English–Japanese

“before” in Japanese

Japanese

Also手前 (temae) · 前 (mae)

Romajiizen

以前は東京に住んでいました。i zen wa tō kyō ni su n de i ma shi ta

I lived in Tokyo before.

“Before” in Japanese is 以前 (izen).

Frames an event or state as existing earlier than the time being discussed.

以前より早く起きるようになりました。i zen yo ri haya ku o ki ru yō ni na ri ma shi ta

I have started getting up earlier than before.

English "ago" usually counts backward from now, whereas 以前 (izen) can place an event before a reference point other than the present.

temae

nounbefore

駅の手前で降ります。eki no te mae de o ri ma su

I get off before the station.

mae

nounin front

nounbefore

学校の前で待ちます。gak kō no mae de ma chi ma su

I wait in front of the school.