前に: saying what happens before

The idea

Put 前まえに after a verb’s dictionary form: 読よむ前まえに means “before reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の前まえに means “before the meal”.

Examples

• ご飯はんを食たべる前まえに、手てを洗あらいます。I wash my hands before eating.
• 学校がっこうへ行いく前まえに、朝あさご飯はんを食たべます。I eat breakfast before going to school.
• 出でかける前まえに、天気てんきを見みます。I check the weather before going out.
• 寝ねる前まえに、本ほんを読よみます。I read a book before going to bed.
• 会議かいぎの前まえに、水みずを飲のみます。I drink water before the meeting.
• 昨日きのう、家いえに帰かえる前まえに、電話でんわをしました。Yesterday I called before going home.

Watch out

Use the dictionary form before 前まえに even when the main sentence describes the past. 前まえに places the main action before the event it follows.

Try it yourself

1. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「読よむ」→＿＿

   Show answer or example answer

   読む前に

   読よむ → 読よむ前まえに — Put 前まえに after a verb’s dictionary form: 読よむ前まえに means “before reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の前まえに means “before the meal”.

2. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「食たべる」→＿＿

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   食べる前に

   食たべる → 食たべる前まえに — Put 前まえに after a verb’s dictionary form: 読よむ前まえに means “before reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の前まえに means “before the meal”.

3. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「会議かいぎ」→＿＿

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   会議の前に

   会議かいぎ → 会議かいぎの前まえに — Put 前まえに after a verb’s dictionary form: 読よむ前まえに means “before reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の前まえに means “before the meal”.

Use it today

Cover the table, then make two sentences of your own and check both the form and meaning.