► 副詞
前以って [(3)まえもって] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 前もって準備しておいたソース ⇨ The sauce I prepared beforehand
☆ 彼には前もって連絡しておいた ⇨ I let him know beforehand
嘗て [(1)かつて] [liter] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ かつてモンゴルはアジアの殆どを支配していた ⇨ Mongolia used to rule the vast majority of Asia before
嘗て [(1)かつて] [嘗て無い] [liter] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ 日本のアニメが世界中でかつて無い人気を集めるようになった ⇨ Japanese animes have gained popularity all over the world like never before
先に [(1)さきに] [liter] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ 先に述べた通り… ⇨ As I mentioned before …
► 名詞
以前 [(1)いぜん] [liter] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ この辺は以前は原っぱだった ⇨ This area was open fields before
☆ その映画は以前見たことが有る ⇨ I’ve seen that movie before
☆ それは常識以前の問題だ ⇨ That’s something (you should know) even before common sense.
☆ 産業革命以前の欧州 ⇨ Europe before the industrial revolution
先 [さき] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ 彼が先に来た ⇨ He came before me. He was already here when I arrived
☆ 彼に先に知らせておくべきだ ⇨ We should let him know beforehand
☆ 彼は誰よりも先にそのことに気がついた ⇨ He realized that before anybody
先 [さき] [御先] [coll] [polite] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ 御先に失礼します (おさき) ⇨ Allow me to leave before you do
前 [(1)まえ] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ 前の首相 ⇨ The previous Prime Minister
☆ 彼には前が有る ⇨ He has priors, criminal records
☆ 彼には前に会ったことがある ⇨ I met him before
☆ 私の前に未だ三人が待っている ⇨ There are still 3 people waiting before me
元 [(1)もと] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ クリントン元大統領 ⇨ Former president Clinton
☆ 使った後は元の場所に戻して下さい ⇨ Return it to the original location after use
☆ 患者の容態は一度回復したがまた元に戻ってしまった ⇨ The patient’s condition had improved once but then went to back to the previous status
☆ 私はパソコンの設定を元に戻した ⇨ I reverted the settings of the PC to the previous ones
事前 [じぜん] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 事前に連絡して下さい ⇨ Please let me know in advance
☆ 事前の予約が必要です ⇨ You need a prior reservation
寸前 [すんぜん] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 車は衝突寸前で止まった ⇨ The car stopped right before colliding (☛ Right before)
直前 [ちょくぜん] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 事故の直前まで全く異常は無かった ⇨ There was nothing abnormal until the moment before the accident
☆ 試合は開始直前に取り止めになった ⇨ The game was canceled right before the start time
手前 [てまえ] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ その扉は手前に引かなくていけない ⇨ You have to pull the door toward you
☆ その扉は手前に開く ⇨ The door opens toward you
間際 [まぎわ] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 旅は出発間際に中止になった ⇨ The trip was canceled right before the departure (☛ A moment before)
前者 [(1)ぜんしゃ] [liter] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ 前者のほうが後者より一般的だ ⇨ The former is more common than the latter
手前 [てまえ] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ 客の手前そうは言えない ⇨ You cannot say that in front of customers
前々 [まえまえ] meaning: before rank: 3
☆ 私は前々から彼のことを怪しく思っていた ⇨ I was suspicious of him from a long time ago
先任 [せんにん] meaning: before rank: 4
☆ 彼は先任者から何の引き継ぎも受けなかった ⇨ He didn’t receive any information transfer from his predecessor (☛ Same with 前任)
前任 [ぜんにん] meaning: before rank: 4
☆ 彼は前任者から何の引き継ぎも受けなかった ⇨ He didn’t receive any information transfer from his predecessor (☛ A predecessor who was previously assigned to a job post only. Not used for someone who inherits a position as a right)
► 接頭辞
前 [(1)ぜん] [liter] meaning: before rank: 1
☆ 売上の前年度との比較 ⇨ A comparison of sales with the previous year
☆ 小泉前首相 ⇨ A former prime minister Koizumi
旧 [(1)きゅう] meaning: before rank: 2
☆ 彼は旧東ドイツで生まれた ⇨ He was born in former East Germany (☛ Something no longer exists)