قبل

What it means

قبل (qabl) means “before” (in time). Arabic-origin word universally used in Persian. Pairs with بعد (ba’d) “after.” Used both as adverb and preposition (قبل از).

How to use it

• قبل از کلاس (qabl az kelâs) “before class”
• یک ساعت قبل (yek sâ’at qabl) “one hour before”
• قبلاً اینجا بودم (qablan injâ budam) “I was here before”

Common pairings

• قبل از (qabl az) “before (something)”
• قبلاً (qablan) “previously, before”
• قبل از ظهر (qabl az zohr) “before noon, AM”
• روز قبل (ruz-e qabl) “the previous day”

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab