Breakdown of yòng xǐyījī qián, qǐng kànkan xǐdíbiāoqiān, kǒudai hé lāliàn.
和hé
and
请qǐng
to ask (politely)
用yòng
to use
看看kànkan
to take a look
Questions & Answers about yòng xǐyījī qián, qǐng kànkan xǐdíbiāoqiān, kǒudai hé lāliàn.
Why is the sentence structured as 用洗衣机前，请……? What does 前 mean here?
Here 前 means before, and it comes after the action phrase it relates to.
So:
- 用洗衣机 = use the washing machine
- 前 = before
Together, 用洗衣机前 means before using the washing machine.
This is a very common Chinese pattern:
- V + 前 = before doing something
- V + 后 = after doing something
Examples:
- 吃饭前 = before eating
- 睡觉前 = before sleeping
- 出门前 = before going out
So the sentence begins with a time phrase: Before using the washing machine, please...
Should there be a 在 before 用洗衣机前?