To create the sentence pattern "Before doing X, I will do/did Y", the word 前に can be used. It follows a verb in the plain form, and that verb is always in the present tense, regardless of the tense elsewhere in the sentence.
日本に訪ねる前に、日本語を勉強するよ。
Before visiting Japan, I'll study Japanese.
アヤトキスする前に、抱いた。
I hugged Ayato before I kissed him.
パーティーする前に、チョコレートをたくさん買った。
I bought a lot of chocolate before throwing the party.
To describe one event that occurs after another, use the て form of the verb, plus から.
葉を磨いてから、アリスに朝ごはんに会いに行った。
I brushed my teeth, then went to meet Alice for breakfast.
けんさんが来てから、食べましょう。
Why don't we eat after Ken has arrived?
That second example is from Genki, because I wanted to note the slight sentence pattern variation that this grammar can have. Not only can it mean "A, and then B", but it can also mean "B after A", which is the case with the second sentence.
Finally, this type of sentence can also be used to express that the state in B has held true ever since the event in A occurred.
家を買ってから、緊張したよ。
Since I bought a house, I've been stressed.
リーさんは大学に来てから、さびしそうだね。
Lee-san seems lonely ever since he came to university.
No comments:
Post a Comment