Vocabulary list: 以前 (yǐqián) and 以后 (yǐhòu) in Chinese grammar: before and after, past and future 语法：以前、以后、以、前、后

吃饭以前，我们先祈祷。

Chīfàn yǐqián, wǒmen xiān qídǎo.

Before eating, we pray.

去加拿大以前，他在英国教书。

Qù Jiānádà yǐqián, tā zài Yīngguó jiāoshū.

Before he went to Canada, he taught in the UK.

到办公室以前，我需要打个电话。

Dào bàngōngshì yǐqián, wǒ xūyào dǎ gè diànhuà.

Before I get to the office, I need to make a phone call.

吃饭以后，我要看书。

Chīfàn yǐhòu, wǒ yào kànshū.

After I've eaten, I'm going to read.

下班以后，我要学习中文。

Xiàbān yǐhòu, wǒ yào xuéxí Zhōngwén.

After finishing work, I'm going to study Chinese.

二战以后，世界就不一样了。

Èrzhàn yǐhòu, shìjiè jiù bù yíyàng le.

After the Second World War, the world was different.

吃了早餐以后，我要去健身房。

Chīle zǎocān yǐhòu, wǒ yào qù jiànshēnfáng.

After eating breakfast, I'm going to go to the gym.

遇到了她以后，我的生活就不一样了。

Yùdàole tā yǐhòu, wǒ de shēnghuó jiù bù yíyàng le.

After I met her, my life was different.

三天以前，我在南京。

Sāntiān yǐqián, wǒ zài Nánjīng.

Three days ago, I was in Nanjing.

我们晚上八点以前就会到。

Wǒmen wǎnshang bā diǎn yǐqián jiù huì dào.

We'll arrive before 8pm.

十分钟以后，他就走了。

Shí fēnzhōng yǐhòu, tā jiù zǒule.

He left ten minutes later.

我一个星期以后会回来。

Wǒ yí gè xīngqī yǐhòu huì huílai.

I will come back in one week.

五年以后，我会有自己的房子。

Wǔ nián yǐhòu, wǒ huì yǒu zìjǐ de fángzi.

In five years I will have my own house.

米饭煮好五分钟以前，要开始炒肉。

Mǐfàn zhǔ hǎo wǔ fēnzhōng yǐqián, yào kāishǐ chǎo ròu.

Five minutes before the rice is boiled, you should start frying the meat.

你到这里三天以前，我梦到过你。

Nǐ dào zhèlǐ sāntiān yǐqián, wǒ mèng dàoguo nǐ.

Three days before you got here, I dreamt about you.

哥伦布到美洲几百年以前，维京人已经到过。

Gēlúnbù dào Měizhōu jǐ bǎinián yǐqián, Wéijīngrén yǐjīng dàoguo.

Several hundred years before Columbus got there, the Vikings had already been to the Americas.

吃了这种药15分钟以后就会有效果。

Chīle zhèzhǒng yào shíwǔ fēnzhōng yǐhòu jiù huì yǒu xiàoguǒ.

This medicine takes effect in fifteen minutes.

开始有互联网不久以后，我们的世界就变小了。

Kāishǐ yǒu hùliánwǎng bùjiǔ yǐhòu, wǒmen de shìjiè jiù biànxiǎole.

Not long after the Internet came along, our world got smaller.

地震发生五天以后，救援队还没到。

Dìzhèn fāshēng wǔtiān yǐhòu, jiùyuánduì hái méi dào.

Five days after the earthquake, rescue teams still hadn't arrived.

以前，我不喜欢吃蔬菜。

Yǐqián, wǒ bù xǐhuan chī shūcài.

Before, I didn't like to eat vegetables.

以前，我以为他很害羞。

Yǐqián, wǒ yǐwéi tā hěn hàixiū.

Before, I thought he was very shy.

以前，这个房子没有电。

Yǐqián, zhège fángzi méiyǒu diàn.

In the past, this house didn't have electricity.

以后，我再也没喝过酒。

Yǐhòu, wǒ zàiyě méi hēguo jiǔ.

Afterwards, I never drank again.

以后，你不要再迟到了。

Yǐhòu, nǐ búyào zài chídàole.

Don't be late again in future.

以后，人类会到火星居住。

Yǐhòu, rénlèi huì dào huǒxīng jūzhù.

In the future, humans will go to live on Mars.