before在句中的含义比较灵活，虽然before引导的也是一个时间状语，但译成汉语时却不必死译为“在……以前”。可以采取下面几种译法：（A）译为“……才”；（B）译为“……就”；（C）译为“尚未”、“还没有”、“来不及”、“不要”、“别”；（D）译为“在……的时候还没有”；（E）译为“如果”、“否则”、“免得”；（F）译为“到”、“等到”、“没等……就”；（G）译为“然后”等。（H）“与其说……倒不如……”,“与其……毋宁……”“宁愿……而不愿……”(I)“以免”；（J）“比……重要”；(K)“在……面前，当……面，在……瞩目之下”等例如：
A. It was some time before the door opened in response to his ring.
他按完门铃后过了一会儿门才打开。
It will be five years before we meet again. 要等五年我们才能再见面。
We waited a long time before the train arrived. 我们等了很长时间火车才到达。
B. I hadn't waited long before he came. 我没等多久他就来了。
He had not gone a mile before he felt tired. 还没走一英里路，他就觉得累了。
C. His father died before he was born. 他尚未出世他父亲就去世了。
Catch him before he escapes. 抓住他，别让他跑了。
Take this computer before you change your mind. 买了这台电脑，不要三心二意了。
D. We arrived there before it began to rain. 我们到达那里的时候还没下雨。
E. Go before I call the police. 走吧，否则我叫警察了。
I had better go now before it is too late. 我最好现在就走，免得太迟。
Pigs will fly before he'll be a scientist. 如果他当科学家，猪都会飞了。
F. The crops will die before the rain fall. 等到天下雨，庄稼早枯死了。
Before I could sit down, he offered me a cup of tea. 没等我坐下，他就给我端上一杯茶。
G. I shaved before I went to the party. 我刮了脸，然后去参加宴会。
H．I'd die before I apologized!
我宁愿死也不道歉！
I would give up my job before I agree to be dismissed.我与其被解雇还不如先辞职。
He will die of hunger before he steals.他宁愿饿死也不愿意去偷。
I．Do it now before you forget .你现在就做以免忘记了。
I will write it down before I forget it .我将把它记录下来了以免忘记了。
Put that away before it gets broken.
把它收好，免得砸碎了。
J．
Her husband, her children, and the Church came before her needs.
丈夫、孩子和教会都比她本人的需求重要。
K. They retreated before the enemy.
面对敌人，他们撤退了。
The game followed a colourful opening ceremony before a crowd ofseventy-four thousand.
绚丽多彩的开幕式过后，这场比赛在74,000名观众的瞩目之下开始了。
He was brought before the judge.
他被带上法庭。
She said it before witnesses.
她当着证人的面讲出这事。
They had the advantage of playing before their home crowd.
他们有在主场观众面前比赛的优势。
