Lifnei, miaz, meaz: the past along the line of time
Lifnei — back, before: lifnei shana — a year ago, lifnei chodesh — a month ago. After lifnei the noun stands without the article and without prepositions — the time is counted straight away. For example: “לפני שנה לא ידעתי עברית.” — A year ago I did not know Hebrew. A rule from the Hebrew course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Lifnei — back, before: lifnei shana — a year ago, lifnei chodesh — a month ago. After lifnei the noun stands without the article and without prepositions — the time is counted straight away.
Meaz — since then: meaz ani lomed kol yom — since then I study every day. Mizman — a long time ago: ze haya mizman — it was long ago. The first leads from the past to now, the second puts the event far away.
The future from the point "now" is carried by beod: beod shana — in a year. The pair lifnei — beod looks in opposite directions from the present, and ad hayom — until today — closes the line on the present.
Table
| word | where it looks | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| lifnei | into the past | לפני שנה | a year ago |
| lifnei | into the past | לפני חודש | a month ago |
| meaz | from the past to now | מאז אני לומד | since then I study |
| mizman | the far past | היה מזמן | it was long ago |
| beod | into the future | בעוד שנה | in a year |
| ad hayom | until now | עד היום | to this day |
By example
- לפני שנה לא ידעתי עברית.лифнэй шана ло йадаати иврит.A year ago I did not know Hebrew.
- מאז אני לומד כל יום.мэ-аз ани ломэд коль йом.Since then I study every day.
- בעוד שנה ההגוי שלי טוב יותר.бе-од шана ха-хагую шели тов йотэр.In a year my pronunciation will be better.
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
How to say a year ago in Hebrew?
Meaz — since then: meaz ani lomed kol yom — since then I study every day. Mizman — a long time ago: ze haya mizman — it was long ago. The first leads from the past to now, the second puts the event far away.
Lifnei or meaz difference in Hebrew?
The future from the point "now" is carried by beod: beod shana — in a year. The pair lifnei — beod looks in opposite directions from the present, and ad hayom — until today — closes the line on the present.
How to say since then in Hebrew?
Meaz — since then: meaz ani lomed kol yom — since then I study every day. Mizman — a long time ago: ze haya mizman — it was long ago. The first leads from the past to now, the second puts the event far away.
How to say in a year in Hebrew?
The future from the point "now" is carried by beod: beod shana — in a year. The pair lifnei — beod looks in opposite directions from the present, and ad hayom — until today — closes the line on the present.
What does it look like in a Hebrew example sentence?
“לפני שנה לא ידעתי עברית.” (лифнэй шана ло йадаати иврит.) — A year ago I did not know Hebrew. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.