Breakdown of Перед экзаменом дыши глубже.
перед
before
экзамен
the exam
дышать
to breathe
глубже
more deeply
Questions & Answers about Перед экзаменом дыши глубже.
What case is экзаменом, and why is it used after перед?
Экзаменом is in the instrumental case.
The preposition перед (“before / in front of”) normally takes the instrumental case, both:
in spatial meanings:
- перед домом – in front of the house
- перед школой – in front of the school
and in temporal meanings (as here):
- перед экзаменом – before the exam
- перед уроком – before the lesson
The noun экзамен (nom.) → экзаменом (instr. sing.).
So the form is completely regular: перед + instrumental.
What is the difference between перед экзаменом and до экзамена?
Both can be translated as “before the exam”, but there is a nuance:
- до экзамена (+ genitive) – more neutral, “before the exam (at any time before it)”.
- перед экзаменом (+ instrumental) – often suggests shortly before the exam, close in time, like “right before / just before the exam”.
In your sentence, перед экзаменом дыши глубже suggests “when the exam is about to start / just before going in, breathe more deeply.”
Why is there no word for “you”? Where is the subject?