chaseoneul bakkugi jeone banghyangjisideungeul kyeoyaman hapnida.

Before changing lanes, you absolutely must turn on the turn signal.

Breakdown of chaseoneul bakkugi jeone banghyangjisideungeul kyeoyaman hapnida.

• 하다: to do
• 전에: before
• 바꾸다: to change
• 방향지시등: the turn signal

Questions & Answers about chaseoneul bakkugi jeone banghyangjisideungeul kyeoyaman hapnida.

How can I break this sentence down piece by piece?

A natural breakdown is:

• 차선을 = 차선 (lane) + -을/를 (object marker)
• 바꾸기 전에 = before changing
• 방향지시등을 = turn signal/indicator + -을/를 (object marker)
• 켜야만 합니다 = must turn on

So the structure is basically:

[Before changing lanes] [the turn signal] [must be turned on].

Korean often puts the time/condition part first and the main action last.

Why are there two object markers, 차선을 and 방향지시등을?

Because there are really two verbs in the sentence:

1. 차선을 바꾸다 = to change lanes
2. 방향지시등을 켜다 = to turn on the turn signal

So each verb has its own object:

• 차선을 belongs to 바꾸기 전에
• 방향지시등을 belongs to 켜야만 합니다

This is very normal in Korean when one clause is embedded inside another.

Why is it 바꾸기 전에 instead of 바꾸다 전에?