〜前に: Saying 'Before' (Doing Something) in Japanese
What it means
前に (まえに) marks the point before something else happens. It attaches to three things: a dictionary-form verb ("before doing…"), a noun + の ("before [the thing]"), or a time span ("[amount of time] ago"). The big rule to memorize early: the verb in front of 前に is always the dictionary form — you never change it to past tense, even if the whole sentence describes something that already happened.
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'.
How to form it
| 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 |
For verbs, only the dictionary (plain present) form works here: 食べる前に, 行く前に, する前に. Do not use the past form 〜た. For nouns, never forget the の: 食事の前に, not 食事前に.
Verb + 前に — before doing something
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.
That second example shows the key point: even though the cleaning already happened, the verb before 前に stays as 来る, not 来た.
Noun + の前に — before a thing or event
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.
Time + 前に — "[amount of time] ago"
When 前に follows a length of time, it means "[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.
How it differs from あとで and てから
These three are easy to mix up:
- 〜前に = before doing something: 食べる前に手を洗う ("wash hands before eating").
- 〜あとで = after doing something. It uses the past (た) form: 食べたあとで歯を磨く ("brush teeth after eating"). Notice that あとで takes 〜た, while 前に takes the dictionary form — they are opposites in both meaning and the verb form they want.
- 〜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 if you want "before," reach for 前に with the dictionary form; if you want "after," you'll use the 〜た form with あとで or the て-form with てから.
Common mistakes
- 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."
Quick recap
- 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").
Your turn
Choose the correct form to use before 前に.
Start the 5-question drill →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.