Difference between revisions of "Before a specific time with "yiqian""
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* <strong>星期 五</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 要 做 完 这些 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Xīngqī wǔ</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, Nǐ yào zuò wán zhèxie gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">Before Friday, you need to finish these work.</span> | * <strong>星期 五</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 要 做 完 这些 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Xīngqī wǔ</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, Nǐ yào zuò wán zhèxie gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">Before Friday, you need to finish these work.</span> | ||
* <strong>上大学</strong> <em>以前</em> ,你 来 过 上海 吗? <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shàng dàxué </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ lái guo shànghǎi ma?</span> <span class="trans">Before you went to college,did you come to Shanghai?</span> | * <strong>上大学</strong> <em>以前</em> ,你 来 过 上海 吗? <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shàng dàxué </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ lái guo shànghǎi ma?</span> <span class="trans">Before you went to college,did you come to Shanghai?</span> | ||
− | * <strong>结婚</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 应该 先 买 房子。 <span class="pinyin"><strong></strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ yīnggāi xiān mǎi fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">Before getting married, you should first buy the house.</span> | + | * <strong>结婚</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 应该 先 买 房子。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Jiéhūn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ yīnggāi xiān mǎi fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">Before getting married, you should first buy the house.</span> |
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Revision as of 01:44, 20 October 2015
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Used for
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Keywords
As well as talking about the past in general, you can use 以前 (yǐqián) to talk about things that happened before a specific time.
Structure
Time + 以前, Subj. + Verb + Obj.
Verb + 以前, Subj. + Verb + Obj.
The time can be a specific time, or an action (technically, "when the action was done").
Examples
- 吃 饭 以前 ,你 洗手 了 吗?Before eating, did you wash your hands?
- 睡觉 以前 ,不要 吃 东西。 Before going to sleep, don't eat anything.
- 两年 以前 , 你 认识 我 现在 的 老板 吗? Two years ago did you know my current boss?
- 星期 五 以前 , 你 要 做 完 这些 工作 。 Before Friday, you need to finish these work.
- 上大学 以前 ,你 来 过 上海 吗? Before you went to college,did you come to Shanghai?
- 结婚 以前 , 你 应该 先 买 房子。 Before getting married, you should first buy the house.
See also
Sources and further reading
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 260-1) →buy
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 11-12) →buy