Breakdown of Ich muss das Geld einwerfen, bevor ich die Dose kaufe.
ich
I
kaufen
to buy
das Geld
the money
müssen
to have to, must
Questions & Answers about Ich muss das Geld einwerfen, bevor ich die Dose kaufe.
Why does the verb kaufe go to the very end of the sentence?
The word bevor (before) is a subordinating conjunction. It introduces a dependent clause, which means the conjugated verb (kaufe) must be pushed to the very end of that clause.
I know einwerfen is a separable verb. Why isn't the ein- separated here?
Because of the modal verb muss (must / have to) in the main clause. Modal verbs always push the second verb to the end of the clause in its full, unchanged infinitive form. Therefore, einwerfen stays glued together.
Could I use vor instead of bevor to say "before I buy"?
No, because bevor connects two full clauses containing a subject and a verb (ich and kaufe). vor is a preposition that only goes in front of a noun phrase, like vor dem Kauf (before the purchase).
Does einwerfen work for inserting anything, like a credit card?
Not exactly. einwerfen literally means "to throw in" and is typically used for things you drop into a slot, like coins into a vending machine or letters into a mailbox. For inserting a chip card, you would use a word like reinstecken.