At a glance
Verb (dictionary form) + 前に means "before doing ~". It says that the main action happens first, before the action in the 前に part.
Verb (dictionary form) + 前に、[main action]。
食べる前に、手を洗います。 I wash my hands before eating.
How to form it
Put 前に after the dictionary form of any verb. With a noun, use の.
| Type | Dictionary form | + 前に |
|---|---|---|
| う-verb | 飲む | 飲む前に |
| る-verb | 食べる | 食べる前に |
| する | 勉強する | 勉強する前に |
| 来る | 来る | 来る前に |
| Noun | 食事 | 食事の前に |
The verb before 前に does not change for polite speech or past time. Only the verb at the end of the sentence changes.