39.7 The Conjunctions 之前 zi1 cin4 (‘before’) and 之後 zi1 hau6 (‘after’)

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We can use the conjunctions 之前 zi1 cin4 (‘before’) and 之後 zi1 hau6 (‘after’) to indicate the temporal sequence of two actions in a sentence.

We put 之前 zi1 cin4 (‘before’) after the action happening later in the sentence. If the two actions have the same subject, we often omit the subject in one of the two actions.

Action happening later	之前 zi1 cin4 (‘before’)	Action happening first
你去到信和中心	之前	會見到個公園	。
nei5 heoi3 dou3 seon3 wo2 zung1 sam1	zi1 cin4	wui6 gin3 dou2 go3 gung1 jyun2	.
you have gone to the Sino Centre	before	you will be able to see a park
Before you have gone to the Sino Centre, you will be able to see a park.

We put 之後 zi1 hau6 (‘after’) after the action happening first in the sentence. Again, if the two actions have the same subject, we often omit the subject in one of the two actions.

Action happening first	之後 zi1 hau6 (‘after’)	Action happening later
你落到隧道	之後	轉左	。
nei5 lok6 dou3 seoi6 dou6	zi1 hau6	zyun3 zo2	.
you have gone down to the subway	after	turn left
After you have gone down to the subway, turn left.

Notice above that 之前 zi1 cin4 or 之後 zi1 hau6 is put after the action, but not before the action like in English.