vorher
beforehand
Indicates a point in time that comes before another specific time or event.
EXAMPLE
Hättest du mir das doch vorher gesagt!
If only you had told me that beforehand!
vorher
beforehand
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Meanings
vorher
before
Often used in contrast to 'nachher' (afterward) to describe a state before and after a change.
EXAMPLE
Das Zimmer sah vorher furchtbar aus, aber jetzt ist es wunderschön.
The room looked terrible before, but now it's beautiful.
Usage tips
Word structure
The adverb 'vorher' (beforehand) is made up of the preposition 'vor' (before) and the adverb 'her'. It describes the time 'before' a specific event.
EXAMPLE
Wenn du ins Kino gehst, musst du vorher die Karten online reservieren.
If you're going to the movies, you have to reserve the tickets online beforehand.
Word order
As an adverb, 'vorher' (beforehand) can stand in different places in the sentence. If it is in position 1, the verb follows directly after it. But it can also stand in the middle of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Vorher müssen wir noch die Wohnung aufräumen.
Beforehand, we still have to tidy up the apartment.
Time reference
The point in time that 'vorher' (beforehand) refers to does not have to be stated explicitly. It is often clear from context, for example 'before the current moment' or 'before what happens next.'
EXAMPLE
Ich habe den Schlüssel vergessen. Warum hast du das nicht vorher kontrolliert?
I forgot the key. Why didn't you check that beforehand?
Typical pair of opposites
'Vorher' (before) is very often used together with 'nachher' (afterward) to compare a state before and after an event. This is useful for before-and-after descriptions.
EXAMPLE
Vorher war ich nervös, aber nachher war ich sehr erleichtert.
Before, I was nervous, but afterward I was very relieved.
Compare with
vorher vs vor
before / in front of
Vor and vorher can both refer to a point in time before an event. Vor is a preposition used with a complement such as „dem Essen“, while vorher stands on its own or is used with a different sentence structure. Use vor with an explicitly named reference and vorher when the reference is already known.
vorher
Die Familie wäscht sich vorher die Hände.
The family washes its hands beforehand.
vor
Vor dem Essen wäscht sich die Familie die Hände.
The family washes its hands before the meal.
In real life
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