〜前に: Saying 'Before' (Doing Something) in Japanese
The "before" link it makes
前に (まえに) is a temporal connector: it pins one event to the point before another one happens. Whatever comes in front of it is the reference event; the main clause is what you do ahead of it. It hooks onto three kinds of thing — a dictionary-form verb ("before doing…"), a noun + の ("before [the thing]"), or a time span ("[amount of time] ago").
| What comes before 前に | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (action) | dictionary form + 前に | 出かける前に = before going out |
| Noun (thing/event) | noun + の + 前に | テストの前に = before the test |
| Time span | amount of time + 前に | 一週間前に = a week ago |
ヤッタンは寝る前に歯を磨きます。
ヤッタンは ねる まえに はを みがきます。
Yattan brushes his teeth before going to bed.
食事の前に手を洗ってください。
しょくじの まえに てを あらって ください。
Please wash your hands before the meal.
Noun + の前に.
三年前に日本へ来ました。
さんねん まえに にほんへ きました。
I came to Japan three years ago.
Time span + 前に = '... ago'.
What can sit in front: the verb stays in dictionary form
Because 前に describes the event you are measuring from, the verb in front of it is always the dictionary (plain present) form — 食べる前に, 行く前に, する前に. You never switch it to the past 〜た form, even when the sentence as a whole is in the past. This is the one rule to lock in early.
モチはご飯を食べる前に手を洗います。
モチは ごはんを たべる まえに てを あらいます。
Mochi washes her hands before eating.
先生が来る前に教室を掃除しました。
せんせいが くる まえに きょうしつを そうじしました。
We cleaned the classroom before the teacher came.
The sentence is past (掃除しました), but 前に still takes the dictionary form 来る.
Even though the cleaning already happened, the verb before 前に stays 来る, not 来た.
With a noun, and with a time span
For a thing or event rather than an action, attach noun + の + 前に — and never drop that の (食事の前に, not 食事前に).
ヤッタンの弟は試合の前に少し緊張していました。
ヤッタンの おとうとは しあいの まえに すこし きんちょうして いました。
Yattan's little brother was a little nervous before the match.
授業の前にコーヒーを飲みます。
じゅぎょうの まえに コーヒーを のみます。
I drink coffee before class.
When 前に instead follows a length of time, the link shifts from "before" to "[that long] ago":
モチは十分前に駅に着きました。
モチは じゅっぷん まえに えきに つきました。
Mochi arrived at the station ten minutes ago.
ヤッタンは二日前にこの本を読みました。
ヤッタンは ふつか まえに この ほんを よみました。
Yattan read this book two days ago.
Where it sits next to あとで and てから
Reach for the right connector by the direction of the link — and remember each one fixes the verb form differently:
- 〜前に = before doing something, with the dictionary form: 食べる前に手を洗う ("wash hands before eating").
- 〜あとで = after doing something, with the past (た) form: 食べたあとで歯を磨く ("brush teeth after eating"). あとで takes 〜た while 前に takes the dictionary form — opposites in both meaning and verb form.
- 〜てから = after doing something, with a sense of "and then": 食べてから出かける ("eat, and then go out"). It stresses the order of two actions more than あとで does.
So: "before" → 前に with the dictionary form; "after" → the 〜た form with あとで or the て-form with てから.
Watch-outs
- Using the past form before 前に. It's always the dictionary form: 来る前に (✓), not 来た前に (✗) — even in a past-tense sentence.
- Dropping the の after a noun. Say 食事の前に, not 食事前に.
- Mixing up the verb form with あとで. 前に wants the dictionary form; あとで wants the past (た) form. They are mirror images.
- Forgetting that time + 前に means "ago." 三年前に is "three years ago," not "before three years."
The short version
- 前に = "before." Verb → dictionary form + 前に; noun → の + 前に; time → amount + 前に ("ago").
- The verb before 前に is always the dictionary form, even in past-tense sentences.
- Nouns need の: 食事の前に.
- Opposite is あとで (after, with the past 〜た form) and てから (after, "and then").
Practice it
Choose the correct form to use before 前に.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
寝る＿＿＿歯を磨きます。
Frequently asked questions
What verb form goes before 前に?
Always the dictionary (plain present) form: 寝る前に, 食べる前に, 来る前に. You never use the past 〜た form, even if the sentence describes something that already happened.
Do I need の after a noun?
Yes. Noun + の + 前に: 食事の前に ('before the meal'), テストの前に ('before the test'). Leaving out the の is a common error.
What does 三年前に mean?
When 前に follows a length of time, it means '... ago.' 三年前に = 'three years ago,' 十分前に = 'ten minutes ago.'
How is 前に different from あとで?
前に means 'before' and takes the dictionary form (食べる前に). あとで means 'after' and takes the past 〜た form (食べたあとで). They are opposites in both meaning and verb form.
Where 〜前に fits
Don't confuse it with
- 〜から · N5 — から has two everyday jobs: 'because' (giving a reason) and 'from' (a starting point in time or place). Learn how each works, how it differs from ので, with clear examples.
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜てから — 〜てから links two actions in order: do X first, then Y. Learn the て-form + から pattern, how it differs from 〜たあとで, and why it is not the から that means 'because'.
- 〜けど / 〜けれど — けど, けれど, and けれども all mean 'but/although,' joining two clauses in increasing order of politeness (けど is most casual). Attach after a plain or polite clause-ending, same as が.
- The て-form — The て-form is the gateway to dozens of Japanese grammar patterns. Learn the conjugation rules for every verb group, the famous song trick, and see clear examples.
- 〜ので — 〜ので gives a reason in a soft, polite way ('because…'). Learn how it attaches, how it differs from から, and why it's the safer choice for explanations and excuses.
- 〜し — The particle し links plain-form reasons or qualities with an 'and what's more' nuance: 安いし、おいしい. Learn the formation, the implied-conclusion use, and how it pairs with から.