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Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.
I go outside for a moment before I go to sleep.

Breakdown of Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

ich
I
gehen
to go
bevor
before
schlafen gehen
to go to sleep
kurz
briefly; for a moment
raus
out
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Questions & Answers about Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

Why is raus separated from gehe?

Because rausgehen is a separable verb: gehen + the particle raus (out).
In a main clause with a simple verb form, the conjugated verb (gehe) goes in position 2, and the separable particle (raus) goes to the end:

  • Ich gehe ... raus.

In infinitive form or in subordinate clauses with the verb at the end, they stay together:

  • Ich will kurz rausgehen.
  • ..., bevor ich kurz rausgehe. (also possible)
What does kurz mean here, and where can it go in the sentence?

Here kurz means briefly / for a moment / for a short time: you’re stepping outside only for a short while.
Its placement is flexible, but it usually sits near what it modifies:

  • Ich gehe kurz raus. (most common)
  • Ich gehe raus, kurz bevor ich schlafen gehe. (different structure and emphasis)
  • Kurz gehe ich raus... (possible, but sounds marked/emphatic)
Why are there two gehes? Isn’t that repetitive?

It’s normal German structure rather than stylistic repetition. You have two different verbs/clauses: 1) Main clause: Ich gehe ... raus.
2) Subordinate clause: bevor ich schlafen gehe.

German often uses gehen with activities like schlafen to mean go to (do something), i.e. go to sleep / go to bed. It’s not considered awkward repetition.

Why does the verb go to the end in bevor ich schlafen gehe?

Because bevor introduces a subordinate clause. In German subordinate clauses, the conjugated verb typically goes to the end:

  • ..., bevor ich schlafen gehe.

Compare:

  • Main clause word order: Ich gehe kurz raus.
  • Subordinate clause word order: ..., bevor ich schlafen gehe.
What is the function of the comma?

German normally requires a comma before subordinate clauses:

  • Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

So the comma is not optional in standard writing.

Could I say bevor ich schlafe instead of bevor ich schlafen gehe?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

  • bevor ich schlafe = before I am asleep / before I sleep (as an activity)
  • bevor ich schlafen gehe = before I go to sleep / before I go to bed

The original emphasizes the transition/decision to go to bed, which is what people usually mean here.

Why is present tense used even though it refers to the future?

German commonly uses the present tense to talk about near-future plans, especially with time context:

  • Ich gehe kurz raus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

It’s like English I’m going out before I go to sleep—also present forms referring to planned future actions.

Is raus informal? What would be more formal?

raus is common and slightly informal/colloquial (very normal in speech). A more neutral or formal option is hinaus:

  • Ich gehe kurz hinaus, bevor ich schlafen gehe.

Both are correct; raus just sounds more everyday.

Could I replace bevor with ehe or vor(her)?

Often, yes:

  • ..., ehe ich schlafen gehe. = similar to bevor, slightly more formal/literary.
  • ..., bevor ich schlafen gehe. = most common everyday choice.

vorher works differently; it’s an adverb, not a subordinating conjunction:

  • Ich gehe kurz raus. Vorher gehe ich schlafen. (doesn’t mean the same)
  • Better with vorher: Ich gehe kurz raus und gehe vorher noch kurz an die frische Luft. (different nuance)

For this clean “before” relationship between two actions, bevor is the standard pick.

Is schlafen gehen the same as ins Bett gehen?

They overlap but aren’t identical:

  • schlafen gehen = go to sleep / go to bed with the intention of sleeping
  • ins Bett gehen = go to bed (could be to sleep, but also to rest, read, etc.)

So bevor ich schlafen gehe slightly more strongly implies you’re about to sleep.

Can the order of the two clauses be reversed?

Yes. If the bevor-clause comes first, it forces verb-first inversion in the main clause (because the first position is taken by the subordinate clause):

  • Bevor ich schlafen gehe, gehe ich kurz raus.

Both versions are natural; the original version simply starts with the main action.