Πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής, αποθήκευσα το κείμενο και έκανα ένα αντίγραφο.

Before the computer shut down, I saved the text and made a copy.

Breakdown of Πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής, αποθήκευσα το κείμενο και έκανα ένα αντίγραφο.

• και: and
• πριν: before
• ένα: one
• ο υπολογιστής: the computer
• το κείμενο: the text
• αποθηκεύω: to save
• σβήνω: to shut down
• κάνω αντίγραφο: to make a copy

Questions & Answers about Πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής, αποθήκευσα το κείμενο και έκανα ένα αντίγραφο.

Why does the sentence start with Πριν and what grammar does it trigger?

Πριν means before and introduces a time clause. In Greek, time clauses with πριν often take the subjunctive (typically with να), because they refer to an event that had not happened yet at the time of the main action.

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Why is it Πριν σβήσει and not Πριν σβήνει?

σβήσει is aorist subjunctive (perfective aspect): it treats the shutdown as a single complete event (before it shuts down).
σβήνει would be present indicative and would sound like a general/habitual or “in-progress” idea (before it is shutting down), which is not what this sentence is aiming for.

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Where is να? I thought it should be πριν να σβήσει.

Both are possible:

• πριν να σβήσει = very common, explicit subjunctive marker
• πριν σβήσει = also common (especially in more concise styles), with να omitted
  They mean the same here.

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What exactly is σβήσει (form and dictionary verb)?

σβήσει comes from σβήνω (to switch off / to go out / to erase, depending on context).
Form breakdown:

• σβήσει = 3rd person singular, aorist subjunctive
  So Πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής = Before the computer switches off/shuts down.

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Why is it ο υπολογιστής and not τον υπολογιστή?

Because ο υπολογιστής is the subject of σβήσει (the computer is doing the shutting down), so it is in the nominative case.
τον υπολογιστή would be accusative and would imply it’s an object, which doesn’t fit with σβήνει/σβήσει in this meaning.

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What tense are αποθήκευσα and έκανα?

Both are aorist indicative (simple past, completed actions):

• αποθήκευσα = I saved
• έκανα = I made/did
  The aorist is the normal choice for a sequence of completed past actions.

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Why does αποθήκευσα have -σα at the end?

Many Greek verbs form the aorist with a -σα- marker (often called the sigmatic aorist).
αποθηκεύω → αποθήκευσα is a very typical pattern meaning a completed past action (I saved).

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Why is it το κείμενο but ένα αντίγραφο?

It’s about definiteness:

• το κείμενο = the text (a specific text both speaker and listener can identify)
• ένα αντίγραφο = a copy (introducing it as a new/indefinite item)
  You could also say το αντίγραφο if a particular known copy is meant.

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Is έκανα ένα αντίγραφο a fixed expression? Could I say it differently?

Yes, κάνω ένα αντίγραφο is a very common, natural collocation for make a copy. Alternatives include:

• έβγαλα ένα αντίγραφο (very common, especially for printing/photocopying)
• αντέγραψα (I copied), but it can emphasize the copying action rather than “making a backup/copy”

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Why is there a comma after ο υπολογιστής?

Greek commonly uses a comma after a fronted subordinate clause for readability: Πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής, ...
It’s similar to English: Before the computer shut down, ...

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Does the word order matter? Could I move things around?

Greek word order is flexible. This version is neutral and clear. You could also say, for example:

• Αποθήκευσα το κείμενο και έκανα ένα αντίγραφο πριν σβήσει ο υπολογιστής.
  That puts the time clause at the end; the meaning stays essentially the same, with slightly different emphasis.

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How do you pronounce the tricky parts, especially σβήσει?

Key points:

• Πριν ≈ prin
• σβ- at the start is pronounced like zv in Modern Greek (so σβήσει starts roughly zv-)
• υπολογιστής stress is on the last syllable: -στής
  Stress marks (accents) show you exactly where the emphasis goes: σβήσει, αποθήκευσα, έκανα, αντίγραφο.