Breakdown of Antaŭ ol mi dormas, mi trinkas teon por ripozi pli bone.
mi
I
bone
well
ripozi
to rest
por
to
pli
more
trinki
to drink
antaŭ ol
before
dormi
to sleep
teo
the tea
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Questions & Answers about Antaŭ ol mi dormas, mi trinkas teon por ripozi pli bone.
What does the phrase antaŭ ol mean, and why is it constructed that way?
The phrase antaŭ ol translates to "before" in English. In Esperanto, when introducing a subordinate clause that indicates a time relationship (like “before I sleep”), antaŭ (before) must be paired with the conjunction ol to connect the clause (mi dormas) to the main part of the sentence.
Why does teo become teon in this sentence?
In Esperanto, the direct object of a sentence must take the accusative ending -n. Here, teon is the accusative form of teo ("tea") because it is the object of the verb trinkas ("drinks").
What role does the word por play in por ripozi pli bone?
The preposition por is used to express purpose or intent. In this sentence, por ripozi pli bone means “in order to rest better” and explains why the speaker drinks tea before sleeping.
How is the comparative adverb pli bone formed, and what does it indicate?
Pli means “more” or indicates a comparative, while bone is the adverbial form (adverbs in Esperanto typically end in -e) of bona (“good”). Together, pli bone means “better” by showing an improvement in the quality of resting.
Why is there a comma after antaŭ ol mi dormas?
The comma separates the subordinate clause (antaŭ ol mi dormas) from the main clause (mi trinkas teon por ripozi pli bone). This makes the sentence structure clearer by signaling a pause and delineating the two parts.
Is it necessary to repeat the subject mi in both clauses?
Yes. In Esperanto, each clause generally contains its own subject to maintain clarity. Even though the same subject carries out both actions in the sentence, mi is stated in both the subordinate clause (mi dormas) and the main clause (mi trinkas teon…) to avoid any ambiguity.