Usage note
从前表示很久以前。
cóng qián biǎo shì hěn jiǔ yǐ qián。
从前 means long ago or in the past.
Context note
从前常用于故事和回忆。
cóng qián cháng yòng yú gù shì hé huí yì。
It is often used in stories and memories.
5 examples
从前这里是个村子。
cóng qián zhè lǐ shì gè cūn zǐ。
Long ago, this was a village.
从前我很怕黑。
cóng qián wǒ hěn pà hēi。
I used to be afraid of the dark.
从前的故事很好听。
cóng qián de gù shì hěn hǎo tīng。
The stories from long ago are very nice.
从前他住在这里。
cóng qián tā zhù zài zhè lǐ。
He used to live here.
从前有一只小兔子。
cóng qián yǒu yì zhī xiǎo tù zi。
Once upon a time, there was a little rabbit.
5 mini stories
从前，这里有很多树。
cóng qián， zhè lǐ yǒu hěn duō shù。
Long ago, there were many trees here.
老人喜欢讲从前的事。
lǎo rén xǐ huan jiǎng cóng qián de shì。
The old person likes telling stories from the past.
从前的生活没有现在方便。
cóng qián de shēng huó méi yǒu xiàn zài fāng biàn。
Life in the past was not as convenient as now.
孩子们听从前的故事听得很认真。
hái zi men tīng cóng qián de gù shì tīng dé hěn rèn zhēn。
The children listened very carefully to the old stories.
从前的照片让他想起很多事情。
cóng qián de zhào piàn ràng tā xiǎng qǐ hěn duō shì qíng。
The old photos reminded him of many things.
Mini dialogue
爷爷的故事
A
爷爷，你小时候喜欢玩什么？
Yéye, nǐ xiǎoshíhòu xǐhuān wán shénme?
Grandpa, what did you like to play when you were little?
B
从前，我们喜欢在院子里跳房子。
Cóngqián, wǒmen xǐhuān zài yuànzi lǐ tiào fángzi.
In the past, we liked to play hopscotch in the yard.
老照片
A
这张照片是什么时候拍的？
Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn shì shénme shíhòu pāi de?
When was this photo taken?
B
从前拍的，那时我还很小。
Cóngqián pāi de, nà shí wǒ hái hěn xiǎo.
It was taken in the past, when I was still very young.
Related words and contrasts
similar
以前
yǐqián
before
以前 is a very common way to say 'in the past' or 'before'.
contrast
现在
xiànzài
now
现在 means 'now', contrasting with the past time of 从前.
contrast
将来
jiānglái
future
将来 means 'in the future', the opposite time direction from 从前.