Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "in front of" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

перед

Meaning: in front of, before

Pronunciation: [PYEH-reet]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #136 (see frequency list)

There was a car in front of the house.
Photo by wollombi CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Маши́на стои́т пе́ред до́мом.
There is a car in front of the house.
literal Car stands before house.
Кре́сло стоя́ло пе́ред телеви́зором.
There was an armchair in front of the TV.
literal Armchair stood before TV.
Он встал пе́ред ней на коле́ни.
He kneeled before her.
literal He stood before her on knees.
Все неве́сты волну́ются пе́ред сва́дьбой.
All the brides are nervous before the wedding.
Ско́лько раз повторя́ть! Нельзя есть шокола́д пе́ред едо́й!
How many times I have to repeat it! You can't eat chocolate before meals!
literal How many times repeat! One can't eat chocolate before eating!
Тебе́ не сты́дно пе́ред роди́телями?
Aren't you feeling ashamed in front of your parents?
literal Are you not ashamed before your parents?
Пе́ред тем как вы́йти из до́ма, прове́рьте, вы́ключили ли вы все электри́ческие прибо́ры.
Before going out, check if you turned off all the electric devices.
Пе́ред "но" ста́вится запята́я?
Is a comma required before "but"?
literal Is a comma put before "but"?
Я бою́сь выступа́ть пе́ред тако́й большо́й аудито́рией.
I'm afraid of speaking before such a big audience.
Пе́ред на́ми больши́е пробле́мы, э́то я вам гаранти́рую.
There're big problems facing us, I'm quite sure of it.
literal Before us there're big problems, I guarantee it.

Idioms and set expressions:

пе́ред тем как = before
пе́ред лицо́м когó-либо = in front of smb
literal before smb's face
быть винова́тым пе́ред ке́м-либо = to be guilty towards smb
выступа́ть пе́ред пу́бликой = to appear before an audience
пе́ред обе́дом = before dinner
пе́ред едо́й = before meal, before dinner
literal before food

Related words:

до = before
напрóтив = against; on the contrary
перёд = front, fore part (noun)
передовóй = foremost, leading

Proverbs and sayings:

Пе́ред сме́ртью не нады́шишься.
It's too late to close the stable door after the horse has bolted.
literal It's impossible to breath enough before dying.
И пëс пе́ред хле́бом смиря́ется.
Even bad people become better if you help them.
literal Even a dog сalms down with bread.

Vocabulary lesson: By Russificate blog exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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