long time ago vs long time before

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Long time ago' is commonly used to refer to the distant past, while 'long time before' is used to indicate a period of time prior to a specific event or point in time.

Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: September 11, 2024

long time ago

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a distant past.

This phrase is used to indicate a significant amount of time that has passed in the past. It is often used to introduce stories or events that occurred a while back.

Examples:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
I remember meeting her a long time ago.
He used to live here a long time ago.
The tradition dates back to a long time ago.
They were friends a long time ago.

Show examples from the web [+]

It was obviously abandoned a long time ago.
A long time ago, Back in jacksonville.
He stopped being my father a long time ago, Ethan.
But that was long time ago.
The phone was cut off a long time ago.
I suppose a long time ago, it was... architecture.
A long time ago this area had a lot of weeds.
Alex died for most of us a long time ago.
Well, the ancient greeks decideda long time ago.
I made peace with it a long time ago.
Mormons abandoned the practice of plural marriage a long time ago.
Spain was a long time ago.
The first time was a long time ago.
There was, a long time ago.
A long time ago I betrayed a client's confidence.
A long time ago I stopped worrying about others.
I lost my mother and father a long time ago.
He interviewed me a long time ago.
She quit a long time ago.
That girl died a long time ago.

Alternatives:

ages ago
many years ago
a while back
in the distant past
back in the day

long time before

This phrase is correct but is used in a different context than 'long time ago'. It is used to indicate a period of time prior to a specific event or point in time.

'Long time before' is used to refer to a duration of time that occurred before a particular event or moment. It is often used to describe the time gap between two specific points in time.

Show examples from the web [+]

adjective. happening a long time before or after the present time ... adjective. a long time in the past or the future, or a long time before or after a particular time ...
Dec 11, 2013 ... "Before long" means "before the passing of a long time", in other words "soon"; " long before" means "a long time before/earlier/ago". Forero ...
They had long since (= a long time before the present time) moved away. 3used after a noun to emphasize that something happens for the whole of a particular ...
Long time before, three monsoon before, me speak 'm true speak. View in context . Well, then," said Defarge, as if a thought were wrung out of his breast, "it IS a ...

Alternatives:

long time prior to
long time earlier than
long time preceding
long time in advance of
long time prior to the event

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long time ago vs long time before

long time ago

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