ago

Meaning

Postp

Before now, before the present time

Adj

1. (archaic, dialectal, not-comparable) Gone; gone by; gone away; passed; passed away.
2. (archaic, dialectal, not-comparable) Nearly gone; dead. (used in Devonshire at the turn of the 19th century)

Synonyms

before

previously

formerly

since

past

afore

agone

gone

ahead

awhile

previous to

since olden times

in the past

at times

occasionally

ever

sometime

earlier than

previous

sometimes

since then

so

still

syne

then

to

yet

long time ago

and so

and then

before now

past ages

back

🔙

tofore

above

aforetime

ahead of

already

earlier

erst

erstwhile

even

even now

for

former

for some time

forward

hence

in the first place

now

Translations

vor

hace

il y a

πριν

fa

geleden

avant

abhinc

vorher

há

önce

atrás

devant

addietro

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈɡoʊ/

Etymology

Cognate with German: ergehen

Cognate with Old Saxon: āgangan

Cognate with Gothic: 𐌿𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌽

In summary

From Middle English ago, agon (“passed”), past participle of agon (“to depart, escape, pass”), from Old English āgān (“to go away, pass away, go forth, come to pass”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out”), *gāną (“to go”), equivalent to a- + gone, and by surface analysis, a- + go. Cognate with German ergehen (“to come to pass, fare, go forth”). Compare also Old Saxon āgangan (“to go or pass by”), Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌽 (usgaggan, “to go forth”).

Sentences

What were you when you came here five years ago ?

I would give a good review of the new TV I bought a week ago .

They say at Patti's house he left two hours ago .

Two years ago , right here on this spot , I had a recurrent dream , too .

Ten years ago , it would have subjected the Tory Peers of England .