Spanish Conversation · Level 6
89 words
Spanish word
antes
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈantes/
Meaning
- adverbbefore
Example
Ya lo había visto antes.
I had already seen it before.
More examples
Lava las manos antes de comer.
Wash your hands before eating.
Core concept
A point earlier than a reference moment.
Common phrases
antes de
before
unos minutos antes
a few minutes earlier
poco antes
a little before
Similar words
ya: Has already occurred by a reference moment.
Definition in Spanish
Expresa que un hecho sucedió en un tiempo anterior al que se considera como referencia.
Word origin
Derived from Latin ante meaning 'before', Spanish antes preserves the basic idea of temporal precedence as an adverb.
Usage tips
- Antes de + infinitive indicates a prior action with the same subject, while antes de que introduces a subordinate clause and commonly takes the subjunctive when the subject changes.