At a glance
Noun の 前に has two uses. With a place or person it means "in front of", and with an event or time it means "before".
Noun + の + 前に
ご飯の前に手を洗います。 I wash my hands before meals.
How to form it
The pattern attaches to a noun. The kind of noun usually decides the meaning.
| Attaches to | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place, thing, person | Noun + の前に | 学校の前に | in front of the school |
| Event, time | Noun + の前に | テストの前に | before the test |
- The register is neutral. Politeness comes from the verb at the end of the sentence.
- Many event nouns can also take 前 directly, without の: 食事前に "before the meal".
- A verb uses its dictionary form with no の: 寝る前に "before sleeping".