Before in different languages

Before in Different Languages

Discover 'Before' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'before' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting the idea of preceding events or occurrences in time. Its cultural importance is evident in literature, music, and art, where it is used to create a sense of chronology, causality, and sequence. Understanding the translation of 'before' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the nuances of various cultures and their unique ways of perceiving and expressing time.

For instance, in Spanish, 'before' is translated as 'antes', while in French, it is 'avant'. In German, the word for 'before' is 'vor', and in Japanese, it is '先' (saki). These translations not only reflect linguistic diversity but also offer a glimpse into the cultural perspectives of different societies.

So, whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious about the world around you, learning the translation of 'before' in various languages can be a fascinating journey of discovery. Read on to explore the many translations of this simple yet powerful word!

Before


Before in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansvoorheen
In Dutch, "voorheen" has the dual meaning of "before" and "previously".
Amharicከዚህ በፊት
The word ከዚህ በፊት can also mean "previously" or "in the past."
Hausakafin
The word “kafin” in Hausa can also mean “in front of” or “opposite”.
Igbotupu
Igbo word "tupu" also means "formerly" or "once upon a time."
Malagasyalohan'ny
"Alohan'ny" is a Malagasy word that can also mean "earlier" or "formerly."
Nyanja (Chichewa)kale
Kale can refer to "in front of" or "before".
Shonapamberi
Pamberi can also mean "past", but this usage is mainly found in traditional stories and poems.
Somalika hor
Somali 'ka hor' means 'before', 'in front of', or 'on behalf of'.
Sesothopele ho
The Sesotho word "pele ho" not only means "before" but also relates to the front or first position of something.
Swahilikabla
The word "kabla" can also refer to a place or time period before something else.
Xhosangaphambili
The word "ngaphambili" is also used to refer to the front of something or to the future.
Yorubaṣaaju
Ṣaaju can also mean "in front of" or "facing".
Zulungaphambi
"Ngaphambi" can also mean "earlier" or "in the past."
Bambarafɔlɔ
Ewedo ŋgɔ
Kinyarwandambere
Lingalaliboso
Lugandamu kusooka
Sepedipele ga
Twi (Akan)ansa na

Before in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicقبل
The word 'قبل' can also mean 'in front of', 'facing towards', or 'opposite to' in Arabic.
Hebrewלפני
The word 'לפני' also means 'in front of', 'in the presence of', or 'in accordance with'.
Pashtoمخکې
The word "مخکې" in Pashto can also refer to the front of something or the beginning of a period of time
Arabicقبل
The word 'قبل' can also mean 'in front of', 'facing towards', or 'opposite to' in Arabic.

Before in Western European Languages

Albanianpara
The Albanian word "parë" (before) is also used figuratively to mean "better" or "first in importance".
Basqueaurretik
The word "aurretik" comes from the root "aurre" (front) and the suffix "-tik" (from), meaning literally "from the front".
Catalanabans
The word "abans" is derived from the Latin "abante", meaning "from the front".
Croatianprije
In Croatian, "prije" can also refer to an "occurrence" or a "case".
Danishfør
The word "Før" is also used to mean "last year" or "ago" in Danish.
Dutchvoordat
"Voordat" is a portmanteau of "voor" (meaning "for") and "dat" (meaning "the") and can thus also mean "to be in front of" or "for that purpose".
Englishbefore
The word 'before' comes from the Old English word 'beforan', which means 'in front of' or 'earlier than'. It is also used to refer to a place or time that is ahead of another place or time.
Frenchavant
The word "avant" in French can also mean "in front of" or "facing".
Frisianfoar
The Frisian word "foar" can also mean "in front of" or "in the presence of".
Galicianantes
The word "antes" comes from the Latin "ante", meaning "in front of" or "prior to" and can also refer to something that happened previously in Galician.
Germanvor
In Middle High German, "vor" also meant "for" and "because of".
Icelandicáður
The Old Norse word 'áður' originally referred to the front of a boat, and later came to mean 'in the past'
Irishroimh
In Irish, "roimh" can also mean "in front of" or "beforehand," and is cognate with the Latin word "Roma," or "Rome."
Italianprima
The word "prima" can also mean "for the first time" or "the first one".
Luxembourgishvirun
The word "virun" can also mean "too far back" or "ahead of time" in Luxembourgish.
Malteseqabel
Qabel may also refer to a type of Maltese folk song, a type of Maltese folk dance, or the first part of the Christian name of a Maltese person.
Norwegianfør
"Før" can also mean "to deceive" or "to lure", a meaning derived from its role in the phrase "føre bak lyset" (lit. "to lead behind the light"), meaning "to fool".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)antes
In Portuguese, the word "antes" also means "previously" or "formerly".
Scots Gaelicroimhe seo
In certain contexts the word "roimhe seo" can also mean "so far".
Spanishantes de
"Antes de" is also used in Spanish to mean "previously" or "formerly."
Swedishinnan
Innan, the Swedish word for "before," also has an alternate meaning: "within."
Welsho'r blaen
'O'r Blaen' can also refer to the first verse of a Welsh englyn (strophic poem).

