Moram spremiti datoteku prije nego što ugasim računalo.

Moram means I must / I have to. It is the 1st person singular present tense of morati.

So:

• moram = I must
• moraš = you must
• mora = he/she/it must

In this sentence, moram is followed by another verb in the infinitive: spremiti.

That pattern is very common in Croatian:

• Moram ići. = I have to go.
• Moram učiti. = I have to study.

This is about aspect, which is very important in Croatian.

• spremati = imperfective, focusing on the process or repeated action
• spremiti = perfective, focusing on completing the action

Here, the speaker means save the file completely, as a finished action, before doing something else. That is why spremiti is natural.

Compare:

• Moram spremiti datoteku. = I need to save the file.
• Spremam datoteku. = I am saving the file / I’m in the process of saving the file.

Since the sentence is about completing one action before another, the perfective verb fits well.

Because datoteku is the accusative singular form of datoteka.

The verb spremiti takes a direct object, and direct objects are often in the accusative case.

• nominative: datoteka = file
• accusative: datoteku = file

So:

• Datoteka je velika. = The file is big.
• Spremam datoteku. = I am saving the file.

Since datoteka is a feminine noun, its accusative singular usually ends in -u.

Prije nego što means before in the sense of before I do something.

It introduces a clause:

• prije = before
• nego što = than / that (part of the fixed expression here)

Together, prije nego što is a common way to say before when a full clause follows.

Examples:

• Otišao sam prije nego što je počela kiša. = I left before the rain started.
• Nazovi me prije nego što kreneš. = Call me before you leave.

In your sentence:

• prije nego što ugasim računalo = before I shut down the computer

Again, this is about aspect.

• gasiti / gasim = imperfective, shutting off as a process or habit
• ugasiti / ugasim = perfective, to switch off completely

In this sentence, the meaning is before I shut the computer down completely, so the perfective form ugasim is preferred.

Compare:

• Gasim računalo. = I am shutting down the computer.
• Ugasim računalo i odem. = I shut down the computer and leave.

Because the sentence talks about a completed future action after another completed action, ugasim is very natural.

This is very common in Croatian. After conjunctions such as prije nego što, Croatian often uses the present tense form to refer to a future action.

So although ugasim is grammatically present, in this context it means:

• before I shut down the computer

not

• before I am shutting down the computer

This happens especially with perfective verbs. Croatian often uses the present form of a perfective verb where English would use a future-like meaning in a subordinate clause.

Yes, you may hear both prije nego and prije nego što.

Both are common, and both can mean before.

So these are both possible:

• Moram spremiti datoteku prije nego što ugasim računalo.
• Moram spremiti datoteku prije nego ugasim računalo.

The version with što is very common and often sounds a bit fuller or more standard to learners.

Yes, Croatian word order is fairly flexible, although some orders sound more natural than others.

The given sentence is the most neutral and natural:

• Moram spremiti datoteku prije nego što ugasim računalo.

You could also move parts for emphasis, for example:

• Prije nego što ugasim računalo, moram spremiti datoteku.

This puts more emphasis on the before shutting down the computer part.

So the meaning stays the same, but the focus can shift depending on word order.

Yes, računalo is the standard Croatian word for computer.

You may also hear kompjuter, especially in informal speech or influenced by English, but računalo is the more standard and preferred Croatian term.

So:

• računalo = standard Croatian
• kompjuter = informal/colloquial borrowing

In writing, teaching materials, and more formal Croatian, računalo is usually the better choice.

A simple pronunciation guide:

• prije ≈ pree-yeh
• spremiti ≈ SPREH-mee-tee
• računalo ≈ RAH-choo-nah-loh

A few useful notes:

• j in Croatian is pronounced like English y in yes
• č is like ch in church
• ije in prije can be tricky for learners, but thinking pree-yeh is a good start

Stress in Croatian is not usually marked in normal writing, and learners are often understood even if stress is not perfect.

Sometimes, yes, depending on context. But spremiti datoteku is a very natural way to say save a file.

The verb spremiti has a broad meaning: to put away, prepare, save, store, depending on context.

In computer language, it works well for saving a file.

You may also encounter other expressions in technical contexts, but for everyday Croatian, spremiti datoteku is a good and idiomatic choice.

It breaks down like this:

• Moram = I must / I have to
• spremiti = save
• datoteku = the file / a file
• prije nego što = before
• ugasim = I shut down / I turn off
• računalo = the computer

So the structure is:

Moram + infinitive + object + prije nego što + subordinate clause

A similar pattern would be:

• Moram završiti posao prije nego što odem. = I have to finish the work before I leave.
• Moram nazvati Ivanu prije nego što krenem. = I have to call Ivana before I go.

This is a very useful sentence pattern in Croatian.