לפני ביקורת הביטחון, כדאי להכין את הדרכונים ואת הכבודה ליד הדלפק.

Here לפני means before in a time sense: before the security check.

It can also mean in front of, depending on context. For example:

• לפני הבניין = in front of the building
• לפני הבדיקה = before the inspection

In your sentence, because it is followed by an event, ביקורת הביטחון, the meaning is clearly temporal: before.

This is a very common Hebrew structure called סמיכות (the construct state), where two nouns are linked together.

So:

• ביקורת = inspection / check
• הביטחון = the security

Together, ביקורת הביטחון means the security check or security screening.

Hebrew often prefers this compact noun+noun structure where English might use:

• security check
• check of security
• security inspection

Using של would usually sound less natural here.

Because in a construct phrase like ביקורת הביטחון, the definiteness is usually marked on the second noun, and it makes the whole phrase definite.

So:

• ביקורת ביטחון = a security check
• ביקורת הביטחון = the security check

Even though ביקורת itself does not have ה-, the whole expression is definite because הביטחון is definite.

כדאי means something like:

• it’s advisable
• it’s a good idea
• it’s worth doing
• you should (in a softer sense)

So כדאי להכין means it’s advisable to prepare or it’s a good idea to get ready.

It is softer than a strict command. Compare:

• כדאי להכין = it’s a good idea to prepare
• צריך להכין = it is necessary to prepare / you need to prepare

So this sentence sounds helpful and practical, not forceful.

After כדאי, Hebrew normally uses an infinitive.

So the pattern is:

• כדאי + infinitive

Examples:

• כדאי ללכת = it’s a good idea to go
• כדאי לבדוק = it’s worth checking
• כדאי להכין = it’s a good idea to prepare

If you want to say who the advice is for, you can add that separately:

• כדאי לכם להכין... = it’s advisable for you all to prepare...
• כדאי לך להכין... = it’s advisable for you to prepare...

In your sentence, the subject is general or implied.

Yes, להכין means to prepare, to get ready, or to have something ready.

In this sentence, it means something like:

• to get the passports and luggage ready
• to have them prepared and accessible

At an airport, this often implies not just mentally preparing, but physically making them easy to show or use.

את marks a definite direct object in Hebrew.

It usually has no separate English translation, but it tells you that the following noun is the thing directly affected by the verb.

So in:

• להכין את הדרכונים = to prepare the passports
• להכין את הכבודה = to prepare the luggage

both הדרכונים and הכבודה are definite direct objects.

A very important point: את is used before definite nouns, such as nouns with ה-, names, pronouns, and similar forms.

Because Hebrew often repeats את when there are two coordinated definite direct objects.

So:

• את הדרכונים ואת הכבודה

is the clearest and most standard form.

In English, you would not notice anything special here, but in Hebrew this repetition helps clearly mark both nouns as direct objects of להכין.

Great question. כבודה is a collective noun. Even if it refers to several bags or pieces of luggage, Hebrew often treats it as a singular mass/collective noun.

So:

• כבודה = luggage / baggage

This is similar to English words like luggage or furniture, which are grammatically singular even when they refer to multiple items.

By contrast:

• הדרכונים is a regular plural noun = the passports

So the sentence mixes a plural noun and a collective singular noun naturally.

ליד הדלפק means near the counter or next to the counter.

The parts are:

• ליד = near / next to / by
• הדלפק = the counter / desk

At an airport, דלפק often means a service counter such as a check-in counter or another official desk.

So this phrase tells you where to prepare the passports and luggage.

Yes. In many situations, ליד and על יד can both mean next to / near / by.

So both of these can work:

• ליד הדלפק
• על יד הדלפק

In modern Hebrew, ליד is very common and compact. It fits well in practical instructions like this one.

Yes, there is an implied you, but it is not stated directly.

Hebrew often uses impersonal expressions like כדאי + infinitive to give general advice:

• כדאי להכין... = it’s advisable to prepare...

This can mean:

• you should prepare...
• passengers should prepare...
• it’s recommended to prepare...

So the sentence sounds like a general instruction addressed to travelers, without naming them directly.

The given order is very natural:

• לפני ביקורת הביטחון = time frame first
• כדאי להכין = the advice
• את הדרכונים ואת הכבודה = what to prepare
• ליד הדלפק = where

Hebrew word order is somewhat flexible, but this version sounds smooth and standard for an announcement or instruction.

For example, you could move parts around for emphasis, but the original sentence is probably the most natural neutral wording.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

lifNEI bikOret ha-bitachON, kedAI lehachIN et hadrakhonIM ve-et hakvudA leyAD hadELpek

A few useful stress points:

• לפני → stress on -nei
• ביקורת → stress on -ko-
• הביטחון → stress on -chon
• כדאי → stress on -dai
• להכין → stress on -chin
• הדרכונים → stress on -nim
• הכבודה → stress on -da
• הדלפק → stress on -del-

You do not need a perfect accent right away; the most important thing is recognizing the structure of the sentence and where the stress falls.