دو سال پیش

Saying How Long Ago with پیش

Level 2

The time word stays singular after the number, so it is دو سال پیش and never دو سال‌ها پیش.

How It Works

English puts ago last, and Dari does the same: the length of time comes first and پیش follows it.

After a number the noun stays singular, so it is دو سال and not دو سال‌ها. The plural ـها is only for an unnamed amount: سال‌ها پیش.

Use a past verb, because the event is over. News and books also write قبل: دو سال قبل means the same as دو سال پیش.

پیش has other jobs too. Before a person it means at or to someone's place: پیش داکتر. The time word before it tells you which job it has.

سه ماه پیش به کابل آمدم.
I came to Kabul three months ago.
سه ماه پیش is the number, the time word and پیش.
دو سال پیش در مزار شریف بودیم.
We were in Mazar-i-Sharif two years ago.
پیش goes with the past of be, بودیم.
پنج روز پیش به او تیلفون کردم.
I called her five days ago.
پنج روز stays singular before پیش.
مادرم یک هفته پیش از هرات آمد.
My mother came from Herat a week ago.
یک هفته پیش sits before the rest of the sentence.
چند سال پیش این سرک خاکی بود.
A few years ago this road was a dirt road.
چند سال پیش names an amount that is not exact.

Putting پیش before the time.
پیش دو سال به هرات رفتیم.
دو سال پیش به هرات رفتیم.
The length of time comes first and پیش comes after it.
Making the noun plural after a number.
دو سال‌ها پیش به هرات رفتیم.
دو سال پیش به هرات رفتیم.
After a number the noun stays singular. Use سال‌ها پیش only when you give no number.

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

دو سال پیشLevel 2Saying How Long Ago with پیش

The phrase uses a number with a noun, and a past event.

پیش

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