Learn Greek › A1 › πριν
πριν
before /prin/
adverbA1#56 most common
Also: previously, ago, earlier
Example sentences
Ήρθα πριν λίγο.
I came a little while ago.
Πλύνε τα χέρια σου πριν το φαγητό.
Wash your hands before the meal.
Έφυγε πριν να τελειώσει η ταινία.
He left before the movie ended.
Πριν από δέκα χρόνια ζούσαμε σε άλλη πόλη.
Ten years ago we lived in another city.
Δεν το είχα σκεφτεί ποτέ πριν μου το πεις εσύ.
I had never thought about it before you told me.
Πριν προλάβει καν να αρθρώσει λέξη, όλοι είχαν ήδη αποχωρήσει.
Before he could even utter a word, everyone had already left.
Word family
πρόbefore, in front of
προηγουμένωςpreviously, beforehand
πρότεροςformer, earlier
πρωτύτεραearlier, before
Etymology
Modern Greek πριν continues Ancient Greek πρίν 'before, formerly', which belongs to the family of πρό 'before, in front of'. The word is built on the Proto-Indo-European 'fore/before' root, the same source that gives Greek its rich πρό- prefixes. It has remained an invariable temporal word from antiquity to today.
Learn Greek the way that sticks.
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 1,406 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 1,406 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free