How to Say ‘Before...’ in Simplified Chinese
在…前
zài qián
[dzeye chyen]
💬 Usage Tip: [在...前] means "before..." and sets a deadline: [在八点前] "before 8 o'clock," [在当天前] would be unnatural, but [在用餐前] works well. Put the time in the middle and the action after it.
Phrase Breakdown
在
zài
[dzeye]
at; in; before doing
A preposition used to indicate location, time, or the point before an action or event.
你要在什么时候前通知餐厅？
By what time do you need to notify the restaurant?
前
qián
[chyen]
before
Used after a time or event to show that something must happen earlier than that point.
请在用餐前确认取消政策。
Please confirm the cancellation policy before dining.
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