قبل أن أخرج من البيت، أضع البطاقة في الحقيبة.

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Breakdown of قبل أن أخرج من البيت، أضع البطاقة في الحقيبة.

• من: from
• البيت: house
• أن: (subordinating particle)

Questions & Answers about قبل أن أخرج من البيت، أضع البطاقة في الحقيبة.

Why does the sentence use قبل أن instead of just قبل?

Because قبل by itself is usually followed by a noun or a verbal noun, not a full finite verb clause.

• قبل أن أخرج = before I leave / before I go out
• قبل الخروج = before leaving
• قبل خروجي = before my leaving

So when Arabic wants to say before + subject + verb, it commonly uses قبل أن + imperfect verb.

Why is the verb أخرج used after أن? Is it still present tense?

Yes. After أن, Arabic normally uses the imperfect verb, but in the subjunctive mood.

So here:

• basic imperfect: أخرجُ = I go out / I leave
• after أن: أخرجَ

In normal unvocalized writing, both are written أخرج, so you only see the difference if vowel endings are written.

In this sentence, أن أخرج means that I leave / that I go out, and after قبل it gives the meaning before I leave.

Why is أضع also in the present/imperfect? Why not a past or future form?

Arabic uses the imperfect for several meanings, including: