前(まえ)に

まえに
expression
before, in front of
expression
1. before (time)
Indicates that something happens prior to another event or time.
食(た)べる前(まえ)に手(て)を洗(あら)う。
I wash my hands before eating.
Time: verb dictionary form + 前に
寝(ね)る前(まえ)に本(ほん)を読(よ)んでください。
Please read a book before going to bed.
出(で)かける前(まえ)にドアを閉(し)めてください。
Please close the door before going out.
仕事(しごと)が始(はじ)まる前(まえ)に、毎日(まいにち)コーヒーを飲(の)んでいます。
I drink coffee every day before work starts.
夜(よる)寝(ね)る前(まえ)に部屋(へや)を暗(くら)くして、静(しず)かな音楽(おんがく)を聞(き)くと、眠(ねむ)りやすくなります。
If you make the room dark and listen to quiet music before sleeping at night, it becomes easier to fall asleep.
2. in front of (location)
Indicates a position in front of something.
駅(えき)の前(まえ)に会(あ)いましょう。
Let's meet in front of the station.
Location: noun + の前に
学校(がっこう)の前(まえ)に大(おお)きな木(き)があります。
There's a big tree in front of the school.
私(わたし)の前(まえ)に座(すわ)ってお待(ま)ちください。
Please sit in front of me and wait.
図書館(としょかん)は公園(こうえん)の前(まえ)にあります。歩(ある)いて5分(ふん)ぐらいです。
The library is in front of the park. It's about a 5-minute walk.
家(いえ)の前(まえ)に立(た)っている大(おお)きな木(き)は、祖父(そふ)が若(わか)いころにここに持(も)ってきたもので、今(いま)では家族(かぞく)の思(おも)い出(で)になっています。
The big tree standing in front of the house was brought here by my grandfather when he was young, and now it has become a family memory.

前(まえ)に has two distinct uses: temporal (before) and spatial (in front of).

Common patterns

  • [verb dictionary form] + 前(まえ)に: before doing...
  • [noun] + の前(まえ)に: before [noun]

COMMON PATTERNS (sense 2, location):

  • [noun] + の前(まえ)に: in front of [noun]

Similar words

Usage

前(まえ)に emphasizes the point in time/space; 前(まえ) alone can modify nouns (前(まえ)の日(ひ) = the previous day).

Watch out

For time, 前(まえ) always takes に (寝(ね)る前(まえ)に, before going to bed), never で; compare 後(あと)で, which does take で. 前(まえ)で is spatial only: 駅(えき)の前(まえ)で待(ま)つ (wait in front of the station).

Related Words

Antonym: 後(あと)で (after, later)
Antonym: 後(うし)ろ (behind (spatial))
Related: 前(まえ) (base noun: front, before)
Compare: 後(あと) (after)
Compare: に先立(さきだ)って (prior to)
Compare: 先(さき)に (first)
Compare: さっき (a little while ago)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:48 · Revised 2026.10.9 4:35
00500/00965_maeni