What does "ago" mean?

1. (before now) in the past, counting back from the present time. 2. (gone or passed) gone or finished in the past.

How do you use "ago"?

Always follows the time expression (e.g., 'ten minutes ago', not 'ago ten minutes'). Usually appears as a post-positive adjective or as the variant 'agone'.

Is it correct to say "I moved here since three years."?

No — say "I moved here three years ago.". Use 'ago' to measure back from now to a specific point in the past. Use 'since' to mark the starting point of an action that continues until now.

ago

US //əˈɡoʊ// UK //ɐɡˈəʊ// ago

1 before now (adv.)
A1 Beginner

in the past, counting back from the present time.

at a specified distance in the past from the moment of speaking. It functions as a postpositional adverb following a noun phrase of duration.

Example

I finished my homework two hours ago and now I am watching TV.

Example

The company was founded over a century ago by a group of local merchants who saw a gap in the shipping market.

Usage

Always follows the time expression (e.g., 'ten minutes ago', not 'ago ten minutes').
- hence
- from now
Pitfall

I moved here since three years.

I moved here three years ago.

Use 'ago' to measure back from now to a specific point in the past. Use 'since' to mark the starting point of an action that continues until now.
2 gone or passed (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary Dialect

gone or finished in the past.

denoting a time or state that has passed or departed. This use is largely restricted to fixed literary phrases or specific regional dialects.

Example

In the days long ago, people traveled everywhere by horse.

Example

The old traditions are now long ago, replaced by the rapid pace of modern industrial life.

Usage

Usually appears as a post-positive adjective or as the variant 'agone'.
- present
- remaining

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-? Proto-Indo-European *h₂u-s-? Proto-Germanic *uz- Proto-West Germanic *uʀ- Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *gāną Proto-West Germanic *gān Proto-West Germanic *uʀgān Old English āgān Middle English agon English ago 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”).

Idioms2 entries