以前

yǐqián

noun HSK 2 #289

Meanings

1 before
2 formerly
3 in the past

Characters

Examples

以前我不会说中文。

Yǐqián wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén.

I couldn't speak Chinese before.

吃饭以前要洗手。

Chīfàn yǐqián yào xǐ shǒu.

Wash your hands before eating.

三年以前我来过这里。

Sān nián yǐqián wǒ lái guò zhèlǐ.

I came here three years ago.

Tips

grammar

Verb/time + 以前 = before doing / time ago. 以前 alone = in the past.

Stroke Order

以 yǐ

前 qián