antes
/ˈantes/
The English phrase "ere" is translated into Spanish as antes.
antes is a preposition used to mean "before" or "sooner than".
Meaning: before, sooner than (prep)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈantes/
Did you know?
- The word antes can be used as an adverb to mean 'on the contrary' when phrased as antes bien. In this context, it does not refer to time at all.
- Unlike the English 'ere', which is archaic and poetic, using antes in almost any context remains perfectly natural and common in modern daily Spanish.
- In some Spanish dialects, antes is used in the phrase antes que to trigger the subjunctive mood. This happens when the action described has not yet occurred.
Examples in context
- Sos mi mejor amigoYou are my best friend
- Antes de comer, lávate las manos.Before eating, wash your hands.
- Lo sabía antes que nadie.I knew it sooner than anyone.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing their meeting time.
- Alejandro¿A qué hora llegas, Elena?What time are you arriving, Elena?
- ElenaLlego antes de las seis.I'll arrive before six.
- AlejandroPerfecto, yo llegaré antes que tú.Perfect, I will arrive before you.
- ElenaEstá bien, nos vemos allí.All right, see you there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ere” translations and entries antes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
