Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 之前 & 之后
If you want to talk about the past or the future in terms of before and after, you might want to us 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu).
They are two formal ways to say before and after; and they have a few other meanings attached to them.
They are similar to 以前 (yǐqián) and 以后 (yǐhòu) which are less formal.
HOW TO USE 之前 & 之后 TO EXPRESS BEFORE AND AFTER
之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu) are used after something that has happened to say “before/ago” or “after”, respectively.
Both can be used for an event or a time.
PATTERN
Event/Time + 之前/之后
七点之前要回家。
Be home by seven o’clock.进来之后，请关门。
Please close the door after you enter.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 学汉语之前，我觉得汉语很难。 | xué hànyǔ zhīqián, wǒ juédé hànyǔ hěn nán. | Before learning Chinese, I thought Chinese was very difficult. |
| 结婚之前，我要找到我的爸爸。 | jiéhūn zhīqián, wǒ yào zhǎodào wǒ de bàba. | I want to find my dad before I get married. |
| 这是五天之前了。 | zhè shì wǔ tiān zhīqiánle. | This was five days ago. |
| 学汉语之后，我认识了很多中国人。 | xué hànyǔ zhīhòu, wǒ rènshíle hěnduō zhōngguó rén. | I got to know many Chinese people after learning Chinese. |
| 八点之后不要出门。 | bā diǎn zhīhòu bùyào chūmén. | Don’t go out after eight o’clock. |
| 下课之后我要休息。 | xiàkè zhīhòu wǒ yào xiūxí. | I’m going to rest after class. |
HOW TO USE 之前 & 之后 AS TIME WORDS
When 之前 and 之后 function as time words, they come at the beginning of a clause.
- Here 之后 can mean “afterwards”, “after that” or “later”.
- Here 之前 can mean “before” or “earlier”.
The subject in the second clause can go before or after 之前/之后.
PATTERN
(Event 1), 之前/之后 + Event 2
三天以前我们吵架了。之后我没跟她说过话。
We had an argument three days ago. I haven’t spoken to her since then.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 先把饭吃完，之后做作业。 | xiān bǎ fàn chī wán, zhīhòu zuò zuo yè. | Finish eating first, then do your homework. |
| 我现在有点儿忙，之后我会告诉你。 | wǒ xiànzài yǒudiǎn er máng, zhīhòu wǒ huì gàosù nǐ. | I’m a bit busy now, I’ll tell you later. |
| 他明年毕业。之后他想要当老师。 | tā míngnián bìyè. Zhīhòu tā xiǎng yào dāng lǎoshī. | He’s graduating next year. He was to be a teacher after that. |
| 之前他已经告诉我。 | zhīqián tā yǐjīng gàosù wǒ. | He already told me before. |
| 之前他在撒谎。 | zhīqián tā zài sāhuǎng. | He was lying before. |
| 之前你知道这件事吗？ | zhīqián nǐ zhīdào zhè jiàn shì ma? | Did you know about this before? |
EXPRESSING “AFTER” – 之后 vs 以后
之后 and 以后 can before mean “after” but are not always interchangeable. Let’s look at their similarities and differences and understand them better.
Similarities
Both 之后 and 以后 can be used after specified time to show that another event happened after the time mentioned.
PATTERN
Event 1 + 之前/之后, …
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 吃饭之后/以后, 你应该洗手。 | chīfàn zhīhòu/yǐhòu, nǐ yīnggāi xǐshǒu. | You should wash your hands after eating. |
| 结婚以后/之后, 她不要工作。 | jiéhūn yǐhòu/zhīhòu, tā bùyào gōngzuò. | She doesn’t want to work after getting married. |
| 五分钟之后/以后, 他就走了。 | wǔ fēnzhōng zhīhòu/yǐhòu, tā jiù zǒule | He left after five minutes. |
| 工作以后/之后, 我回家。 | gōngzuò yǐhòu/zhīhòu, wǒ huí jiā. | I go home after work. |
Differences
以后 on its own means “in the future” and can be used at the beginning of a sentence for this meaning. It can’t be used in the second clause to mean this.
PATTERN
以后 …
之后 on its own means “after that” or “later”. 之后 can be used in the second clause to mean “after”. It can also come at the beginning of a sentence.
PATTERN
(Event 1), 之后 Event (2)
以后你不要来这儿。
Don’t come here in future.四点我下课，之后我回家休息。
I finish class at four o’clock, after that I go home and rest.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 以后我想要结婚。 | yǐhòu wǒ xiǎng yào jiéhūn. | I want to get married in future. |
| 以后你想做什么工作？ | yǐhòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shénme gōngzuò? | What work do you want to do in future? |
| 现在我跟她吃饭，之后我跟你看电影。 | xiànzài wǒ gēn tā chīfàn, zhīhòu wǒ gēn nǐ kàn diànyǐng. | I’ll have dinner with her now and then I’ll watch a movie with you. |
| 我三点做作业，之后去看他。 | wǒ sān diǎn zuò zuo yè, zhīhòu qù kàn tā. | I’ll do my homework at three o’clock, and then I’ll go see him. |
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FAQs
What is the sentence structure for 之前?
– 之前 can be used after an event to say “before this”
Event + 之前，。。。
– 之前 can be used in the second clause to mean “before” or “earlier”. It can also be at the beginning of a sentence to mean “before”, or “before that”.
Event 1, 之前 + Event 2
之前 + Event
What is the sentence structure for 之后?
– 之后 can be used after an event to say “after this”
Event + 之后，。。。
– 之后 can be used in the second clause to mean “before” or “earlier”. It can also be at the beginning of a sentence to mean “after” or “after that”.
Event 1, 之后 + Event 2
What are some example sentences with 之前？
– 学汉语之前，我觉得汉语很难。
xué hànyǔ zhīqián, wǒ juédé hànyǔ hěn nán.
Before learning Chinese, I thought Chinese was very difficult.
– 之前他已经告诉我。
zhīqián tā yǐjīng gàosù wǒ.
He already told me before.
– 七点之前要回家。
qī diǎn zhīqián yào huí jiā.
I want to go home before seven o’clock. / Be home by seven o’clock.
What are some example sentences with 之后？
– 进来之后，请关门。
jìnlái zhīhòu, qǐng guānmén.
Please close the door after you enter.
– 三天以前我们吵架了。之后我没跟她说过话。
sān tiān yǐqián wǒmen chǎojiàle. Zhīhòu wǒ méi gēn tā shuō guòhuà.
We had an argument three days ago. I haven’t spoken to her since then.
– 现在我跟她吃饭，之后我跟你看电影。
xiànzài wǒ gēn tā chīfàn, zhīhòu wǒ gēn nǐ kàn diànyǐng.
I’ll have dinner with her now and then I’ll watch a movie with you.
How are 之前 and 之后 pronounced?
之前 is pronounced zhīqián.
之后 is pronounced zhīhòu.
Where can I find more grammar lessons?
There are more Chinese grammar lessons like this one in our Chinese Grammar Bank.
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