Usage note
“以前”用来表示过去的时间，可以单独使用也可以和时间词一起用。
yǐqián lái bǎo chéng guò qù de shí jiān, kě yǐ gū dān sòng zhuó yě kě yǐ hé shí jiān cí yīqǐ yòng。
“以前” is used to indicate past time and can be used alone or with time words.
Context note
这个词语常用于讲述过去的事情，比如：以前我住在乡下。
zhège cíyǔ cháng yòng yú shùshuō guò qù de shìqìng, bǐrú: yǐqián wǒ zhùzài xiāngxià。
This word is commonly used to tell past events, for example: 以前我住在乡下.
5 examples
以前我们住在北京。
yǐ qián wǒ men zhù zài běi jīng。
We lived in Beijing before.
他以前是老师。
tā yǐ qián shì lǎo shī。
He used to be a teacher.
你以前去过哪里？
nǐ yǐ qián qù guò nǎ lǐ？
Where did you go before?
我以前喜欢画画。
wǒ yǐ qián xǐ huan huà huà。
I liked drawing before.
他们以前是好朋友。
tā men yǐ qián shì hǎo péng yǒu。
They were good friends before.
5 mini stories
妈妈说她以前住在农村，现在住城里。
mā ma shuō tā yǐ qián zhù zài nóng cūn， xiàn zài zhù chéng lǐ。
Mom said she used to live in the countryside, now she lives in the city.
爸爸说他以前是工人，现在退休了。
bà ba shuō tā yǐ qián shì gōng rén， xiàn zài tuì xiū le。
Dad said he was a worker before, and is retired now.
我们以前经常去公园玩。
wǒ men yǐ qián jīng cháng qù gōng yuán wán。
We used to often go to the park to play.
她以前学过钢琴，现在弹吉他。
tā yǐ qián xué guò gāng qín， xiàn zài tán jí tā。
She used to learn piano, now she plays guitar.
他们以前一起上学，现在各自工作了。
tā men yǐ qián yì qǐ shàng xué， xiàn zài gè zì gōng zuò le。
They went to school together before, but now they work separately.
Mini dialogue
以前的故事
A
你以前去过北京吗？
Nǐ yǐqián qù guò Běijīng ma?
Have you been to Beijing before?
B
去过，以前我和爸爸妈妈一起去的。
Qù guò, yǐqián wǒ hé bàba māma yīqǐ qù de.
Yes, I went there before with my parents.
以前不会
A
你会游泳吗？
Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?
Can you swim?
B
以前不会，现在学会了。
Yǐqián bú huì, xiànzài xué huì le.
I couldn't before, but now I've learned.
Related words and contrasts
similar
过去
guòqù
in the past
以前 and 过去 both mean 'before' or 'in the past', but 以前 is more common in everyday speech.
opposite
以后
yǐhòu
after; later
以前 means 'before', and 以后 means 'after'.
similar
从前
cóngqián
once upon a time; before
从前 is often used at the beginning of stories, like 'once upon a time'.