Before in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianраней
The Belarusian word "раней" also means "formerly" and "previously" in English.
Bosnianprije
The Slavic word 'prije' ('before') derives from the Proto-Slavic word 'pry', also meaning 'in front of' and 'on the other side'.
Bulgarianпреди
The word "преди" can also mean "previously" or "earlier".
Czechpřed
The word "před" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *predъ, which also means "near" or "in front of."
Estonianenne
The word "enne" can also refer to a place or position in front of something or someone.
Finnishennen
The word "ennen" is also used to express "formerly" or "previously."
Hungarianelőtt
Előtt can also mean "in front of" or "opposite".
Latvianpirms
The archaic use of "pirms" in Latvian denotes a spatial relation of superiority.
Lithuanianprieš
In Latvian, the word "prieš" also means "against".
Macedonianпорано
The word "порано" can also refer to the period of time before dawn.
Polishprzed
"Przed" means "before," but also "in the presence of" or "in front of"
Romanianinainte de
The Romanian word "înainte de" is derived from the Latin "antea". It can also mean "ahead" or "in front of".
Russianдо
"До" also means "until" or "to, up to, as far as".
Serbianпре него што
Пре него што (pre nego što) has alternate meanings of "as soon as" or "after", depending on the verb it is used with.
Slovakpredtým
"Predtým" is the Slovak word for "before". It is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *predь, which also means "before".
Slovenianprej
Prej derives from Proto-Slavic *prědьe, meaning "in front of", and has additional meanings, such as "previously" and "formerly".
Ukrainianраніше
The word "раніше" can also mean "formerly" or "previously" in Ukrainian.

Before in South Asian Languages

Bengaliআগে
আগে can also mean "in front of" or "ahead of".
Gujaratiપહેલાં
“પહેલાં” is also used in a context of "formerly" and "previous" in Gujarati.
Hindiइससे पहले
इससे पहले' (isse pahale) can mean 'until' or 'as soon as' as well as 'before' in Hindi.
Kannadaಮೊದಲು
The word 'ಮೊದಲು' can also mean 'the beginning' or 'the first time'.
Malayalamമുമ്പ്
The Malayalam word "മുമ്പ്" ("mumpu") is related to the Proto-Dravidian root, "*muppu" ("before, in front"), which signifies precedence in both time and space.
Marathiआधी
The Marathi word "आधी" (aadi) is also used to mean "the beginning" or "the first part of something."
Nepaliपहिले
पहिले in Nepali also means "west".
Punjabiਅੱਗੇ
"ਅੱਗੇ" derives from Sanskrit "agra" which can also mean "front, tip, edge or chief".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)කලින්
The word "කලින්" is also used in Sinhala to denote "formerly" or "in the past".
Tamilமுன்
The word "முன்" can also mean "front" or "anterior".
Teluguముందు
The word "ముందు" can also mean "in front of", "ahead", or "leading".
Urduپہلے
The word "پہلے" ( pahlay ) can also mean "formerly" or "previously" in Urdu.

