Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Formerly; before; in the past: Refers to a time that has already passed, indicating a state or event that existed or occurred earlier.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • Khi trước, tôi là một giáo viên. (Formerly, I was a teacher.)
  • Căn nhà này khi trước rất đẹp. (This house was very beautiful before.)
  • Anh ấy khi trước không như vậy. (He wasn't like that before.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngày khi trước": The days of the past; bygone days.
  • Tôi nhớ những ngày khi trước. (I remember the days of the past.)
• Used to contrast a past state with the present.
  • Khi trước anh ấy rất nhút nhát, bây giờ thì hoạt bát lắm. (He was very shy before, but now he is very lively.)

Variants and Related Words

• Trước kia (adv): Previously, in the past. A very close synonym.
  • Trước kia, nơi này là một cánh đồng. (Previously, this place was a field.)
• Trước đây (adv): Before, in the past. Another common synonym.
  • Trước đây, tôi đã từng sống ở đây. (I used to live here before.)
• Ngày xưa (adv): Long ago; in the old days. Often used for a more distant past.
  • Ngày xưa, ông bà ta sống rất vất vả. (Long ago, our grandparents lived very hard lives.)

Synonyms

• Hồi đó (adv): At that time (in the past).
• Thuở ấy (adv): In those bygone days (literary).

Related Phrases

• Từ khi trước (adv phrase): Since before; from an earlier time.
  • Cô ấy đã biết điều đó từ khi trước. (She has known that since before.)

Related Idioms

• Chuyện khi trước (n phrase): A story from the past; a past matter.
  • Thôi, đừng nhắc đến chuyện khi trước nữa. (Alright, don't mention stories from the past anymore.)

1. formerly; before