Dictionary › 以前

以前

yǐ qián

Old HSK 3 HSK 3.0 level 3 2-character word

以前 (yǐ qián) means "before". It is an HSK 3.0 level 3 word, and was HSK 3 in the old six-level list.

What 以前 means

1. before
2. formerly
3. previous
4. ago

How 以前 is used in grammar

以前 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Time Clauses: 在…以前/以后, 当…的时候 (HSK 2)

The characters in 以前

• 以yǐto use; by means of; according to
• 前qiánfront; forward; ahead

Example sentences

• 多久以前？
  How long ago was that?
• 他以前做过。
  He has done it before.
• 以前比较好。
  It was better in the old days.
• 我以前在山里。
  I was in the mountains.
• 我以前打网球。
  I used to play tennis.
• 你以前喜欢吗？
  Did you use to like it?

Where 以前 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Directions & Location (HSK 3), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 3 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read yǐ qián correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.