How to use 之前、之后
Event + 之前 / 之后 ，⋯⋯
之前 and 之后 locate one situation relative to another: earlier than it or later than it. Attach either word to an event phrase, then describe what happens before or after that event. The event phrase can contain a verb and its object; it does not need to be an English-style noun naming a time.
Both words also work independently when the reference point is already clear. In that position, they mean beforehand or afterward. They overlap strongly with 以前 and 以后, with a somewhat more formal flavor in many contexts. Choose the reference event carefully: 之后 establishes sequence, but it does not by itself say how quickly the following action occurs.
Examples with pinyin and English
来中国之前，我的汉语很一般。
Before I came to China, my Chinese was really mediocre.
下班之后给我打个电话。
Give me a call after you get off work.
吃完饭之后去看电影吧？
What about going to the movies after eating dinner?
出国之前，他和女朋友分手了。
Before he went abroad, he broke up with his girlfriend.
What to remember
- Put the reference event before 之前 or 之后.
- Use them alone when the reference is understood.
- 之后 does not necessarily mean immediately afterward.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.