Abans de sortir, he de llençar les escombraries.

Because abans is normally followed by de when the next verb is in the infinitive.

So the pattern is:

• abans de + infinitive

Examples:

• abans de menjar = before eating
• abans de dormir = before sleeping
• abans de sortir = before leaving / before going out

This is one of the most common fixed patterns in Catalan.

Here sortir means to go out or to leave.

Which English translation sounds best depends on context:

• Abans de sortir can mean before going out
• It can also mean before leaving

In this sentence, both are natural. If you are talking about leaving the house, before leaving is often the clearest English meaning.

He de + infinitive is a very common Catalan structure meaning I have to or I must.

So:

• he de llençar = I have to throw away
• he de sortir = I have to leave
• he de treballar = I have to work

This structure is called haver de + infinitive, and it expresses obligation or necessity.

No. He here is not the English pronoun he. It is a verb form.

It is the first person singular of haver in this structure:

• he de = I have to
• has de = you have to
• ha de = he/she/it has to
• hem de = we have to
• heu de = you all have to
• han de = they have to

So in this sentence, he means I have, as part of I have to.

It is the standard and safest way to say it.

The normal pattern is:

• haver de + infinitive

So:

• He de llençar les escombraries

You may also hear haig de instead of he de in some varieties:

• Haig de llençar les escombraries

Both are used, but he de is a very standard form and a good one to learn.

A learner should usually avoid trying to copy English or Spanish-style patterns too directly. Haver de is the key structure to remember.

Because these are two different grammar structures.

1. abans de + infinitive

   • abans de sortir = before leaving

2. haver de + infinitive

   • he de llençar = I have to throw away

So the two de words are not doing the same job, even though they look identical.

Llençar means to throw away or to discard.

So:

• llençar les escombraries = throw away the trash / garbage

This is correct and natural.

However, depending on the exact situation, Catalan speakers might also say:

• treure les escombraries = take the trash out

That version focuses more on physically taking the garbage outside.
So the difference is roughly:

• llençar = throw away
• treure = take out

Both can be relevant in everyday life, but they are not exactly the same.

Because escombraries is normally a plural noun in Catalan.

Even when English uses a mass noun like trash or garbage, Catalan often uses the plural:

• les escombraries

This is just something you learn with the word. Many languages package this idea differently from English.

A useful thing to memorize is the whole expression:

• llençar les escombraries

Catalan uses the definite article much more often than English does.

So les escombraries is very natural, especially when referring to the trash in a specific everyday context, such as the household trash.

Catalan often prefers:

• les escombraries
• el cotxe
• la feina

where English might say:

• trash
• car
• work

So even if English leaves the article out, Catalan often keeps it.

Yes. That is also correct.

Catalan word order is flexible here:

• Abans de sortir, he de llençar les escombraries.
• He de llençar les escombraries abans de sortir.

The first version puts the time idea first: before leaving.
The second version starts with the main action: I have to throw away the trash.

Both are natural. The choice is mostly about emphasis and style.

Because Abans de sortir is an introductory time expression.

So the comma helps separate that opening phrase from the main clause:

• Abans de sortir, he de llençar les escombraries.

In short sentences, punctuation can sometimes vary, but this comma is perfectly natural and helps readability.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation is:

• llençar ≈ lyen-SAR or, in many accents, yen-SAR

Two key points:

• ll can sound like a palatal sound, roughly like the lli in some pronunciations of million
• in many modern accents, it sounds more like y

And:

• ç is pronounced like s

So llençar has an s sound before the last syllable.

Yes. Depending on the region, you may also hear other words, such as:

• brossa
• fem

But escombraries is a very common and widely understood word, and it is an excellent one for learners to know.

So for a learner, les escombraries is a safe and useful choice.