Difference between revisions of "Before a specific time with "yiqian""

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* <em>十 点</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我 在 家 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Shí diǎn</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒ zài jiā.</span> <span class="trans">I am at home before ten o'clock.</span>
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* <strong>十 点</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我 在 家 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shí diǎn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒ zài jiā.</span> <span class="trans">I will be at home before ten o'clock.</span>
* <em>上 大学</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我 不 会 说 中文 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Shàng dàxué</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén.</span> <span class="trans">Before I attended college, I couldn't speak Chinese.</span>
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* <strong>上 大学</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我 不 会 说 中文 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shàng dàxué</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén.</span> <span class="trans">Before I attended college, I couldn't speak Chinese.</span>
* <em>三 点</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我 在 咖啡店 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Sān diǎn</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒ zài kāfēidiàn.</span> <span class="trans">Before three o'clock, I'm in the coffee shop.</span>
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* <strong>三 点</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我 在 咖啡店 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Sān diǎn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒ zài kāfēidiàn.</span> <span class="trans">Before three o'clock, I'll be in the coffee shop.</span>
* <em>睡觉</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 你 不 能 吃 糖 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Shuìjiào</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, nǐ bù néng chī táng.</span> <span class="trans">Before going to sleep, you can't eat sugar.</span>
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* <strong>睡觉</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 不 能 吃 糖 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shuìjiào</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ bù néng chī táng.</span> <span class="trans">Before going to sleep, you can't eat sugar.</span>
* <em>星期 五</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 要 做 完 你 的 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Xīngqī wǔ</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, yào zuò wán nǐ de gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">Before Friday, you need to finish your work.</span>
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* <strong>星期 五</strong> <em>以前</em> , 要 做 完 你 的 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Xīngqī wǔ</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, yào zuò wán nǐ de gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">Before Friday, you need to finish your work.</span>
* <em>开会</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我们 要 有 一个 计划 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Kāihuì</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒmen yào yǒu yīgè jìhuà.</span> <span class="trans">Before the meeting we need a plan.</span>
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* <strong>开会</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我们 要 有 一个 计划 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Kāihuì</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒmen yào yǒu yīgè jìhuà.</span> <span class="trans">Before the meeting, we need a plan.</span>
* <em>三 年</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我 来 到 了 上海 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Sān nián</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒ lái dào le Shànghǎi.</span> <span class="trans">Three years ago I came to Shanghai.</span>
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* <strong>三 年</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我 来 到 了 上海 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Sān nián</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒ lái dào le Shànghǎi.</span> <span class="trans">Three years ago I came to Shanghai.</span>
* <em>吃 饭</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 你 应该 洗 手 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Chī fàn</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, nǐ yīnggāi xǐ shǒu.</span> <span class="trans">Before eating, you should wash your hands.</span>
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* <strong>吃 饭</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 应该 洗 手 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Chī fàn</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ yīnggāi xǐ shǒu.</span> <span class="trans">Before eating, you should wash your hands.</span>
* <em>一 个 月</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 我 认识 了 我 的 老婆 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yī gè yuè</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, wǒ rènshi le wǒ de lǎopó.</span> <span class="trans">A month ago I met my wife.</span>
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* <strong>一 个 月</strong> <em>以前</em> , 我 认识 了 我 的 老婆 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Yī gè yuè</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, wǒ rènshi le wǒ de lǎopó.</span> <span class="trans">A month ago I met my wife.</span>
* <em>生 孩子</em> <strong>以前</strong> , 你 应该 先 结婚 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Shēng háizi</em> <strong>yǐqián</strong>, nǐ yīnggāi xiān jiéhūn.</span> <span class="trans">Before having kids, you should first get married.</span>
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* <strong>生 孩子</strong> <em>以前</em> , 你 应该 先 结婚 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Shēng háizi</strong> <em>yǐqián</em>, nǐ yīnggāi xiān jiéhūn.</span> <span class="trans">Before having kids, you should first get married.</span>
 
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{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
 
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
 
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
{{Basic Grammar|以前|A2|Time / Verb+ 以前|十 点 <em>以前</em>,我 在 家。|grammar point|ASGJ2OJC}}
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{{Basic Grammar|以前|A2|Time / Verb + 以前|十 点 <strong>以前</strong>,我 在 家。|grammar point|ASGJ2OJC}}
 
{{Rel char|以}}
 
{{Rel char|以}}
 
{{Rel char|前}}
 
{{Rel char|前}}

Revision as of 03:31, 24 November 2014

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, Subject + Verb + Object

Verb + 以前, Subject + Verb + Object

The time can be a specific time, or an action (technically, "when the action was done").

Examples

  • 十 点 以前 , 我 在 家 。 Shí diǎn yǐqián, wǒ zài jiā. I will be at home before ten o'clock.
  • 上 大学 以前 , 我 不 会 说 中文 。 Shàng dàxué yǐqián, wǒ bù huì shuō Zhōngwén. Before I attended college, I couldn't speak Chinese.
  • 三 点 以前 , 我 在 咖啡店 。 Sān diǎn yǐqián, wǒ zài kāfēidiàn. Before three o'clock, I'll be in the coffee shop.
  • 睡觉 以前 , 你 不 能 吃 糖 。 Shuìjiào yǐqián, nǐ bù néng chī táng. Before going to sleep, you can't eat sugar.
  • 星期 五 以前 , 要 做 完 你 的 工作 。 Xīngqī wǔ yǐqián, yào zuò wán nǐ de gōngzuò. Before Friday, you need to finish your work.
  • 开会 以前 , 我们 要 有 一个 计划 。 Kāihuì yǐqián, wǒmen yào yǒu yīgè jìhuà. Before the meeting, we need a plan.
  • 三 年 以前 , 我 来 到 了 上海 。 Sān nián yǐqián, wǒ lái dào le Shànghǎi. Three years ago I came to Shanghai.
  • 吃 饭 以前 , 你 应该 洗 手 。 Chī fàn yǐqián, nǐ yīnggāi xǐ shǒu. Before eating, you should wash your hands.
  • 一 个 月 以前 , 我 认识 了 我 的 老婆 。 Yī gè yuè yǐqián, wǒ rènshi le wǒ de lǎopó. A month ago I met my wife.
  • 生 孩子 以前 , 你 应该 先 结婚 。 Shēng háizi yǐqián, nǐ yīnggāi xiān jiéhūn. Before having kids, you should first get married.

See also

Sources and further reading