means "before": one thing happens before another. After a noun it takes
. After a verb there is no
, and the verb is in its dictionary form.
、。
I read my notebook before the test.
A noun, so の, then 前に.
、。
I read a book before I go to bed.
寝る is the dictionary form of 寝ます.
、。
I buy bread before I go home.
The verb in front of cannot keep its . ×寝ます前に is wrong. The verb that ends the sentence carries the politeness for both.
It does not go into the past either, even when the whole sentence is about the past. ×日本に来た前に is wrong.
、。
I studied Japanese before I came to Japan.
、。
Please wash your hands before you eat.
Usage notes
These go beyond "before" another event.
A length of time + 前に: "ago"
After a length of time, with no , means "ago".
。
I came to Japan three years ago.
。
I got here thirty minutes ago.
前に on its own
With nothing in front of it, means "before now", "previously".
。
I have seen this film before.
In front of a place
is also the space in front of something.
is "in front of the station", and it takes
when something is there, with
or
.
。
There is a convenience store in front of the station.
。
There is a cat in front of the television.
When something is done there, the particle is , as for any place where an action happens.
。
Let's meet in front of the station.
Lingaku