Before and after can be expressed using 之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu). They are in relatively the same vein as 以前/以后, except that these two are adverbs, while 之前/之后 are prepositions. Don't forget that these two are talking about before and after in terms of time.

下班之前，经理给我们开了一个会议。Xiàbān zhīqián, jīnglǐ gěi wǒmen kāi le yī gè huìyì.Before I got off work, the manager assembled a meeting with us.
来中国之前，我的汉语水平很低。Lái Zhōngguó zhīqián, wǒ de Hànyǔ shuǐpíng hěn dī.Before I came to China, my Chinese was bad.
吃完饭之后，他们去了一家电影院。Chī wán fàn zhīhòu, tāmen qù le yī jiā diànyǐngyuàn.After they finished eating, they went to a movie theater.
去北京之后，他和他的女朋友分手了。Qù Běijīng zhīhòu, tā hé tā de nǚpéngyou fēnshǒu le.After he went to Beijing, he broke up with his girlfriend.

Structure

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading

Books