There's still a few minutes before/until school starts.

[teacherjapan]

Is there a difference between “before” and “until” in the following sentences? Is one better than the other?

I wore both of the following sentences:
1) There’s still a few minutes “before” school starts.
2) There’s still a few minutes “until” school starts.

 

[Tarheel]

Is there a difference between “before” and “until” in the following sentence? Is one better than the other?

I WROTE both of the following sentences:
1) There’s still a few minutes “before” school starts.
2) There’s still a few minutes “until” school starts.

1. That's fine.
2. I'm not sure.

 

[teacherjapan]

Do you think it sounds more natural to use “We still have five minutes until school starts” if I want to use “until”?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes, I like that one.

 

[tedmc]

I wouldn't use "until". We use "until" to say we do something up to a certain point in time, not we have something.

 

[Skrej]

I'd consider them equal and completely interchangeable in your example.

I wouldn't use "until". We use "until" to say we do something up to a certain point in time, not we have something.

That doesn't seem quite right. All of the following are completely acceptable.

We have three months left until product launch.
I have two years left until retirement.
We have about five minutes left until that thing explodes.
I've got custody of the kids until Monday.

 

[SoothingDave]

I agree that there is no difference in this example. I could see myself saying either one.

 

[emsr2d2]

We have three months left until product launch.
We have about five minutes left until that thing explodes.

In addition, those two are fine without "left".