Meaning & Usage
に先立って (にさきだって) comes from the verb 先立つ, meaning "to precede" or "to go before." It translates as "prior to," "before," or "in advance of." What separates it from simpler "before" expressions is weight and register. The event preceded by に先立って is always significant — a ceremony, a major announcement, a public event, an important project. The action described is a deliberate preparatory step taken before that event arrives.
The noun or verb directly before に先立って is the main upcoming event — what happens later. The rest of the sentence describes what was done in preparation. Reading left-to-right, this ordering can catch learners off guard. A helpful frame: "With [main event] on the horizon, [preparatory action] was carried out." So 式典に先立って挨拶が行われた means "With the ceremony ahead, a greeting was given" — in natural English, "Prior to the ceremony, there was a greeting."
に先立って is strictly formal. It appears in news broadcasts, official announcements, press releases, event programs, and academic presentations. Casual conversation calls for 前に (mae ni) instead. Hearing に先立って is a signal that the speaker treats what's coming as planned and significant. It belongs to business Japanese and public communication, not everyday speech.
Picture a master of ceremonies at a formal banquet rising to say, "Before we begin the main program..." — that poised, official tone is what に先立って carries. It has no place in trivial sequences. Saying に先立って before "I washed my hands before eating" would sound theatrical. Reserve it for events that genuinely call for formal acknowledgment.
Structure & Formation
に先立って attaches directly to nouns and to verbs in their dictionary form (辞書形). Written Japanese often uses the shorter variant に先立ち (にさきだち), which drops the て. Both mean the same thing. に先立って is slightly more common in formal speech; に先立ち turns up more in reports, newspapers, and academic papers.
| Word Type | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + に先立って | 式典に先立って |
| Verb (dict. form) | Verb (辞書形) + に先立って | 開始するに先立って |
| Noun (written) | Noun + に先立ち | 発売に先立ち |
| Verb (written) | Verb (辞書形) + に先立ち | 公開するに先立ち |
Only the plain dictionary form works before に先立って — negative forms, て-forms, and past tense are all ungrammatical. The subjects of the preparatory action and the main event don't need to match.
Example Sentences
Ceremonies & Official Events
式典に先立って、主催者が挨拶を行いました。
Shikiten ni sakidatte, shusaisha ga aisatsu wo okonaimashita.
Prior to the ceremony, the organizer gave a greeting.
卒業式に先立って、予行練習が行われた。
Sotsugyōshiki ni sakidatte, yokō renshū ga okonawareta.
Prior to the graduation ceremony, a rehearsal was held.
開会するに先立って、参加者全員で黙祷を捧げた。
Kaikai suru ni sakidatte, sankasha zen'in de mokutō wo sasageta.
Prior to opening the meeting, all participants observed a moment of silence.
Business & Professional Settings
新製品の発売に先立って、プレスリリースを各社に送った。
Shinseihin no hatsubai ni sakidatte, puresu rirīsu wo kakusha ni okutta.
Prior to the launch of the new product, press releases were sent to each company.
新しいシステムを導入するに先立ち、スタッフへの研修を実施した。
Atarashii shisutemu wo dōnyū suru ni sakidachi, sutaffu e no kenshū wo jisshi shita.
Prior to introducing the new system, staff training was carried out.
会議に先立って、必要な資料を全員に配布してください。
Kaigi ni sakidatte, hitsuyō na shiryō wo zen'in ni haifu shite kudasai.
Prior to the meeting, please distribute the necessary materials to everyone.
工事を開始するに先立って、地域住民への説明会が開催された。
Kōji wo kaishi suru ni sakidatte, chiiki jūmin e no setsumeikai ga kaisai sareta.
Prior to starting the construction work, an explanatory briefing was held for local residents.
Medical & Academic Contexts
手術に先立って、患者は同意書にサインをした。
Shujutsu ni sakidatte, kanja wa dōisho ni sain wo shita.
Prior to the surgery, the patient signed the consent form.
研究を発表するに先立って、データを再度確認した。
Kenkyū wo happyō suru ni sakidatte, dēta wo saido kakunin shita.
Prior to presenting the research, the data was verified once more.
