anteayer
/ˌanteaˈʝeɾ/
The English phrase "day before yesterday" is translated into Spanish as anteayer. Wiktionary also lists antier and antevíspera.
Meaning: day before yesterday – translation entry (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| anteayer | /ˌanteaˈʝeɾ/ |
| antier | /anˈtjeɾ/ |
| antevíspera | /anteˈbispeɾa/ |
| antes de ayer | /antes de aʝeɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
It can function as a noun or an adverb meaning "on the day before yesterday".
What does it mean word for word?
The word anteayer is a compound of the prefix ante- (before) and ayer (yesterday).
Which one should you use?
While anteayer is the most standard and widely used form across the Spanish-speaking world, antes de ayer is a more descriptive variation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
antes de ayer is a slightly more descriptive and formal way to express the concept. antevíspera is a highly formal or literary term that is rarely used in everyday spoken conversation.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌanteaˈʝeɾ/
Did you know?
- The concept of the 'day before yesterday' can be extended to a 'week before last' using the phrase la semana antepasada, employing a similar logic of prior timing.
- The word ayer actually contains a hidden history of movement, appearing to come from the Latin phrase ab herī, which translates to 'from yesterday' or 'since yesterday'.
- In some rural or colloquial contexts in Latin America, the variant antier is so common that it replaces anteayer entirely in daily speech.
Examples in context
- Anteayer no dormí nada.The day before yesterday, I didn't sleep at all.This sentence shows the use of anteayer to indicate when an action did or did not occur.Tatoeba #5965248 by arh, translation #12899255 by rul
- Anteayer me tocó cerrar.I closed the day before yesterday.This sentence uses anteayer to describe when a specific task was completed.Tatoeba #7203203 by arh, translation #10195000 by magnificentgoddess
- Anteayer recibí tu carta.I received your letter the day before yesterday.This sentence uses anteayer to indicate the time a letter was received.Tatoeba #740089 by Shishir, translation #27765 by CK
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a recent storm.
- Lucía¿Viste la tormenta de anteayer?Did you see the storm from the day before yesterday?
- MateoSí, fue muy fuerte.Yes, it was very strong.
- LucíaMateo, ¿tuviste miedo?Mateo, were you afraid?
- MateoUn poco, Lucía.A little, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “day before yesterday” translations and entries anteayer, antier, antevíspera, antes de ayer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anteayer, antes, antevíspera, ayer, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
