Learn Hardcore Korean: hoeui jeone hoeuisireseo jangbireul jeomgeomhaeyo. - I inspect the equipment in the meeting room before the meeting.

전에: attaches to a noun to mean “before [noun].” So 회의 전에 = “before the meeting.”
에서: marks the location where an action happens. 회의실에서 = “in/at the meeting room (doing something).”
를: marks the direct object. 장비를 = “equipment (as the thing being acted on).”

Why is it 회의 전에 and not 회의 전?

회의 전에 is an adverbial time phrase (“before the meeting”) used by itself.
회의 전 is more like a noun modifier (“pre-meeting”) and typically wants a following noun: e.g., 회의 전 점검 (“pre-meeting check”). If you stop there, it sounds incomplete.
You can topicalize: 회의 전에는… (“As for before the meeting, …”).

Can I say 회의하기 전에 instead of 회의 전에? Any nuance?

Both are natural and mean “before the meeting.”
회의 전에 uses the noun “meeting.”
회의하기 전에 uses the verbal noun “doing a meeting.” Slight nuance: it highlights the act of holding the meeting, but in practice they’re interchangeable. You may also see 회의를 하기 전에 (also fine).

Why 회의실에서 and not 회의실에?

Use 에서 for the place where an action occurs: 회의실에서 장비를 점검해요.
Use 에 for existence/location or destination: 회의실에 있어요 (“I’m in the meeting room”), or 회의실에 가서 장비를 점검해요 (“I go to the meeting room and check the equipment”).
Saying 회의실에 장비를 점검해요 is odd because 점검 is an action.

Can I change the order of time/place/object?

Default natural flow: [Time] [Place] [Object] [Verb] → 회의 전에 회의실에서 장비를 점검해요.
You can shuffle a bit for emphasis, but keep the verb last. Examples:
- 회의실에서 회의 전에 장비를 점검해요 (okay, but less typical).
- 장비를 회의 전에 회의실에서 점검해요 (focus on “equipment”).
Avoid separating the verb too far or piling many phrases in front unless for emphasis.

Who is the subject? How do I say “I” or “we”?

Korean often drops the subject when it’s clear from context. Here it could be I, we, etc.
To specify: 저는/우리는/저희는 회의 전에… 장비를 점검해요.
- 저는 = I (formal)
- 우리는 = we (neutral)
- 저희는 = we (humble/polite)

What nuance does 점검하다 have compared to 확인하다/검사하다/체크하다/살펴보다?

점검하다: inspect/check systematically (common with equipment, systems, facilities).
확인하다: confirm/verify a fact or status.
검사하다: examine/test (technical/medical/quality control).
체크하다: “to check” (casual loanword; everyday confirmations).
살펴보다: look over, review (less technical).

Is 장비 singular or plural? Do I need 들?

장비 is a mass/collective noun (“equipment”), so it covers singular/plural inherently.
Don’t add 들 unless you really want to stress multiple individual items (uncommon with mass nouns).
To be explicit: 여러 가지 장비 / 각종 장비 (“various equipment”).

Can I drop the object marker 를?

In casual speech, object markers are often omitted when context is clear: 장비(를) 점검해요.
You’ll also hear a noun-verb style: 장비 점검(을) 해요 (“do an equipment inspection”). Both are natural.

What exactly does the -해요 ending convey (tense/aspect)? Could it mean future?

-해요 is the polite present; it can express:
- Present/habitual: “(We) check (as a routine).”
- Near-future/scheduled: “(We) will check (before the meeting).”
Variations:
- Past: 점검했어요
- Progressive: 점검하고 있어요
- Planned future: 점검할 거예요

How do I say this more formally or make a polite request?

How do I say “after the meeting” instead?

회의 후에 / 회의가 끝난 후에 / 회의 끝나고 모두 자연스럽습니다.
- Example: 회의 후에 회의실에서 장비를 점검해요.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

회의 is pronounced like “hwe-ee” ([회이]); therefore 회의실 ≈ “hwe-ee-shil.”
전에 ≈ “juh-neh,” 에서 ≈ “eh-suh,” 장비를 ≈ “jang-bi-reul,” 점검해요 ≈ “jeom-geom-hae-yo.”
Keep the flow smooth; no extra stress on particles.

Does 에서 ever mean “from”? Is there any ambiguity here?

Yes, 에서 can mean “from” in ranges (서울에서 부산까지). But in this sentence it clearly marks the place of action (“in the meeting room”), not a starting point.
Context and verb type resolve the meaning. Here, 점검하다 is an action done at a location.