Breakdown of Ihr sollt das Mikrofon testen, bevor ihr das Licht einschaltet.
ihr
you (informal plural)
sollen
should / ought to
einschalten
to turn on
bevor
before
testen
to test (try out)
das Licht
the light
das Mikrofon
the microphone
Questions & Answers about Ihr sollt das Mikrofon testen, bevor ihr das Licht einschaltet.
Why does einschaltet go at the very end of the sentence?
The word bevor is a subordinating conjunction. This means it introduces a dependent clause and forces the conjugated verb (einschaltet) to move to the very end of that clause.
Wait, isn't einschalten a separable verb? Why aren't the two parts separated here?
You are exactly right! In a normal main clause, the prefix splits off: Ihr schaltet das Licht ein. But because bevor pushes the conjugated verb to the end of the clause, the prefix and the verb are forced back together into a single word: einschaltet.
Why is testen at the end of the first part of the sentence?
The first part of the sentence uses the modal verb sollen (conjugated here as sollt). Modal verbs sit in the normal second position, but they push the main action verb (testen) to the end of the clause in its basic dictionary form.
Which version of 'you' is being used here?
The sentence uses ihr, which is the informal plural 'you' (like 'you guys' or 'y'all'). That is why the verbs are conjugated with a -t ending: ihr sollt and ihr einschaltet.
Is the comma before bevor required?
Yes! Unlike in English, German punctuation rules are strict about this. You must always use a comma to separate a main clause from a subordinate clause (the part starting with bevor).
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