ago

ago — adverb

1. used after a length of time (such as two days, six months, ten years) to say how

1.adverbA2
Definition

used after a length of time (such as two days, six months, ten years) to say how long before now an event happened.

Example

Yael moved from Taipei to Tainan about three months ago.

[time period] + ago after a simple past verb

My grandfather built this wooden house over fifty years ago.

approximator 'over' before the time period

Common collocations
  • long ago
  • a long time ago
  • ages ago
  • moments ago
  • not long ago
  • as long ago as
  • a while ago
Synonyms
  • before

    'before' marks a point earlier than another past moment (e.g. 'the day before'); 'ago' counts back from now.

  • previously

    more formal; doesn't require a measured time phrase and can stand alone.

  • back

    informal, often paired with 'ago' or used alone ('a few years back').

Antonyms
  • from now

    points forward into the future ('two years from now').

  • hence

    formal/literary; means 'from now' ('a week hence').

Grammar Patterns

[time period] + ago

subject + simple past + ... + [time period] + ago

Usage Note

Only sense that takes a measured time phrase before it (e.g. 'two days ago'), never after. Pairs with the simple past, never the present perfect — distinguish from 'for' (duration up to now) and 'since' (starting point continuing to now).

Common Mistakes

I bought the bike ago two years.
I bought the bike two years ago.
the time phrase always comes BEFORE 'ago', never after.
She has left the office ten minutes ago.
She left the office ten minutes ago.
use the simple past with 'ago', not the present perfect.
I have lived in Tainan for two years ago.
I moved to Tainan two years ago.' OR 'I have lived in Tainan for two years.
don't combine 'for' and 'ago'; pick one structure.

ago — adjective

Word family

  • agone
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These words all locate events in past time, but each takes a different syntactic shape. 'Ago' counts backwards from the present and follows a measured time phrase with the simple past: 'I met her three years ago.' 'Before' anchors to another past or stated reference point and often comes after the time phrase too, but uses the past perfect or sits alone: 'I had met her three years before.' 'Since' marks a starting point that continues up to now and pairs with the present perfect: 'I have known her since 2019.' 'For' measures a duration without naming a starting point: 'I have known her for three years' — never 'for three years ago.' 'Previously' is more formal, needs no time phrase, and can open a sentence: 'Previously, she worked in Tokyo.' Pick 'ago' only when you want to say how long before NOW something happened.

ago ↗before ↗sincefor ↗previously ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • years ago
  • months ago
  • weeks ago
  • days ago
  • hours ago
  • minutes ago
  • moments ago
  • centuries ago

Adverbs

  • long ago
  • not long ago
  • a while ago
  • moments ago
  • ages ago

Phrases

  • as long ago as
  • a long time ago
  • all that long ago
  • not so long ago
  • just a moment ago

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Originally the past participle 'agone', from Old English 'āgān' meaning 'gone by' or 'passed away' (the prefix 'ā-' acted as an intensifier on 'gān', to go). Writers in late Middle English shortened 'agone' to 'ago' for everyday use, and by the 1500s the clipped form had become the standard adverb of past time.