GrammarJLPT N5
まえに
→ before
Before / Ahead / In Front Of
JLPT N5Compound particleNeutral
前に expresses the idea of "before" in time or "in front of" in space. When used with verbs, it attaches to the dictionary (plain non-past) form to mean "before doing something," regardless of whether the main clause is in past or present tense. When used with nouns, it takes the form Noun + の + 前に to mean "before (a noun/event)" or "in front of (a place/object)." This is one of the first time-related expressions learners encounter, and it contrasts directly with 後で (after). A key point is that the verb before 前に always stays in the dictionary form even when describing past events, which distinguishes it from constructions like てから (after doing). The spatial meaning of 前に (in front of) is equally common and should not be overlooked.
Functions
#1 Temporal: Before doing something (with verbs)
Structure
Verb (dictionary form) + 前に
寝る前に、歯をみがきます。
Here 前に attaches directly to the dictionary form of the verb 寝る to express that the action of brushing teeth happens before sleeping. Notice that the verb before 前に remains in the dictionary form (寝る) even though it describes a habitual action. The main clause after 前に carries the tense of the overall sentence.Before going to bed, I brush my teeth.
Structures
- Verb (dictionary form)
- Verb (dictionary form) + 前に + main clause
- Noun
- Noun + の + 前に + main clause
Common mistakes
The most frequent mistake learners make with 前に is conjugating the verb before it into past tense, such as saying 食べた前に instead of the correct 食べる前に. The verb before 前に must always be in the dictionary (non-past) form regardless of overall sentence tense. Another common error is forgetting の when connecting a regular noun, writing テスト前に instead of テストの前に, though time-quantity words like 三年 do not require の. Learners also sometimes confuse 前に with てから; remember that 前に means "before" while てから means "after doing," and they are not interchangeable. Finally, some learners struggle to distinguish the temporal meaning (before) from the spatial meaning (in front of) since both use the same form with nouns, but context almost always makes the intended meaning clear.
Related
後で前てからまでにうちにところに