before用作连词时，表示时间，虽然意思是“在……前”，但在实际应用中，要看语境，译法非常灵活。根据语境，常常可译为“……才……”或“还没来得及……就……”。例如：[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te w7 /�xhLX !K'
YVFroG]
The fire lasted about four hours before the firefighters could control it.大火燃烧了四个小时，消防队员们才控制住火势。[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te $@q
}Hd {&hPz [FroG]
The boy knocked me off my bicycle. Before I could get on my feet, he rode away. 那男孩把我从自行车上撞了下来。我还没能站起来，他就骑车跑了。[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te 97
UyS$LzAkk)bg2FroG]
另外，before还常用于以下两个句式中，并有灵活的译法：[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te jpYP#.Vx`|KqGCKYtFroG]
(1) It is / was / will not long before...译为：不久就……。例如：[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te 1F9$]}^ffv lo#'FroG]
It was not long before the English drove the enemy out of their country. 不久英国人就把敌人赶出了国门。[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te vsm& }e 8[q#KW]HFroG]
It won't be long before we meet again. 不久我们还会再见面。[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te PR `yc;uYtd'-kyFroG]
(2) It will be + 段时间 + before...译为：多久才……。例如：[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te T+ @t
L~Pw$R^P0 CFroG]
It will be years before we meet again after graduation from college. 大学毕业后，我们要很多年才会在见面。[文章版权 禁止转载:考试与评价 http://www.trgroup.com.cn/te @ =:=tgD(?NQ
FroG]
