How common it is
前 appears often in everyday Chinese, so it is worth practicing early and reviewing often.
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Pronunciation focus
Say qián slowly first, then repeat it in a short phrase. Listen for the tone shape.
Usage note
前用来表示时间上的‘之前’。
qián lái yòng lái bǎo shí shàng de ‘bìqián’.
前 is used to indicate 'before' in terms of time.
Context note
前常用于描述过去发生的事情或动作。
qián cháng yòng yú miáo huì guò qù fā shēng de dōng xìng huò dòng zuò。
前 is commonly used to describe things or actions that happened in the past.
5 examples
昨天我前来看你。
zuó tiān wǒ qián lái kàn nǐ。
I came to see you yesterday.
他前天去了北京。
tā qián tiān qù le běi jīng。
He went to Beijing the day before yesterday.
我前年去旅行了。
wǒ qián nián qù lǚ xíng le。
I went on a trip last year.
他前一个周末去了公园。
tā qián yí gè zhōu mò qù le gōng yuán。
He went to the park the weekend before.
我前天没来上课。
wǒ qián tiān méi lái shàng kè。
I didn't come to class the day before yesterday.
5 mini stories
妈妈说昨天她前来看我了。爸爸说他前天去了公园。
mā ma shuō zuó tiān tā qián lái kàn wǒ le。 bà ba shuō tā qián tiān qù le gōng yuán。
Mom said she came to see me yesterday. Dad said he went to the park the day before.
老师说他前年教过我们。他说他前一个学期教的是数学。
lǎo shī shuō tā qián nián jiào guò wǒ men。 tā shuō tā qián yí gè xué qī jiào de shì shù xué。
The teacher said he taught us last year. He said he taught math in the semester before.
我前天没做作业，今天我要补上。
wǒ qián tiān méi zuò zuò yè， jīn tiān wǒ yào bǔ shàng。
I didn't do my homework the day before yesterday, so I need to make it up today.
昨天我前来看你，你不在家。
zuó tiān wǒ qián lái kàn nǐ， nǐ bú zài jiā。
I came to see you yesterday, but you weren't at home.
他前天去了北京，昨天他没去。
tā qián tiān qù le běi jīng， zuó tiān tā méi qù。
He went to Beijing the day before yesterday, but he didn't go yesterday.