kaigi no mae ni, uketuke de namae wo kakimasu.

の links 会議 and 前 and makes 前 specify in front of / before what.

• 会議 = meeting
• 前 = before / in front

So:

• 会議の前 = before the meeting

You can think of this pattern as:

• A の 前 = before A
• A の 後 = after A

Examples:

• 授業の前 = before class
• 昼ご飯の後 = after lunch

The に marks the time point before which or at which something happens.

So:

• 会議の前に、名前を書きます。
  = I write my name before the meeting.

With time expressions like this, に often appears after words such as:

• 前に = before
• 後に = after

It helps show that the action happens at that time relation.

A useful comparison:

• 会議の前 can sometimes just be a noun phrase: before the meeting
• 会議の前に more clearly marks when the action happens: before the meeting, ...

で marks the place where an action happens.

So:

• 受付で名前を書きます。 = I write my name at the reception desk.

Here, the action 書きます happens at reception, so で is the natural particle.

Compare:

• 学校で勉強します。 = study at school
• カフェで食べます。 = eat at a café

So in this sentence:

• 受付で = at the reception / at the front desk

Usually, in this sentence, 受付で is the better choice because you are describing where the action of writing happens.

• 受付で名前を書きます。 = write your name at reception

に is usually used for things like:

• destination: 受付に行きます = go to reception
• existence: 受付に人がいます = there is a person at reception
• target/recipient in some cases

So:

• 受付に名前を書きます sounds unnatural for the meaning here
• 受付で名前を書きます is the normal phrasing

Japanese often uses the literal expression 名前を書く, which means write one’s name.

So even if English might say:

• sign in
• write your name
• fill in your name

Japanese commonly says:

• 名前を書きます

Depending on context, it can function like sign in.

Related expressions:

• 名前を記入します = fill in/write in your name (more formal)
• サインします = sign (with a signature), but this is not always the same as simply writing your name

So in this sentence, 名前を書きます is natural and common.

を marks the direct object of the verb.

The verb here is:

• 書きます = write

What is being written?

• 名前 = name

So:

• 名前を書く = write a name
• 名前を marks name as the thing being written

This is a very standard pattern:

• 手紙を書く = write a letter
• 漢字を書く = write kanji
• 名前を書く = write one’s name

Japanese often leaves out the subject when it is clear from context.

So this sentence does not explicitly say:

• I
• you
• we
• people in general

It just says:

• Before the meeting, [someone] writes their name at reception.

In real use, the subject is usually understood from the situation. For example:

• in instructions, it may mean you
• when describing your own routine, it may mean I
• when explaining rules, it may mean participants/people

This kind of omission is very common in Japanese.

書きます can express both present/future depending on context.

Japanese non-past forms often cover both meanings:

• present habitual: I write
• future: I will write

In this sentence, it could mean things like:

• Before the meeting, I write my name at reception.
  (habit/routine or general procedure)
• Before the meeting, I’ll write my name at reception.
  (future event)

The exact meaning depends on context.

The sentence is read:

かいぎ の まえ に、うけつけ で なまえ を かきます。

Word by word:

• 会議 = かいぎ
• 前 = まえ
• 受付 = うけつけ
• 名前 = なまえ
• 書きます = かきます

So the full reading is:

かいぎ の まえ に、うけつけ で なまえ を かきます。

受付 can mean reception, front desk, or check-in desk, depending on context.

In this sentence, 受付で means something like:

• at the reception desk
• at the check-in desk
• at the front desk

It does not necessarily mean the person themselves; it often refers to the place or function of reception.

For example, at an office, event, or hospital:

• 受付で名前を書きます。
  = You write your name at the reception/check-in desk.

The comma separates the time phrase from the rest of the sentence:

• 会議の前に、 = before the meeting,
• 受付で名前を書きます。 = write your name at reception.

Japanese commas are often used more flexibly than English commas. This comma helps readability and shows a natural pause, but in many cases the sentence could also be written without it:

• 会議の前に受付で名前を書きます。

Both are understandable.

The sentence order can be changed more easily in Japanese than in English, as long as the particles stay correct.

Original:

• 会議の前に、受付で名前を書きます。

Also possible:

• 受付で会議の前に名前を書きます。
• 名前を受付で会議の前に書きます。

However, the original version sounds the most natural and easy to follow because it gives the information in a clear order:

1. when = before the meeting
2. where = at reception
3. what action = write your name

So while other orders are grammatically possible, the original is a very natural one.

前 can mean both in front and before, depending on context.

• with place/location meaning: 家の前 = in front of the house
• with time meaning: 会議の前 = before the meeting

In this sentence, because 会議 is an event, 前 is understood as a time expression:

• 会議の前 = before the meeting

So here it is before, not in front of.