Prima di uscire, mi cambio e mi vesto con calma.

I

Breakdown of Prima di uscire, mi cambio e mi vesto con calma.

• con: with
• e: and
• la calma: the calm

Questions & Answers about Prima di uscire, mi cambio e mi vesto con calma.

Why is it prima di uscire and not a conjugated verb like prima di esco?

Because after prima di in Italian, you normally use the infinitive when the subject is the same as in the main clause.

• Prima di uscire = before going out / before I go out
• uscire is the infinitive: to go out

In this sentence, the person who goes out is the same person who changes clothes and gets dressed, so Italian uses the infinitive.

If the subject changes, Italian usually uses a full clause instead:

• Prima che lui esca, mi cambio. = Before he goes out, I get changed.

So:

• prima di + infinitive = same subject
• prima che + subjunctive = different subject

What does uscire mean exactly here?

Here uscire means to go out or to leave the house / leave for somewhere.

It is a very common verb in Italian:

• Esco adesso. = I’m going out now.
• Vuoi uscire stasera? = Do you want to go out tonight?

In this sentence, prima di uscire means before going out, usually in the everyday sense of getting ready before leaving.

Why are there two mi forms: mi cambio and ?