cin4 nin4前年
Jyutpingcin4 nin4
Yalechìhn nìhn
Definition
The year before last; two years ago.
neutraltime
How it's used
Refers specifically to the calendar year preceding last year. It functions as a temporal noun and does not require a preposition like 喺 to indicate when an action occurred. It is a standard, neutral term used in both casual conversation and formal settings.
Examples
I went to Japan for a trip the year before last.
Did you live here the year before last?
Related words
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
