Eu quero decidir antes de dormir.

I want to decide before sleeping.

Breakdown of Eu quero decidir antes de dormir.

• eu: I
• querer: to want
• antes: before
• dormir: to sleep
• decidir: to decide

Questions & Answers about Eu quero decidir antes de dormir.

Why is antes de dormir used here instead of something like antes que eu durma?

The phrase antes de dormir is a more direct way of saying before sleeping. It's the standard, concise form used in Brazilian Portuguese when indicating something happens before the act of sleeping. The form antes que eu durma is also correct, but it's more formal and less colloquial. Both convey a similar meaning, but antes de dormir sounds more natural in everyday speech.

Why do we say decidir right after quero without any linking word like "a" or "para"?

In Portuguese, a verb that immediately follows another verb (like quero) is typically in the infinitive—so you use decidir instead of decido, decide, etc. No extra preposition (a, para) is needed in this structure. It's common to see [subject] + querer + [infinitive verb] to express something you want to do.

Is the placement of antes de dormir flexible in the sentence?

Yes, you could move antes de dormir to the beginning or end, such as Antes de dormir, eu quero decidir. The meaning remains the same, though starting with antes de dormir might place more emphasis on the time aspect (i.e., before sleeping).

Can I omit Eu at the beginning of the sentence?

Yes, Portuguese often allows dropping the subject pronoun when it's clear who the subject is. You could say Quero decidir antes de dormir, and it would still be correct since the verb form quero makes it clear that the subject is the first person singular (eu).

Why is antes followed by de here?

In Portuguese, antes is typically followed by de + the infinitive form of a verb when expressing that an action happens before another action. The de is part of the standard pattern for antes de + [infinitive].