пре́жде чем
préžde čem
The English phrase 'before' (conjunction) is translated into Russian as пре́жде чем (préžde čem). Wiktionary also lists до того́, как (do tovó, kak).
Meaning: in advance of the time when (conj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| пре́жде чем | préžde čem |
| до того́, как | do tovó, kak |
These forms are used as conjunctions to mean 'in advance of the time when'. If you want to express 'before' in the sense of 'earlier than expected' or 'sooner', you should use the adverb ра́ньше instead.
Which one should you use?
There are two main ways to express this as a conjunction. пре́жде чем is the more formal option, while до того́, как is a more common and slightly more conversational way to introduce a clause. Note that if you are using 'before' as a preposition followed by a noun (for example, 'before the exam'), you should use до instead of these conjunctions.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The conjunction пре́жде чем is typically followed by a clause containing a verb in the indicative mood.
How do you pronounce it?
préžde čem
Did you know?
- The Russian preposition до is a distant linguistic cousin of the English word 'to', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- The word до is so versatile that it can also be used to express 'until' or 'up to' a certain point, which can sometimes confuse English speakers when translating 'before' and 'until'.
- In very old or poetic Russian literature, you might encounter пре́жде used alone to mean 'formerly' or 'in the past', functioning almost like the English 'once'.
Examples in context
- Перед официальной церемонией встречи гостей, было проведено собрание.A meeting was held before the official ceremony of welcoming guests.
- Я никогда не ел суши раньше.I've never eaten sushi before.
- Не уходи раньше времени!Don't leave before the time is up!
- Я поел до тебяI finished eating before you
- Я встречался с ними до того, как они уехали.I met with them before they left.
- Она успела доехать до работы раньше автобуса.She managed to get to work before the bus.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “before” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries до, как, CC BY-SA 4.0.
