How to Say "preceding" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “preceding” is “anterior” — use 'anterior' when referring to a single preceding noun, whether it is masculine or feminine..
anterior
ahn-teh-RYOR/an.teˈɾjor/
Examples
Olvidé el código que usamos en la reunión anterior.
I forgot the code we used in the previous meeting.
Mi trabajo anterior era mucho más tranquilo que este.
My former job was much calmer than this one.
Si comparas este capítulo con el anterior, la historia tiene más sentido.
If you compare this chapter with the preceding one, the story makes more sense.
Gender Invariance
Since 'anterior' ends in -r, it is a neutral adjective that doesn't change its ending for masculine or feminine nouns (e.g., 'el coche anterior' and 'la casa anterior').
Placement
'Anterior' almost always comes after the noun it describes, unlike some adjectives that describe time.
Confusing 'Anterior' and 'Antes'
Mistake: “Usando 'Mi antes trabajo' (My before job)”
Correction: Use 'anterior' as the adjective: 'Mi trabajo anterior'. 'Antes' is an adverb meaning 'before'.
anteriores
an-teh-RYOH-rehs/an.teˈɾjo.ɾes/
Examples
Las semanas anteriores fueron muy ocupadas.
The previous weeks were very busy.
Hemos revisado los informes anteriores para encontrar errores.
We have reviewed the former reports to find errors.
Los datos anteriores no coincidían con estos nuevos números.
The preceding data did not match these new numbers.
Always Plural
Since 'anteriores' ends in -es, it is always used to describe two or more things. It works for both masculine and feminine nouns (e.g., 'los meses anteriores' or 'las clases anteriores').
Placement
Unlike some Spanish adjectives, 'anteriores' usually comes after the noun it describes, emphasizing the time or sequence (e.g., 'los días anteriores').
Singular vs. Plural Agreement
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