Expressing 'before' (ก่อน)

When talking about your daily routine, you often need to describe the order in which things happen. To say that you do one thing "before" another, Thai uses the word ก่อน.

Expressing Sequence with Actions

To describe two actions happening in a sequence, simply place ก่อน between them. Notice that unlike English, which often uses "-ing" verbs after "before," Thai uses the standard verb phrase.

[First Action] + ก่อน + [Second Action]

Let's see this in action with some morning grooming routines, like putting on makeup (แต่งหน้า), applying cream (ทาครีม), or combing your hair (หวีผม).

Grooming Routines

You can use this exact same structure for other daily habits, like shaving (โกนหนวด) and taking a shower (อาบน้ำ).

When getting out of the shower, you will need to dry off. In Thai, drying yourself is expressed as เช็ดตัว (literally "wiping the body"). You will naturally need to do this before putting on a shirt (ใส่เสื้อ).

Sequencing Nouns and Products

When talking about the order in which you use products—like shampoo (แชมพู) and soap (สบู่)—you still use ก่อน. To express "using" a product, add the verb ใช้ (to use). Thai speakers often repeat the verb before the second noun for clarity.