пред + Time / за + Time
Ago and in
Пред looks back: пред две години (two years ago). За looks forward: за три дена (in three days).
How It Works
Пред: ago. Пред comes first, unlike English ago:
- Се запознавме пред две години. We met two years ago.
- Возот замина пред пет минути. The train left five minutes ago.
За: in (from now).
- Ќе се вратам за три дена. I will be back in three days.
- Филмот почнува за десет минути. The film starts in ten minutes.
За: how long it took. With a finished event, за gives the time needed: Го прочитав за еден час. (I read it in an hour.)
For how long: no preposition. To say how long something lasted, just name the time: Спиев осум часа. (I slept for eight hours.) · Бевме во Охрид една недела. Using за here is a common mistake. За with a planned stay is fine: Дојдов за една недела. (I came for a week.)
Number forms. After numbers, masculine words such as ден and час use their count forms: два дена, пет часа (Count Forms After Numbers).
Related words. Пред with an event means before: пред ручекот (before lunch). По means after: по ручекот (After and Along).
Examples (5)
- Се запознавме пред две години.
We met two years ago.
Word by Word: Ourselves we-met before two years.
- Возот замина пред пет минути.
The train left five minutes ago.
Word by Word: Train-the left before five minutes.
- Ќе се вратам за три дена.
I will be back in three days.
Word by Word: Will myself I-return in three days.
- Филмот почнува за десет минути.
The film starts in ten minutes.
Word by Word: Film-the starts in ten minutes.
The present can describe a scheduled event.
- Го прочитав за еден час.
I read it in an hour.
Word by Word: It I-read-through in one hour.
With a finished event, за gives the time it took.
Common Mistakes
Putting пред after the time, like English ago.
Се запознавме две години пред.Се запознавме пред две години.Пред is a preposition, so it always comes before the time expression.
Using за for how long something lasted.
Спиев за осум часа.Спиев осум часа.To say "I slept for eight hours", name the time with no preposition. За means in, or the time a task took.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ago and in reuse пред and за for time.
Related Patterns
- два дена / три часаCount Forms After Numbers
Explains the forms два дена and пет часа.
Level 2 - The Present for Planned Events
За with the present describes a scheduled event: почнува за десет минути.
Level 2 - ќе + Present TenseThe Future with Ќе
За + time often goes with ќе: Ќе се вратам за три дена.
Level 2 - откако / пред даAfter and Before
Before and after a whole event use пред да and откако.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice пред + Time / за + Time in Bubblegum
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