Difference between revisions of "Before a specific time with "yiqian""
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* <strong>吃饭</strong> <em>以前</em> ，你 洗手 了 吗？<span class="pinyin"><strong>Chī fàn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ xǐ shǒu le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Before you ate, did you wash your hands? </span>
 
* <strong>吃饭</strong> <em>以前</em> ，你 洗手 了 吗？<span class="pinyin"><strong>Chī fàn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ xǐ shǒu le ma?</span> <span class="trans">Before you ate, did you wash your hands? </span>
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* <strong>睡觉</strong> <em>以前</em> ，不要 吃 东西。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuìjiào</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, bù yào chī dōngxi. </span> <span class="trans">Before you go to bed, don't eat food. </span>
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* <strong>睡觉</strong> <em>以前</em> ，不要 吃 东西。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuìjiào</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, bù yào chī dōngxi. </span> <span class="trans">Before you go to sleep, don't eat anything. </span>
 
* <strong>两年</strong> <em>以前</em> ， 你 认识 他 吗？ <span class="pinyin"><strong>Liǎngnián </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  nǐ rènshi tā ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you know him two years ago? </span>
 
* <strong>两年</strong> <em>以前</em> ， 你 认识 他 吗？ <span class="pinyin"><strong>Liǎngnián </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  nǐ rènshi tā ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you know him two years ago? </span>
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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 zhèxiē gōngzuò. </span> <span class="trans">Before Friday, you need to finish this work. </span>
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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 zhèxiē gōngzuò. </span> <span class="trans">You need to finish this work before Friday. </span>
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* <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>
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* <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 starting college, did you ever come to Shanghai? </span>
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* <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 a house. </span>
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* <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 you get married, you should first buy a house. </span>
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* <strong>二十年</strong> <em>以前</em>，这里 是 一个 小 村子。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Èrshí nián</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  zhè lǐ shì yī gè xiǎo cūnzi. </span> <span class="trans">Twenty years ago, it was a small village here. </span>
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* <strong>二十年</strong> <em>以前</em>，这里 是 一个 小 村子。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Èrshí nián</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  zhè lǐ shì yī gè xiǎo cūnzi. </span> <span class="trans">Twenty years ago, this was a small village. </span>
 
* <strong>几个月</strong> <em>以前</em> ，他们 分手 了。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Jǐ gè yuè </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  tāmen fēnshǒu le. </span> <span class="trans">They broke up a few months ago. </span>
 
* <strong>几个月</strong> <em>以前</em> ，他们 分手 了。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Jǐ gè yuè </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  tāmen fēnshǒu le. </span> <span class="trans">They broke up a few months ago. </span>
 
* <strong>毕业</strong> <em>以前</em>，我 要 找到 工作。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Bìyè</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  wǒ yào zhǎo dào gōngzuò. </span> <span class="trans">I need to find a job before graduation.</span>
 
* <strong>毕业</strong> <em>以前</em>，我 要 找到 工作。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Bìyè</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>,  wǒ yào zhǎo dào gōngzuò. </span> <span class="trans">I need to find a job before graduation.</span>
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* <strong>当 总统</strong> <em>以前</em>，Obama 没有 白头发。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Dāng zǒngtǒng</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, Obama méiyǒu bái tóufa. </span> <span class="trans">Obama didn't have white hair before he became the president. </span>
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* <strong>当 总统</strong> <em>以前</em>，Obama 没有 白头发。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Dāng zǒngtǒng</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, Obama méiyǒu bái tóufa. </span> <span class="trans">Before he became the president, Obama didn't have white hair . </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 06:37, 5 February 2016

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？Chī fàn yǐqián, nǐ xǐ shǒu le ma? Before you ate, did you wash your hands?
  • 睡觉 以前 ，不要 吃 东西。 Shuìjiào yǐqián, bù yào chī dōngxi. Before you go to sleep, don't eat anything.
  • 两年 以前 ， 你 认识 他 吗？ Liǎngnián yǐqián, nǐ rènshi tā ma? Did you know him two years ago?
  • 星期 五 以前 ， 你 要 做 完 这些 工作。Xīngqī wǔ yǐqián, Nǐ yào zuò wán zhèxiē gōngzuò. You need to finish this work before Friday.
  • 上大学 以前，你 来 过 上海 吗？Shàng dàxué yǐqián, nǐ lái guo shànghǎi ma? Before starting college, did you ever come to Shanghai?
  • 结婚 以前 ，你 应该 先 买 房子。Jiéhūn yǐqián, nǐ yīnggāi xiān mǎi fángzi. Before you get married, you should first buy a house.
  • 二十年 以前，这里 是 一个 小 村子。 Èrshí nián yǐqián, zhè lǐ shì yī gè xiǎo cūnzi. Twenty years ago, this was a small village.
  • 几个月 以前 ，他们 分手 了。Jǐ gè yuè yǐqián, tāmen fēnshǒu le. They broke up a few months ago.
  • 毕业 以前，我 要 找到 工作。Bìyè yǐqián, wǒ yào zhǎo dào gōngzuò. I need to find a job before graduation.
  • 当 总统 以前，Obama 没有 白头发。Dāng zǒngtǒng yǐqián, Obama méiyǒu bái tóufa. Before he became the president, Obama didn't have white hair .

See also

Sources and further reading


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