Using के पहले and से

In English, we use prepositions (words *before* the noun). In Hindi, we use postpositions (words *after* the noun). It's like wearing your hat on your feet—strange at first, but you get used to it. के पहले (Ke pehle) works like a bridge connecting an event to a time that precedes it. से (Se) marks the starting point of an action. Think of के पहले (ke pehle) as a Stop sign (do it before this point) and से (se) as a Green light (started then, still going).

1. 1Here is the secret sauce for building these sentences:
2. 2For "Before" (के पहले (ke pehle)):
3. 3Take your Noun or Time.
4. 4Add के पहले (ke pehle).
5. 5*Example: 2 PM + ke pehle = दो बजे के पहले (do baje ke pehle)*
6. 6For "From/Since" (से (se)):
7. 7Take your Noun or Time.
8. 8Add से (se).
9. 9*Example: Tuesday + se = मंगलवार से (mangalvaar se)*
10. 10For Verbs (Advanced-ish):
11. 11If you want to say "Before doing X", take the verb root, add ने (ne), then से पहले (se pehle) (often interchangeable with के पहले (ke pehle) depending on context, but let's stick to the basics first).
12. 12*Example: जाने से पहले (jaane se pehle) (before going)*

• Deadlines: When you need something done by a certain time. "Come home रात के पहले (raat ke pehle) (before night)."
• Origins: When you talk about where you are coming from or when you started. "I am here कल से (kal se) (since yesterday)."
• Sequence: Ordering events. "Dinner मूवी के पहले (movie ke pehle) (before the movie)."

• Don't use के पहले (ke pehle) for "ago". If you want to say "2 days ago", that's दो दिन पहले (do din pehle) (no के (ke)). Adding के (ke) changes the meaning to "before 2 days" which sounds like a weird riddle.
• Don't use से (se) for "for" in time duration. "For 2 hours" is usually just दो घंटे (do ghante) (no postposition) or दो घंटे तक (do ghante tak) (up to 2 hours). से (Se) implies the *start* point, not the total duration.

• The "Ago" Trap: Learners love saying मैं दो साल के पहले आया (main do saal ke pehle aaya) for "I came 2 years ago." Nope! Just दो साल पहले (do saal pehle). Save के (ke) for reference points like "before 1990".
• The "Since" Confusion: Using से (se) for future starting points can be tricky. While you can say "I will start कल से (kal se)" (from tomorrow), English speakers often try to use it for "for" (I worked for 2 hours -> मैं दो घंटे से काम किया (main do ghante se kaam kiya) ✗). That sounds like you've been working *since* the concept of two hours existed.

• के बाद (Ke baad) (After): The evil twin of के पहले (ke pehle). Same rules, opposite meaning. लंच के बाद (Lunch ke baad) (after lunch).
• के सामने (Ke saamne) (In front of): Physical location. Don't say मेरे के पहले खड़े रहो (mere ke pehle khade raho) for "stand in front of me." That implies you want them to exist in time before you were born. Use के सामने (ke saamne).

Q: Can I swap के पहले (ke pehle) and से पहले (se pehle)?

Often, yes! से पहले (Se pehle) implies a comparison (earlier than), while के पहले (ke pehle) is a simple time marker. In casual speech, they blur together.

Q: Is से (se) only for time?

Oh, absolutely not. से (Se) is the Swiss Army Knife of Hindi. It means from, with, by, since, and than. But today, let's just focus on the time-travel aspect, okay?