……
Breakdown of mae
front
前
In your front yard, the weeds are highlighted by the moon such that you can cut them with your knife.
Usages of mae
傘 は 箱 の 前 です。kasa wa hako no mae desu.
The umbrella is in front of the box.
お客さん が 来る 前 に、 掃除しない と いけません。okyakusan ga kuru mae ni, soujishinai to ikemasen.
We have to clean before the guests come.
映画 を 見る 前 に、 ポップコーン を 買いました。eiga o miru mae ni, poppukoon o kaimashita.
Before watching the movie, I bought popcorn.
出る 前 に、 コーヒー を 飲みました。deru mae ni, koohii o nomimashita.
Before leaving, I drank coffee.
玄関 の 前 に 新しい 花瓶 を 置きました。genkan no mae ni atarashii kabin o okimashita.
I placed a new vase in front of the entrance.
この 橋 は 五年 前 に 出来た。kono hashi wa gonen mae ni dekita.
This bridge was built five years ago.
メイク を 付ける 前 に、 顔 を 洗って。meiku o tsukeru mae ni, kao o aratte.
Wash your face before applying makeup.
授業 が 始まる 前 に ベル が 鳴る。jugyou ga hajimaru mae ni beru ga naru.
The bell rings before the class starts.
交番 の 前 で 友達 を 待って います。kouban no mae de tomodachi o matte imasu.
I am waiting for my friend in front of the police box.
彼女 は プール に 入る 前 に 服 を 脱ぎました。kanojo wa puuru ni hairu mae ni fuku o nugimashita.
She took off her clothes before entering the pool.
Test yourself: What does mae mean?
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning JapaneseMaster Japanese — from mae to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions