 很 Adverb ānjìng 安静 Adjective
This street used to be very quiet.
shàng fēijī 上飞机 Verb yǐqián 以前 Pattern jìde 记得 Verb guān 关 Verb shǒujī 手机 Object
Before boarding, remember to turn off your phone.
wǒ māma 我妈妈 Subject yǐqián 以前 Pattern shì 是 Verb yì míng 一名 Measure word hùshi 护士 Object
My mom used to be a nurse.
liǎng gè xīngqī 两个星期 Time qián 前 Pattern wǒmen 我们 Subject gāng 刚 Adverb bāndào 搬到 Verb zhèlǐ 这里 Place
Two weeks ago, we just moved here.
lái 来 Verb Běijīng 北京 Place yǐqián 以前 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject cónglái 从来 Adverb méi 没 Negation chī 吃 Verb guo 过 Function word zhème 这么 Adverb là 辣 Adjective de 的 Function word cài 菜 Object
Before coming to Beijing, I'd never eaten food this spicy.
Common mistakes
Why it happens: 以前 follows the time or event — it doesn't lead it like English “before”. “Don't drink coffee before bed” is 睡觉以前别喝咖啡, not 以前睡觉…. Put the time or event first, then 以前.
Why it happens: Standalone 以前 (“in the past / used to”) sits at the front or just after the subject — never at the end. “I used to be a teacher” is 我以前是老师, not 我是老师以前.
Why it happens: 以前 is “before / in the past”; its mirror 以后 is “after / from now on”. Mind the direction: “after dinner, let's take a walk” is 晚饭以后去散步, not 晚饭以前.
Compare & contrast
| X + 以前 — “before X” (something in front) | 以前 (alone) — “before / in the past / used to” | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 吃饭以前chīfàn yǐqián | 以前我住在北京。yǐqián wǒ zhù zài Běijīng. | 吃饭以前 = “before eating” — 以前 attaches to the event. 以前我住在北京 = “I used to live in Beijing” — 以前 stands alone, nothing in front. |
| 三点以前sān diǎn yǐqián | 以前这里没有地铁。yǐqián zhèlǐ méiyǒu dìtiě. | 三点以前 = “before 3 o'clock”. 以前这里没有地铁 = “there used to be no subway here” — 以前 on its own means “back then”. |
Try it yourself
Say “Before work, I drink coffee” (…以前…) — tap the words into order.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
以前 (yǐqián): How to Say “Before…” and “In the Past” grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.