How do you read 以前?

以前 is read いぜん (izen), with atamadaka pitch accent (high first, then falls).

How do you write 以前 in romaji?

以前 is written izen in romaji.

What kanji are in 以前?

以 (By Means Of, Because); 前 (In Front, Before).

以前いぜん

Q: What JLPT level is 以前?

以前 is a JLPT N3 word (intermediate).

いぜん · izen

JLPT N3 › noun

Before, prior to, ago

the past, before, previously, former times

Other ways to say “before” in Japanese →

Atamadaka

high first, then falls · what is pitch accent?

Test yourself

Say it out loud

Press the microphone and say 以前 (いぜん)

Your browser’s speech recognition checks whether it understood you (in Chrome, Google processes the audio). Nihoner doesn’t record anything.

Do you really know it?

Learn its family in 60 seconds

6 words that share a kanji with 以前. Tap each card — then save only the ones that are new to you.

Your memory hook

Link the sound or the kanji to something you already know — a personal hook is one of the fastest ways to make a word stick. It’s saved to your free account with the word.

Kanji in this word

以By Means Of, Because, In View Of 音い訓もっ.て JLPT N4 · 5 strokes 前In Front, Before 音ぜん訓まえ・-まえ JLPT N5 · 9 strokes

Can you write it? Draw kanji from memory →

Words that share a kanji

以前いぜんin the past; before 以後いごafter this; from now on; hereafter 以降いこうon and after, hereafter 以外いがいother than, with the exception of, excepting 以来いらいsince, henceforth 以下いかless than, below 前まえbefore, in front 前売まえうりadvance sale, booking

Questions

What does 以前 mean?

Before, prior to, ago. It can also mean: the past, before, previously, former times.

How do you pronounce 以前?

いぜん (izen). Pitch accent: atamadaka — high first, then falls. Press Listen above to hear it.

What JLPT level is 以前?

JLPT N3 — intermediate. See the JLPT N3 guide.

How do I remember 以前?

Say it out loud with an example sentence, test yourself above, then save it to your deck: Nihoner brings it back just before you would forget it (spaced repetition).