Expressing "before" in general with "yiqian"

Structure

To talk about things in the past "in general", you can use the word 以前 (yǐqián).

以前 + Subject + Verb + Object

You can use this structure to talk about actions that happened at some unspecified time in the past.

Examples

• 以前，我 不 会 中文。
• 以前，我 不 喝 啤酒。
• 以前，我 不 喜欢 电影。

See also

• In the future in general
• Before a specific time
• At the time when

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 11) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 268) →buy

HSK3