Before in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)之前
The word “之前” can also mean “previously” or “previously mentioned”.
Chinese (Traditional)之前
之前 is formed by the characters 先 (prior) + 前 (front).
Japanese
"前" can also mean "front" or "former."
Korean전에
The word "전에" can also refer to being prior to something chronologically or in terms of order.
Mongolianөмнө нь
In Mongolian, 'өмнө нь' ('before') can also refer to a time or place in the past, or to something that happened earlier.
Myanmar (Burmese)မတိုင်မီ

Before in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiansebelum
Sebelum can also mean 'at that time' or 'while' depending on the context.
Javanesesadurunge
The Javanese word "sadurunge" can also mean "before" in a figurative sense, such as "beforehand" or "in advance".
Khmerមុន
The Khmer word "មុន" can also mean "beginning" or "origin".
Laoກ່ອນ
"ກ່ອນ" (before) is also used to express the idea of "previously" or "formerly"
Malaysebelum ini
"Sebelum ini" also means "previously" or "earlier".
Thaiก่อน
"ก่อน" can also mean "earlier" or "in advance".
Vietnamesetrước
The word "trước" (before) also has the meaning of the "outside" in chess, or the "front" of a building.
Filipino (Tagalog)dati

Before in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniəvvəl
The word "əvvəl" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "avval," meaning "beginning" or "first."
Kazakhбұрын
Бұрын in Kazakh can also mean earlier or previous.
Kyrgyzчейин
The word "чейин" can also refer to the "front" or "first" part of something.
Tajikпеш
The word "пеш" also means "at first" or "in front" in Tajik
Turkmenöň
Uzbekoldin
In addition to meaning "before," "oldin" can also mean "ancient" or "in the past."
Uyghurئىلگىرى

Before in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianma mua
The Hawaiian word "ma mua" not only means "before" but also refers to "the front," "the forehead," or "the face."
Maorituhinga o mua
The term 'Tuhinga o mua' can also refer to ancient Maori texts or writings
Samoanmuamua
The Samoan word "muamua" can also mean "chief" or "first"
Tagalog (Filipino)dati pa
Dati pa is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Dati,' which means 'former time, past.

Before in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaranayrja
Guaranimboyve

Before in International Languages

Esperantoantaŭe
"Antaŭe" is derived from the Latin "ante".
Latinante
In Latin, "ante" also means "in front of, opposite to, at the house of", and "facing".

Before in Others Languages

Greekπριν
Besides meaning "before," πρίν also meant "until" and "sooner, previously."
Hmongua ntej
"Ua ntej" can also mean "first" or "foremost".
Kurdishberî
In some Kurdish dialects, "berî" also means "in front of" or "in the presence of".
Turkishönce
Alternately, "önce" in Turkish can also mean "in front of", "earlier", or "previously".
Xhosangaphambili
The word "ngaphambili" is also used to refer to the front of something or to the future.
Yiddishאיידער
איידער can also be an adverb which means "rather" or "preferable"
Zulungaphambi
"Ngaphambi" can also mean "earlier" or "in the past."
Assameseআগতে
Aymaranayrja
Bhojpuriपहिले
Dhivehiކުރިން
Dogriपैहलें
Filipino (Tagalog)dati
Guaranimboyve
Ilocanosakbay
Kriobifo
Kurdish (Sorani)پێش
Maithiliपहिने
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯃꯃꯥꯡꯗ
Mizohmaah
Oromodura
Odia (Oriya)ପୂର୍ବରୁ
Quechuañawpaq
Sanskritपूर्वम्‌
Tatarэлек
Tigrinyaቅድሚ
Tsongaku nga si

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