What does “before” mean?
- 1
prepositionearlier than
Wash your hands before dinner.
- 2
conjunctionearlier than the time when something happens
Call me before you leave.
- 3
adverbat any time in the past
Have we met before?
Before at a glance
- Part of speech
- preposition, conjunction & adverb
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /bɪˈfɔr/ · bih-FOR
How to use “before” correctly
Don’t use “will” after “before” for the future: “Finish this before you go”, not “before you will go”.
Common phrases with “before”
- the day before yesterday
- before long
- never before
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
Idioms with “before”
- Look before you leap: Think carefully about the possible results before you act.
- The calm before the storm: A quiet, peaceful time just before a period of trouble or great activity.
- Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't be sure of a good result before it actually happens.
“before” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- after prepositionA1later than something; following in time or order
- again adverbA1one more time; another time
- age nounA1the number of years someone has lived or something has existed
- ago adverbA1before now; used to say how far back in the past something happened
- always adverbA1at all times or every time
- begin verbA1to start doing something or to start happening
- dark adjectiveA1with little or no light
- day nounA1a period of 24 hours