a few hours before v.s. a few hours ago

[Lost_Soul]

Hi,

Can I say I did it a few hours before ? (I want to say that I did it a few hours ago)

Thanks !

[Yankee]

Hi Alex

Generally speaking, you can only replace 'ago' with the word 'before' in reported speech or in a text in which 'before when' is clear. Usually the tense of the verb will be past perfect:

Direct speech: I did it a few hours ago.
Reported speech: He said he had done it a few hours before.

Having gone to bed only three hours before, he didn't hear the alarm when it went off at 5 a.m.
==> Having gone to bed = (Because he) had gone to bed
==> three hours before = three hours before 5 a.m.
.

[Lost_Soul]

Hi, Amy
Many thanks !

Actually, I just remembered that rule about turning "direct speech" into "indirect speech". This rule states that we must perform the following changes:

Ago -> Before or earlier.
Next week / month / year -> the next week / month / year OR the week / month / year after OR the following week / month / year.
tomorrow -> the day after / the next day / the following day
now -> then
today -> that day
tonight -> that night
yesterday -> the day before / the previous day
Last week / month / year -> the week / month / year. before OR the previous week / month / year.

[Daemon99]

Hi Yankee,

What about, "I did it a few hours back"?

Does it sound OK in direct speech?
_________________
Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

[Yankee]

Hi Daemon

So sorry to answer so belatedly.

Your sentence sounds unnatural to me. The word 'back' is occasionally used (instead of the word 'ago') to talk about a time in the past. However, I'd say the time referred to would usually be more distant than 'a few hours ago':

- a few months back
- a few years back
.

[Daemon99]