how to use qian2 = before or ago

[piano0011]

From my understanding on how to use the word qian2, the word order is something liked the following:

 

wo chi fan qian, yao kan dian shi = I want to watch a movie before eating dinner

wo yi ge yue qian, bu hui shuo zhongwen = I can't speak chinese a month ago

 

Does it matter where I insert wo3? can i also say:

 

chi fan qian, wo yao kan dian shi

yi ge yue qian, wo bu hui shuo zhongwen.

[cncorrect]

On 1/5/2024 at 9:41 AM, piano0011 said:

Does it matter where I insert wo3? can i also say:

 

chi fan qian, wo yao kan dian shi

yi ge yue qian, wo bu hui shuo zhongwen.

Yes, you can.

 

On 1/5/2024 at 9:41 AM, piano0011 said:

wo chi fan qian, yao kan dian shi = I want to watch a movie before eating dinner

wo yi ge yue qian, bu hui shuo zhongwen = I can't speak chinese a month ago

You should not use the commas. The correct sentences are:

我吃饭前要看电视。

我一个月前不会说中文。

[piano0011]

yes, I didn't mean to use the comma in my chinese sentence but cheers! I guess I can also say something a long the line of:

 

and

 

wo ji ge yue qian, bu hui shuo zhongwen = I can't speak chinese a few months a go....

 

Can I also say in this order:

 

wo qian ji ge yue, hu hui shuo zhongwen.... can you add qian earlier in the sentence?

[piano0011]

I am still wondering whether I could add qian2 before ji3ge yue4? as in...wo qian ji ge yue bu hui shuo zhongwen..

[honglam]

both "qian ji ge yue前几个月" & “ji ge yue qian几个月前” are okay. but the meaning is different. "前几个月" means "the past several months" while "几个月前" means "several months ago". hence it sounds strange to say "wo qian ji ge yue bu hui shuo zhong wen" without context. It sounds to me like "I wasn't able to speak chinese during the past months but i can speak it now". That's really...bizarre.

[piano0011]

I guess so but sounds almost the same.....I didn't know there is a subtle different in meaning here.