Breakdown of Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
Questions & Answers about Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
Because bevor is a subordinating conjunction.
In German, a subordinating conjunction sends the finite verb (the conjugated verb) to the end of its clause.
So you must say:
- Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
not - Bevor ich kaufe ich, …
The comma separates a subordinate clause from the main clause.
- Bevor ich kaufe = subordinate clause
- vergleiche ich die Preise = main clause
In German, a comma is required between these two clauses.
No. That word order is incorrect.
After bevor, you need the subject and then the verb at the end of the clause:
- Correct: Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
- Incorrect: Bevor kaufe ich, …
No.
Bevor is a subordinating conjunction, so it introduces something that depends on another clause.
Bevor ich kaufe means Before I buy, which sounds incomplete in English too – you expect something like … I compare prices.
You always need a main clause to complete the thought.
In German, the present tense is very often used for future actions, especially when the context is clear:
- Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
= Before I will buy, I compare prices.
Using werde kaufen would sound more formal or emphatic and is usually not necessary here.
German, like English, can sometimes leave out an object when it is clear from context or not important.
Bevor ich kaufe is like saying Before I buy (anything).
You can absolutely say:
- Bevor ich etwas kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
That just makes the meaning a bit more explicit.
bevor is a conjunction and introduces a clause with a subject and a verb:
- Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
vor is a preposition and is followed by a noun (or pronoun), not a full clause:
- Vor dem Kauf vergleiche ich die Preise.
You cannot say vor ich kaufe; you must say bevor ich kaufe.
Because the speaker is talking about more than one price (often the prices in different shops).
- der Preis = the price (singular)
- die Preise = the prices (plural)
In the sentence, die Preise is accusative plural (direct object of vergleichen):
Ich vergleiche die Preise.
Yes, that is correct and very natural.
- Bevor ich kaufe, … = Before I buy (in general)
- Bevor ich etwas kaufe, … = Before I buy anything, …
The second version emphasizes that it applies to any purchase.
Yes, that is also correct and often used.
Both sentences are fine:
- Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
- Ich vergleiche die Preise, bevor ich kaufe.
The meaning is the same; only the focus changes slightly. Starting with Bevor ich kaufe emphasizes the sequence more strongly.
When a sentence does not start with the subject (here it starts with Bevor ich kaufe), the finite verb still has to be in second position in the main clause.
So we count the first element as one big block:
- Bevor ich kaufe (first position)
- vergleiche (second position, the verb)
- ich
- die Preise
Therefore: Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
If the main clause came first, you would say: Ich vergleiche die Preise, bevor ich kaufe.
No.
In the main clause, German requires the finite verb in second position, not the subject. You cannot simply put ich after the comma.
Correct options are:
- Bevor ich kaufe, vergleiche ich die Preise.
- Ich vergleiche die Preise, bevor ich kaufe.