Learn how to express “before/in the past” and “after/in the future” in Chinese using 以前 (yǐqián) and 以后 (yǐhòu)
1 以前 (yǐqián) – Before / In the Past
以前 (yǐqián) is used to indicate that something happened at some time in the past. It corresponds to English expressions like “before,” “in the past,” “previously,” or “used to.”
Time Reference Visualization
以前 indicates actions or states that occurred before the present time.
Examples: 以前 (yǐqián)
Past Habits/States
以前 often describes past habits or states that have changed:
Implies: The situation is different now.
With Adverbs
以前 can be used with adverbs to specify frequency:
Negative with 没 (méi)
Use 没 (méi) with 以前 for negating past experiences:
Note: 没 is used for completed action negation.
2 以后 (yǐhòu) – After / In the Future
Unlock this content and all our premium features with a membership. Get access to graded HSK video lessons, grammar breakdowns, vocab lists, online tests, and more!
Already a member? Sign in.
3 Position Flexibility
Unlock this content and all our premium features with a membership. Get access to graded HSK video lessons, grammar breakdowns, vocab lists, online tests, and more!
Already a member? Sign in.
4 Comparison & Practice
Unlock this content and all our premium features with a membership. Get access to graded HSK video lessons, grammar breakdowns, vocab lists, online tests, and more!
Already a member? Sign in.