Thai word
ก่อน
gàwn
之前/首先
How to pronounce ก่อน
Low tone
Low and flat, slightly falling at the end
ก่อน is written gàwn and carries the low tone. Listen first, then copy the pitch — in Thai the pitch belongs to the word the way a vowel does.
Same syllable, five tones
Thai uses pitch to tell words apart. Below is the same syllable on each of the five tones — nothing changes but the pitch. Say your word (highlighted) on one of the other four and a Thai listener hears a different word, or none at all.
-
gawn
Mid tone
- ก่อน
gàwn
Low tone
-
gâwn
Falling tone
-
gǎwn
Rising tone
-
gáwn
High tone
What does ก่อน mean?
Translation
之前/首先
ก่อน (gàwn) means "之前/首先" in Thai.
Example sentences
เงินในบัตรเหลือน้อยแล้ว ต้องเติมก่อนค่ะ
ngoen nai bàt lěua nói láew dtông dtoeem gòn ká
bàt 里没多少 ngoen 了，我得先 dtoeem。
ต้องถอดรองเท้าก่อนเข้า
dtâwng thâwt rawng tháo gâwn khâo
khâo 前必须 thâwt rawng tháo。
ไหว้ก่อนนะ
wâi gâwn ná
先 wâi，好吗？
Test yourself
One word from the same tone group. Its meaning is not on this page — see whether it stuck.
What does this word mean?
บาท
bàat
Related words
More words with the low tone — the same pitch shape, different words.
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