Listen before speaking.

Meaning: This means to pay attention and listen to what others are saying before expressing your own thoughts or opinions.

Choice of Words: Listen means to pay attention to someone speaking or to sounds. Before means earlier in time or position. In this context, speaking means to express oneself using words.

Alternative Expressions

Think before you speak.

Meaning: This means to take a moment to think about what you want to say before you say it. It's like saying, Don't just say whatever comes to mind. Take a moment to think about what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Choice of Words: Think means to use your mind to consider something. Speak means to say something. When you put them together, it means to consider what you want to say before you actually say it.

Listen before you talk.

Meaning: This means to wait until someone is finished speaking before you start talking. It's like saying, Don't interrupt people when they're talking. Wait until they're finished and then you can say what you want to say.

Choice of Words: Listen means to pay attention to what someone is saying. Talk means to say something. When you put them together, it means to pay attention to what someone is saying before you say something yourself.

Hear before you reply.

Meaning: This means to pay attention to what someone is saying and understand what they're saying before you respond. It's like saying, Don't just react to what someone says. Take a moment to listen to what they're saying and understand what they mean before you say something back.

Choice of Words: Hear means to perceive sound. Reply means to say something in response to something someone else has said. When you put them together, it means to perceive the sound of someone speaking before you say something in response.

Related Expressions