〜前に (Before Doing)
Say 'before ~ing' with time clauses.
Planning your day
In daily life, we often need to sequence our actions. Whether you are telling a friend you need to eat before going to the station, or reminding a colleague to check a document before sending it, you need a way to express 'before'.
How to form 'Before'
To say 'before doing X', you take the dictionary form of the verb and add 前に (mae ni).
Tip
Examples in context
See how we sequence actions using this pattern.
寝る前に、本を読みます。
I read a book before sleeping.
食べる前に、手を洗います。
I wash my hands before eating.
学校へ行く【前に】、朝ごはんを食べます。
Hint: The particle/word for 'before'.
I eat breakfast before going to school.
Nuance and Usage
The 前に structure is used for both verbs and nouns.
Verbs vs Nouns
Verb + 前に
Before doing an action
寝る前に
Noun + の前に
Before a specific time/event
食事の前に
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
- 食べます前に、寝ます。
- ✓ 食べる前に、寝ます。
You must use the dictionary form (食べる) before 前に, not the polite ます form.
Deep Dive: Time markers
You can also use this with specific time expressions.
Using with time
Lesson Summary
Use the dictionary form of a verb followed by 前に to describe an action that happens before another. It is a simple, essential way to link events in time.