Difference between revisions of "Expressing "before" and "after" with "zhiqian" and "zhihou""
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*他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ,<em>之后</em> 回 上海 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, <em>zhīhòu</em> huí Shànghǎi le.</span><span class="trans">He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.</span> | *他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ,<em>之后</em> 回 上海 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài Yīngguó dú wán le dàxué, <em>zhīhòu</em> huí Shànghǎi le.</span><span class="trans">He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.</span> | ||
*她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ,<em>之前</em> 是 教 英语 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, <em>zhīqián</em> shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.</span><span class="trans">She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.</span> | *她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ,<em>之前</em> 是 教 英语 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā dāng Hànyǔ lǎoshī sì nián duō le, <em>zhīqián</em> shì jiāo Yīngyǔ de.</span><span class="trans">She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.</span> | ||
− | *老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ,<em>之前</em> | + | *老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ,<em>之前</em> 在 休假 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn gānggāng huílái gōngzuò, <em>zhīqián</em> zài xiūjià.</span><span class="trans">The boss just came back to work. He was on vocation before.</span> |
*我们 都 不知道 ,他 <em>之前</em> 什么 也 没 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā <em>zhīqián</em> shénme yě méi shuō.</span><span class="trans">None of us knows. He didn't say anything before.</span> | *我们 都 不知道 ,他 <em>之前</em> 什么 也 没 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu bù zhīdào, tā <em>zhīqián</em> shénme yě méi shuō.</span><span class="trans">None of us knows. He didn't say anything before.</span> | ||
− | *我 | + | *我 现在 去 吃饭 ,<em>之后</em> 去 见 潜在 客户 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài qù chīfàn, <em>zhīhòu</em> qù jiàn kèhù.</span><span class="trans">I need to meet the client tomorrow morning. After that I will go to meet a potential client.</span> |
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Revision as of 02:07, 20 December 2017
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
Before and after can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are in relatively the same vein as 以前/以后, except that these two are adverbs, while 之前/之后 are prepositions. Don't forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.
Contents
Used as a Preposition
Structure
Event + 之前 / 之后 ,⋯⋯
Examples
- 来 中国 之前 ,我 的 汉语 很 一般 。Before I came to China, my Chinese was so so.
- 下班 之后 给 我 打 个 电话 。Give me a call after you get off work.
- 吃 完 饭 之后 去 看 电影 吧 ?What about going to the movie after we finish dinner?
- 出国 之前 ,他 和 女朋友 分手了 。Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.
- 她 每天 放学 之后 都 要 去 上 钢琴 课 。She needs to go to piano class every day after school is over.
Used as a Time Word
Structure
⋯⋯ ,之前 / 之后 ⋯⋯
Examples
- 他 在 英国 读 完 了 大学 ,之后 回 上海 了 。He finished college in England. Afterwards, he returned to Shanghai.
- 她 当 汉语 老师 四 年 多 了 ,之前 是 教 英语 的 。She's been a Chinese teacher for more than four years. She used to be an English teacher.
- 老板 刚刚 回来 工作 ,之前 在 休假 。The boss just came back to work. He was on vocation before.
- 我们 都 不知道 ,他 之前 什么 也 没 说 。None of us knows. He didn't say anything before.
- 我 现在 去 吃饭 ,之后 去 见 潜在 客户 。I need to meet the client tomorrow morning. After that I will go to meet a potential client.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Home With Kids2 (家有儿女2) (pp. 167) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 93-4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy