Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek, bespreek ons tandpyn.

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Breakdown of Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek, bespreek ons tandpyn.

• bespreek: to discuss
• ondersoek: to investigate; examine
• alvorens ...: before; prior to (formal)

Questions & Answers about Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek, bespreek ons tandpyn.

What does alvorens mean, and is it a common word?

Alvorens means before.

It is correct Afrikaans, but it sounds a bit more formal or literary than everyday speech. In everyday conversation, many speakers would more naturally use voordat:

• Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek, bespreek ons tandpyn.
• Voordat die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek, bespreek ons tandpyn.

Both are grammatical, but voordat is usually the more common choice in ordinary speech.

Why is ondersoek at the end of the first part?

Because Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek is a subordinate clause, and in Afrikaans subordinate clauses usually send the finite verb to the end.

So the pattern is:

• alvorens
  • subject + object + verb

In this sentence:

• die mondhigiënis = subject
• die holte = object
• ondersoek = verb

That gives:

• Alvorens die mondhigiënis die holte ondersoek

This is very common in Afrikaans after conjunctions like:

• dat = that
• omdat = because
• voordat = before
• terwyl = while

Why does the main clause say instead of ?