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JLPT N5Conjunctions

前に(mae ni) — Before (Doing)

Sets an action before another event on the timeline: 'before doing X, (do) Y'. Works with verbs, nouns, and time expressions.

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Pro lessonUNIT 14 · CONJUNCTIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb dictionary form] + 前に / [Noun] + の + 前に

Examples · 例文

  • 買う前に値段をチェックする。

    Kau mae ni nedan o chekku suru.

    I check the price before buying.

    買う (buy, dictionary form) + 前に (before)

  • 会議の前にコーヒーを淹れる。

    Kaigi no mae ni koohii o ireru.

    I brew coffee before the meeting.

    会議 (meeting, noun) + の + 前に — a noun needs the connecting の

  • 寝る前に本を読みます。

    Neru mae ni hon o yomimasu.

    I read a book before going to bed.

    寝る (go to bed, dictionary form) + 前に (before) — the verb before 前に stays in dictionary form

Usage notes · 注意

  • Verbs before 前に always stay in the dictionary (non-past) form, even if the whole sentence is in the past: 買った前に is wrong — it must be 買う前に. The tense of the sentence is carried by the final verb. • Opposite: 〜たあとで / 〜てから (after).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones 前に is tested against.

vs〜てから / 〜たあとで

These mean 'after'; 前に means 'before'. Note 前に always takes the dictionary form, while あとで takes the past (た) form.

More conjunctions

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