day before yesterday

USAGE SUMMARY

"day before yesterday" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that happened two days ago. For example, "I went out for a walk day before yesterday and it was so nice out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Day before yesterday in the yellow corn.

The New Yorker

They came out day before yesterday.

The New Yorker

"I just talked to my brother the day before yesterday.

The New Yorker

"The day before yesterday was bad," he admits.

The New Yorker

I saw one in my car the day before yesterday.

The New York Times

"Day before yesterday, their important people were all arrested".

The New York Times

What was allowed the day before yesterday now is dangerous.

The New York Times - Arts

The Iraq war is the day before yesterday.

The Guardian - Opinion

The day before yesterday I was in Athens.

The New York Times - Sports

To me the relationship was safe, but I learned the day before yesterday that it wasn't".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

All that old-fashioned stuff is so day-before-yesterday.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing for an international audience or in a formal setting, consider using "two days ago" instead of "day before yesterday" for clearer understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "day before yesterday" loosely to refer to any point in the recent past. Ensure it specifically means two days prior to the current date to maintain clarity and accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "day before yesterday" functions as an adverbial of time, specifying when an event occurred in relation to the present. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "day before yesterday" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to the day before yesterday. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a usable phrase in written English, with examples spanning news, scientific, and formal business contexts. While it's generally acceptable, "two days ago" might be preferred in formal settings or for international audiences to ensure clarity. To avoid confusion, use "day before yesterday" specifically to mean two days prior to the current date. Some related phrases include "two days ago" and "the day before last". According to Ludwig, the phrase is most frequently used in news and media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

two days ago

This alternative provides a more direct and less idiomatic way to express the same timeframe.

the day before last

This alternative retains the same structure of indicating the past two days ago.

two days prior

This alternative emphasizes the chronological order from the past to the present.

the previous two days

This alternative emphasizes the duration leading up to the present day.

a couple of days back

This alternative phrase is informal and colloquial, indicating a time two days prior.

on the prior occasion

This alternative is more formal and refers to a specific event two days earlier.

in the recent past

This alternative is a general reference to the period shortly before the present.

earlier this week

This alternative works if "day before yesterday" falls within the current week.

not long ago

This alternative provides an imprecise indication that an event occurred in the past.

in the days gone by

This alternative uses a poetic expression to convey that the event transpired in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "day before yesterday" in a sentence?

You can use "day before yesterday" to indicate an event that happened two days before today. For example, "I saw her "day before yesterday" at the library".

What is a more formal way to say "day before yesterday"?

A more formal alternative to "day before yesterday" is "two days ago". It's generally more suitable for formal writing and avoids potential ambiguity.

Is it ever incorrect to use "day before yesterday"?

While grammatically correct, "day before yesterday" might be less clear for international audiences. Using "two days ago" can improve clarity.

What's the difference between "yesterday" and "day before yesterday"?

"Yesterday" refers to the day immediately preceding the current day, while "day before yesterday" refers to the day before yesterday, meaning two days before the current day.