……
Breakdown of Bevor der Kurs begann, füllte jeder einen kurzen Fragebogen aus.
beginnen
to begin
bevor
before
jeder
everyone
kurz
short
der Kurs
the course
ausfüllen
to fill out
der Fragebogen
the questionnaire
Questions & Answers about Bevor der Kurs begann, füllte jeder einen kurzen Fragebogen aus.
Why is the verb begann placed at the end of the clause “Bevor der Kurs begann”?
Because Bevor is a subordinating conjunction. In German, subordinate clauses introduced by words like bevor, weil, dass etc. always move the finite verb to the very end.
Why is begann in the simple past tense rather than the present perfect?
German often uses the simple past (Präteritum) for narration, especially in written or formal contexts. Here it creates a clear sequence: first the course started, then everyone filled out a questionnaire.
Why is jeder used without a noun or article?
Jeder can function as a pronoun meaning “each one” or “everyone.” It replaces a noun (e.g. “every participant”) and takes noun‐like behavior, requiring the appropriate case ending if needed. Here it’s the subject of the main clause.
What case is einen kurzen Fragebogen and why?
It’s accusative, because ausfüllen takes a direct object. Fragebogen is masculine, so the indefinite article ein becomes einen, and the adjective kurz takes the weak ending -en after the article.
Why does the adjective kurzen end with -en instead of -en or another ending?
After an indefinite article (einen) in the masculine accusative, adjectives follow the weak inflection pattern, which requires -en. So kurzer Fragebogen (strong) → einen kurzen Fragebogen (weak).
Why is the separable verb ausfüllen split into füllte…aus?
In main clauses, German separates the prefix (aus) from the stem (füllen). The finite part (füllte) appears in the second position, and the prefix (aus) goes to the end of the clause.
Why is there a comma between “begann” and “füllte”?
A comma is mandatory between a subordinate clause (“Bevor der Kurs begann”) and the main clause (“füllte jeder … aus”). It clearly marks the boundary between clauses.
Can I reverse the order of clauses, and if so, what changes?
Yes. You can start with the main clause:
Jeder füllte einen kurzen Fragebogen aus, bevor der Kurs begann.
The subordinate clause still uses verb‐final order and you still need a comma before bevor.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do German cases work?”
German has four grammatical cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object), and genitive (possession). The case determines the form of articles and adjectives. For example, "the dog" is "der Hund" as a subject but "den Hund" as a direct object.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GermanMaster German — from Bevor der Kurs begann, füllte jeder einen kurzen Fragebogen aus to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions