Before vs Until

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

	Before	Until
Meaning	At an earlier time than something else.	up to a particular point in time
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	preposition
Usage notes	Used to indicate a time prior to an event or action. Common in both spoken and written language. Avoid using it in extremely formal writing; in that context, consider 'prior to'.	Use 'until' to indicate a time limit for an action. It's often used in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very formal contexts like academic writing.

Frequently asked questions: Before vs Until

What's the difference between "Before" and "Until"?

"Before" means: At an earlier time than something else. "Until" means: up to a particular point in time

When should I use "Before" and "Until"?

They can all be used in everyday English.

Are "Before" and "Until" the same CEFR level?

"Before" is at A1, "Until" is at A1 on the CEFR scale.