要看在句子里怎么用,by the time 有两个意思:
一:by the time可以翻译为:这时候,在此时.相当于at the/that time.
By the time he had lost contact with the Party.
这时他已和党失去联系。
By the time we had settled in the third bus.
这时我们已在第3辆大汽车里坐好。
二:by the time,意为:在....之前已经....
by the time our teacher came in ,we had started speaking English.
在老师进来前,我们都已经开始讲英语了..
by the time when got to the bus station,the bus had left.
在我们到达车站时,汽车早就开走了.
顺便的意思
在之前是before that