ENGLISH
REFERENCE

X years ago

idiom
Meaning

This phrase tells you when something happened in the past. You use a time period like 'two days' or 'ten years' before 'ago' to say how long before now it was.


Examples
SIMPLE

I moved to this city five years ago.

CONTEXTUAL

She started learning to play the piano three years ago and now she performs in concerts.

COMPLEX

The ancient ruins were discovered by explorers many years ago, yet they still hold secrets that historians struggle to interpret.

Last updated April 22, 2026