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ante

AN-tay/ˈante/

“ante” means “before” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

before, in the face of

Also: given, in view of
PrepositionB1formal
A small person standing directly facing a large, robed judge seated behind a high wooden desk in a formal courtroom setting, illustrating 'before' or 'in the presence of'.

📝 In Action

El testigo declaró ante el juez.

B1

The witness testified before the judge.

Ante la falta de pruebas, lo dejaron ir.

B2

In the face of the lack of evidence, they let him go.

Mostró gran valentía ante el peligro.

B2

He showed great bravery in the face of danger.

Ante todo, la seguridad es lo más importante.

B1

Above all, safety is the most important thing.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • delante de (in front of)
  • frente a (facing, opposite)

Antonyms

  • detrás de (behind)
  • tras (after, behind)

Common Collocations

  • ante la ley – before the law
  • ante la duda – when in doubt
  • ante todo – above all

suede

Also: buckskin, chamois
NounmB2
Spain
A close-up illustration of a pair of soft, fuzzy brown suede shoes, emphasizing the texture of the material.

📝 In Action

Me compré unos zapatos de ante muy bonitos.

B1

I bought some very nice suede shoes.

Limpiar una chaqueta de ante puede ser difícil.

B2

Cleaning a suede jacket can be difficult.

El sofá está tapizado en ante de color gris.

C1

The sofa is upholstered in grey suede.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • gamuza (suede, chamois)
  • nobuk (nubuck)

Common Collocations

  • zapatos de ante – suede shoes
  • chaqueta de ante – suede jacket
  • limpiar el ante – to clean suede

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "ante" in Spanish:

before→buckskin→chamois→given→suede→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: ante

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'ante' to mean a type of material?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
anterior(previous, front) — Adjective
antebrazo(forearm) — Noun
antepasado(ancestor) — Noun
antelación(advance notice) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

This word actually has two different origins! As a preposition ('before'), it comes directly from the Latin word 'ante,' which had the same meaning. As a noun ('suede'), it comes from the name of an animal, the 'ante' (a type of elk or deer), whose soft hide was used to make the material.

First recorded: 12th century (preposition), 15th century (noun)

Cognates (Related words)

English: ante-, anti- (as in 'anterior' or 'anticipate')Italian: anteFrench: avant

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'ante', 'delante de', and 'antes de'?

Great question! 'Ante' is a formal way to say 'in front of' or 'faced with' (e.g., ante el problema). 'Delante de' is the common, everyday way to say 'in front of' a physical thing (e.g., delante del coche). And 'antes de' is completely different; it's about time and means 'before' (e.g., antes de comer).

Is 'ante' a common word in daily conversation?

As a preposition ('before'), it's not very common in casual chat; people usually say 'delante de'. You'll hear it more in the news, speeches, or formal settings. As a noun ('suede'), it's perfectly normal to use when talking about clothes or furniture.