前
mae[ma̠e̞]
The Japanese phrase mae means "before".
mae can mean 'before' in terms of time, or 'front' in terms of physical space.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 前 literally means "before, front, previous".
How does it change in a sentence?
When used to mean 'before' in a temporal sense followed by a verb, it is often used in the form 前に.
Did you know?
- The word mae has a surprising origin as a combination of the words for 'eye' and 'direction'.
- In Japanese, the concept of mae can refer to a person's 'front' side, but it also describes the space in front of them, making the word both a position and a location.
- Japanese speakers often use mae in the phrase mae ni to describe not just a time, but a specific point of transition before a new state begins.
Examples in context
- 駅の前で待ち合わせましょう。Eki no mae de machiawase shimashou.Let's meet in front of the station.
- 食事の前にお願いします。Shokuji no mae ni onegaishimasu.Before the meal, please.
- 会議の前に準備をします。Kaigi no mae ni junbi o shimasu.I will prepare before the meeting.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are deciding where to meet.
- 蓮 Renどこで会いますか。Doko de aimasu ka.Where shall we meet?
- 結衣 Yuiコンビニの前はどうですか。Konbini no mae wa dou desu ka.How about in front of the convenience store?
- 蓮 Renいいですね。そこで待ちます。Ii desu ne. Soko de machimasu.That sounds good. I'll wait there.
- 結衣 Yuiわかりました。また後で。Wakarimashita. Mata ato de.Understood. See you later.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 前, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 前, CC BY-SA 4.0.
