How to pronounce before
Say it like bih-FOR. Before has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce before. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- FOR
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Before pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of before
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: bih-FAW.
What does before mean?
- earlier in time; previously“I had known her before”“as I said before”
- at or in the front“I see the lights of a town ahead”“the road ahead is foggy”
Where does before come from?
Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with before
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of before.
Questions about saying before
How do you pronounce before?
Say bih-FOR. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈfɔr/. In British English it is /bɪˈfɔː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in before?
Before has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FOR). Broken into parts: bih · FOR.
Is before pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /bɪˈfɔː/ (bih-FAW).