Travel & Preparations
出発に先立って、パスポートと荷物を念入りに確認した。
Shuppatsu ni sakidatte, pasupōto to nimotsu wo nen'iri ni kakunin shita.
Prior to departure, I carefully checked my passport and luggage.
建物の引き渡しに先立って、最終検査が実施された。
Tatemono no hikiwatashi ni sakidatte, saishū kensa ga jisshi sareta.
Prior to the handover of the building, a final inspection was carried out.
映画の公開に先立って、関係者向けの試写会が開かれた。
Eiga no kōkai ni sakidatte, kankeisha muke no shishakai ga hirakareta.
Prior to the public release of the film, a preview screening was held for those involved.
試合に先立って、選手たちは念入りにウォームアップをした。
Shiai ni sakidatte, senshu-tachi wa nen'iri ni wōmu appu wo shita.
Prior to the match, the athletes warmed up carefully.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using に先立って for Trivial or Everyday Actions
❌ 昼食に先立って、手を洗った。
✅ 昼食の前に、手を洗った。
に先立って implies a formal, planned occasion. Washing your hands before lunch is routine — not a weighty event. Dropping に先立って into everyday actions sounds theatrical. Stick to の前に for ordinary sequences.
Mistake 2: Confusing Which Part Is the Main Event
❌ 挨拶に先立って、式典が始まった。
✅ 式典に先立って、挨拶が行われた。
Whatever comes directly before に先立って is the main upcoming event — the thing that happens later. The sentence then describes what was done beforehand as preparation. Reversing these two elements produces a logical contradiction.
Mistake 3: Using a て-form Verb Before に先立って
❌ 会議を始めてに先立って、資料を配った。
✅ 会議を始めるに先立って、資料を配った。
Verbs before に先立って must be in the plain dictionary form (辞書形). て-form, past tense, and any other conjugation are ungrammatical here. The formula is Verb (dictionary form) + に先立って.
Mistake 4: Treating に先立って and の前に as Fully Interchangeable
❌ 寝るに先立って、歯を磨いた。
✅ 寝る前に、歯を磨いた。
Both mean "before," but they're not interchangeable. の前に is neutral — any sequence of events, any register. に先立って is reserved for formal, significant occasions. Brushing your teeth before bed doesn't qualify.
Mistake 5: Adding は or が Between the Noun and に先立って
❌ 式典はに先立って、挨拶が行われた。
✅ 式典に先立って、挨拶が行われた。
The に in に先立って is already doing grammatical work. Adding は, が, or any other particle between the noun and に先立って breaks the structure. Attach the noun directly: Noun + に先立って, with nothing in between.
Cultural Notes
Japanese culture prizes 段取り (dantori) — meticulous planning and preparation, especially in formal contexts. に先立って is that cultural value made linguistic: it marks actions taken deliberately before a significant occasion. The pattern fits a society that treats process and protocol as inseparable from the event itself.
At the start of corporate meetings, national ceremonies, and academic conferences, に先立って appears almost by formula. One phrase you'll hear often: 本日の会に先立って、一言ご挨拶を申し上げます ("Prior to today's gathering, allow me to say a few words"). It's a set piece of Japanese business and ceremonial language.
News anchors reach for に先立って when covering the run-up to major national or international events. Hearing it in a broadcast signals that what's being discussed is officially significant. For learners targeting professional or academic Japanese, this pattern belongs in your active vocabulary.
JLPT Tips
に先立って tends to appear in N2 reading passages drawn from news articles, business letters, and formal announcements. Spotting it quickly tells you the structure: the noun or verb before に先立って is the main event; the sentence explains what was done to prepare.
Fill-in-the-blank questions often pit に先立って against の前に, を前にして, and に備えて. The deciding factor is formality. If the context is official or ceremonial and the action is a deliberate preparatory step, に先立って is the right choice.
Watch the verb form. JLPT questions frequently test this by offering て-form, た-form, and dictionary-form options. Only the dictionary form is correct before に先立って.
In sentence-ordering questions (並べ替え), keep the direction straight: the noun or verb marked by に先立って comes later in time. The preparatory action comes first. When drilling examples, always identify which part is the "main event" and which is the preparation — getting that right makes these questions straightforward.