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">Did you wash your hands before eating? </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">Did you wash your hands before eating? </span> |
| − | * <strong>睡觉</strong> <em>以前</em> ，不要 吃 东西。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuìjiào</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, | + | *<strong>睡觉</strong> <em>以前</em> ，不要 吃 东西。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuìjiào</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, bùyào chī dōngxi. </span> <span class="trans">Don't eat anything before you go to sleep.</span> |
| − | * <strong> | + | *<strong>两 年</strong> <em>以前</em> ， 你 认识 他 吗？ <span class="pinyin"><strong>Liǎng nián </strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ rènshi tā ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you know him two years ago?</span> |
| − | * <strong>星期五</strong> <em>以前</em> | + | *<strong>星期五</strong> <em>以前</em> ，你 要 做 完 这 些 工作。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Xīngqīwǔ</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ yào zuò wán zhèxiē gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">You need to finish this work before Friday.</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 ever 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 ever come to Shanghai?</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 a 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 a house.</span> |
| − | * <strong> | + | *<strong>二十 年</strong> <em>以前</em>，这里 是 一 个。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Èrshí nián</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, zhèlǐ shì yī gè gōngyuán.</span> <span class="trans">Twenty years ago, this was a park.</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 zhǎodào 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 zhǎodào gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I need to find a job before graduation.</span> |
| − | * <strong>当 总统</strong> <em>以前</em>，Obama 没有 | + | *<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 10:18, 6 January 2017
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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 / 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？ Did you wash your hands before eating?
- 睡觉 以前 ，不要 吃 东西。 Don't eat anything before you go to sleep.
- 两 年 以前 ， 你 认识 他 吗？ Did you know him two years ago?
- 星期五 以前 ，你 要 做 完 这 些 工作。 You need to finish this work before Friday.
- 上 大学 以前，你 来 过 上海 吗？ Before you went to college, did you ever come to Shanghai?
- 结婚 以前 ，你 应该 先 买 房子。 Before getting married, you should first buy a house.
- 二十 年 以前，这里 是 一 个。 Twenty years ago, this was a park.
- 几个月 以前 ，他们 分手 了。 They broke up a few months ago.
- 毕业 以前，我 要 找到 工作。 I need to find a job before graduation.
- 当 总统 以前，Obama 没有 白 头发。 Before he became the president, Obama didn't have white hair.
Note that this use of 以前 (yǐqián) can also be shortened to 前 (qián).
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
