pred + Instrumental (Ago)

Ago: Pred

Level 3

Pred with the instrumental means ago: pred rokom (a year ago), pred chvíľou (a moment ago), pred piatimi minútami (five minutes ago).

How It Works

Pred + instrumental = ago. Put pred first and the length of time after it, in the instrumental:

  • pred chvíľou a moment ago
  • pred hodinou an hour ago
  • pred týždňom a week ago
  • pred mesiacom a month ago
  • pred rokom a year ago

With numbers. The number and the noun are both in the instrumental plural (see plural instrumental): pred dvoma rokmi (also dvomi), pred tromi dňami (also troma), pred štyrmi týždňami, pred piatimi minútami, pred desiatimi rokmi. For many: pred mnohými rokmi (many years ago).

Pred + an event = before. With a meal, a holiday or another event, pred means before: pred obedom (before lunch), pred Vianocami (before Christmas), pred skúškou (before the exam).

The future is different. For "in an hour" or "a week from now" use o or za with the accusative: Prídem o hodinu. Prídem za hodinu. (See za with the accusative and o with the accusative.)

Examples (6)

  1. Pred rokom som bol v Tatrách.

    A year ago I was in the Tatras.

    Word by Word: Before year(instr.) I-was in Tatras.

  2. Prišla pred chvíľou.

    She arrived a moment ago.

    Word by Word: She-arrived before moment(instr.).

  3. Vlak odišiel pred piatimi minútami.

    The train left five minutes ago.

    Word by Word: Train left before five(instr.) minutes(instr.).

    The number piatimi is in the instrumental too.

  4. Pred dvoma týždňami sme sa presťahovali.

    We moved two weeks ago.

    Word by Word: Before two(instr.) weeks(instr.) we moved ourselves.

  5. Volal som ti pred hodinou.

    I called you an hour ago.

    Word by Word: I-called to-you before hour(instr.).

  6. Umy si ruky pred obedom.

    Wash your hands before lunch.

    Word by Word: Wash yourself hands before lunch(instr.).

    With an event, pred means before, not ago.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after pred.

    Bol som tam pred rok.
    Bol som tam pred rokom.

    In the meaning ago, pred takes the instrumental: rokom, týždňom, hodinou.

  • Leaving the number in the accusative.

    Pred dva roky som začal.
    Pred dvoma rokmi som začal.

    The number and the noun are both in the instrumental plural.

  • Using pred for a time in the future, when you mean an hour from now.

    Prídem pred hodinou.
    Prídem o hodinu.

    With a length of time, pred hodinou means an hour ago. It can also mean before the lesson, because hodina is also a class. For an hour from now, use o hodinu or za hodinu.

How It Connects

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

pred + Instrumental (Ago)Level 3Ago: Pred

Learn This First

Before Ago: pred, learn Above, Under, In Front, Behind and Between. pred + instrumental for place also expresses time: pred rokom.

Words in This Pattern