Прежде чем смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления.

Before watching a movie, I will turn off the notifications.

Breakdown of Прежде чем смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления.

• я: I
• смотреть: to watch
• прежде чем: before
• уведомление: the notification
• отключить: to turn off
• фильм: movie

Questions & Answers about Прежде чем смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления.

Why is there a comma after фильм?

Because Прежде чем смотреть фильм is an introductory subordinate clause (before doing X). In Russian, a subordinate clause like this is normally separated by a comma from the main clause:
Прежде чем смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления.
If you put the main clause first, the comma still usually appears:
Я отключу уведомления, прежде чем смотреть фильм.

Why does Russian use an infinitive смотреть, not a conjugated verb like “before I watch…”?

Russian often uses прежде чем + infinitive when the subject is the same in both actions (here, я does both: watching and turning off). It’s like “Before watching the movie, I’ll…”
If the subjects are different, Russian typically uses a finite verb:

• Прежде чем ты будешь смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления. (you watch; I turn off)

What’s the difference between Прежде чем смотреть фильм and Прежде чем посмотреть фильм?

It’s mostly aspect/meaning:

• смотреть (imperfective) = the activity/process of watching (during watching / as I’m about to start watching).
• посмотреть (perfective) = to watch as a completed whole (to watch through / to have watched).

In this sentence, смотреть фильм sounds natural because it’s about the general activity of watching the movie.

Why is it я отключу, not я отключаю?

Отключу is the future form of the perfective verb отключить (a one-time completed action): “I will turn off (and it will be off).”
Отключаю is present of imperfective отключать, meaning “I’m turning off / I turn off (habitually).”

So:

• я отключу уведомления = I’ll turn them off (once, in the future).
• я отключаю уведомления = I’m turning them off (right now) / I (usually) turn them off.

How do I know отключу is future if it looks like a present tense form?

In Russian, perfective verbs do not have a true present-tense meaning. Their “present-looking” forms are used as simple future:

• отключу (perfective) = I will turn off
  Compare:
• отключаю (imperfective) = I am turning off / I turn off

What case is уведомления, and why is it in that form?

Уведомления here is accusative plural (direct object: what you turn off). For inanimate nouns, accusative plural usually matches nominative plural:

• уведомления (Nom. pl.) = notifications
• уведомления (Acc. pl.) = notifications (as an object)

Singular would be:

• уведомление (one notification) → я отключу уведомление (Acc. sg.)

Can I drop я?

Yes. Russian often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person:

• Прежде чем смотреть фильм, отключу уведомления.
  This sounds slightly more casual/neutral. Keeping я can add a bit of emphasis or clarity.

Is the word order flexible? Could I say Я отключу уведомления прежде чем смотреть фильм?

Word order is flexible, but punctuation matters. Common options:

• Прежде чем смотреть фильм, я отключу уведомления. (very natural)
• Я отключу уведомления, прежде чем смотреть фильм. (also natural) Without the comma, it looks wrong because прежде чем... introduces a subordinate clause.

Is Прежде чем formal? What are alternative ways to say “before”?

Прежде чем is neutral to slightly formal/bookish, very common in writing and careful speech. Alternatives:

• Перед тем как смотреть фильм, ... (very common, neutral)
• До того как начну смотреть фильм, ... (a bit heavier; emphasizes “before I start”)
• Перед фильмом = “before the movie” (more like before the event, not necessarily “before watching”)

How is this sentence pronounced / where is the stress?

Common stresses:

• прЕжде чем смотрЕть фильм, я отключУ уведомлЕния.
  Notes:
• чем is pronounced like “chem” (with a soft “ch” sound).
• отключУ has stress on the last syllable.

Why is фильм in accusative, and how does that affect its form?

Because it’s the direct object of смотреть (“to watch what?”). Фильм is masculine inanimate, and its accusative singular equals nominative singular, so the form doesn’t change:

• Nom: фильм
• Acc: фильм
  You’ll see a change with animate masculine nouns (e.g., смотреть актёра would be different in form than nominative).

Could this mean “Before watching the movie, I will disable notifications (forever)”?

By default, it implies “turn off (for the time being / for this situation).” Russian doesn’t force you to specify duration here; context does. If you want to make “for the duration of the movie” explicit, you could say:

• На время фильма я отключу уведомления.
• Пока буду смотреть фильм, отключу уведомления.