ago
uh-GOH
Ago (adv) means used after a period of time to mean "before now.". Example: “We met three years ago.”
adv
1
Used after a period of time to mean "before now."
"We met three years ago."
"The train left just a few minutes ago."
"I last saw that film about ten years ago."
How to use ago
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMarks how far back in time something happened, always placed after the amount of time.
Common mistake
"Ago" always follows the time period ("two days ago"), never comes before it like "since."
Common pairings
long ago
years ago
a moment ago
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Etymology
From Middle English ago, agon, "passed," ultimately from Old English agan, "to pass away, go forth" — related to "gone."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for ago
See all rhymes for ago →Frequently asked questions
What does “ago” mean?
The word “ago” means used after a period of time to mean "before now.". In plain terms, marks how far back in time something happened, always placed after the amount of time.
How do you pronounce “ago”?
“Ago” is pronounced uh-GOH (/əˈɡoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ago” in a sentence?
Here is “ago” used in a sentence: “We met three years ago.”
What part of speech is “ago”?
“Ago” is an adverb.
Where does the word “ago” come from?
The word “ago” comes from Old English. From Middle English ago, agon, "passed," ultimately from Old English agan, "to pass away, go forth" — related to "gone.".
Is “ago” a common word?
“Ago” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "ago" and "before"?
"Ago" measures back from now, the present moment: "two years ago" means two years before today. "Before" measures back from some other point in the past or future: "two years before" means earlier than whatever moment you are talking about. Use "ago" for the present, "before" for another reference time.
What is the difference between "ago" and "since"?
"Ago" follows a length of time and looks back from now: "I arrived three hours ago." "Since" points to the starting moment and looks forward to now: "I have been here since three o'clock." One counts the gap of time; the other names when it began. They often describe the same stretch differently.
How do you use "ago"?
Place "ago" after the amount of time, not before it: say "five minutes ago," never "ago five minutes." It pairs with the simple past tense, as in "she called an hour ago," because it fixes an event at a finished point back from the present. It is not used with "since."
What is an example of "ago"?
"I saw him a moment ago" places the sighting just back from now. "They married fifty years ago" fixes the wedding half a century before today. "Long ago, this was farmland" sets the scene in the distant past. In each, "ago" counts back from the present moment.
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