German Conversation · Level 8
90 words
German word
vor
Pronunciation
IPA/foːɐ̯/
Meaning
- prepositionbefore
Example
Ich habe ihn vor einer Woche gesehen.
I saw him a week ago.
More examples
Er steht vor dem Spiegel und kämmt sich.
He is standing in front of the mirror and combing his hair.
Core concept
One thing is positioned on the forward side of another, or an event lies earlier on the timeline.
Common phrases
vor dem Fernseher
in front of the television
vor dem Unterricht
before class
vor dem Spiegel
in front of the mirror
Similar words
hinter: Indicates a position behind something.
gegenüber: Indicates a position directly opposite something.
neben: Indicates a position beside something.
zwischen: Indicates a position between two or more things.
Definition in German
Sowohl räumlich als auch zeitlich angibt, dass etwas vor etwas anderem liegt oder stattgefunden hat.
Word origin
The preposition vor developed from inherited Germanic forms including Old High German fora and foran.
Usage tips
- Vor introduces a noun phrase, whereas bevor introduces a subordinate clause with a finite verb.