Ranije

Ranije is an adverb used in Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin to mean "at an earlier time" or "previously." It refers to a time preceding the reference point, typically the present moment or another stated time. The form derives from the adjective ran, meaning "early," with the suffix -ije to create an adverb, and ultimately traces back to Proto-Slavic roots for "early."

In usage, ranije appears in sentences that situate an action before another time. Examples include: "Ranije sam mislio da je to nemoguće" (I previously thought that this was impossible) and "Ovo se dogodilo ranije" (This happened earlier). It can also appear in phrases like "ranije danas" (earlier today) or "od ranije" (from earlier). In style, ranije is neutral and common in both speech and writing. It is often contrasted with prethodno (more formal or literary) or with prije (before) when referring to a specific moment in time.

Translations in English include "earlier," "previously," or "beforehand." While widely understood across the languages, usage can vary by region and formality; in some contexts one may prefer "prethodno" or "prije" depending on the exact temporal relation.