trước

Friendly

The Vietnamese word "trước" has several meanings and uses, making it an important word to know. Here’s a breakdown:

Basic Meaning:

1. Adjective: "trước" can mean "former" or "first."
2. Adverb: "trước" means "before" or "ahead." It can also refer to something that happened in the past or something that comes first.

Usage Instructions:

• As an Adjective: Use "trước" to describe something that came before another thing in time or order.
• As an Adverb: Use "trước" to indicate the timing of an action or event relative to another.

Examples:

1. Adjective:

   • "Người trước" (the former person) - This refers to someone who held a position or role before someone else.

2. Adverb:

   • "Tôi đã ăn trước khi đi ngủ." (I ate before going to sleep.) - Here, "trước" indicates that the eating happened prior to sleeping.

Advanced Usage:

• In more complex sentences, "trước" can be used in conjunction with other words to specify time or order:
  • "Hãy làm bài tập trước khi lớp học bắt đầu." (Please do your homework before the class starts.) - This shows the order of tasks.

Word Variants:

• "trước đây" (before, previously) - Often used to refer to something that happened in the past.
• "trước tiên" (first of all) - Used to introduce the first point in a discussion or list.

Different Meanings:

• "trước" can also imply proximity in space, meaning "in front" or "ahead."
  • Example: "Đứng trước nhà" (Stand in front of the house).

Synonyms:

• For "before" in terms of time: "trước khi" (before), "trước mắt" (in front of).
• For "former": "cũ" (old), "trước đó" (previous).

Summary:

"trước" is a versatile word used to indicate time, order, and sometimes physical position.

Academic

adj

1. former; first

adv

1. before, ahead last, past first; before hand