Я їм сніданок перед тим як я йду на роботу.

I eat breakfast before I go to work.

Breakdown of Я їм сніданок перед тим як я йду на роботу.

• я: I
• їсти: to eat
• йти: to go
• робота: the work
• сніданок: the breakfast
• на: to
• перед тим як: before

Questions & Answers about Я їм сніданок перед тим як я йду на роботу.

Why is the verb їм used here instead of a perfective form like з’їм or a past-tense з’їв?

їм is the imperfective present-tense form of їсти (“to eat”) for “I.”
• Imperfective verbs describe ongoing or habitual actions (here “I eat breakfast”).
• The perfective form з’їсти has no true present tense—its so-called “present” я з’їм actually means “I will eat” (future).
• If you wanted to say “I have eaten breakfast” (completed action), you’d use the past perfective: Я з’їв сніданок.

What does перед тим як mean, and why can’t we just say перед + noun or перед + infinitive?

перед тим як is a subordinating conjunction meaning “before (the time) that…,” used to link two clauses.
• перед + noun (e.g. перед роботою) only forms a noun phrase (“in front of” or “before [something in time]”).
• To introduce a clause with its own verb (я йду), Ukrainian needs “before that as”: перед тим як.
• You could also say до того як or перш ніж, which serve the same function (see a later question).

Do we need a comma in this sentence? If so, where should it go?

Yes. In Ukrainian, subordinate clauses are set off by commas. The standard punctuation is:
Я їм сніданок, перед тим, як я йду на роботу.
• Comma before перед тим marks the start of the subordinate clause.
• Comma after тим is part of the fixed conjunction перед тим, як.
Many writers simplify to one comma:
Я їм сніданок, перед тим як я йду на роботу.

Why is the present-tense йду used to talk about going to work after breakfast (i.e. a future action)?

In Ukrainian, the imperfective present can express habitual actions or general truths—just like in English “I eat breakfast before I go to work.”
• Here it’s a routine: you habitually go to work after breakfast, so both verbs are present.
• If you wanted to speak of a single future trip, you’d choose the perfective future: я піду на роботу (“I will go to work”).

Why do we say на роботу and not до роботи or у роботу? What case is роботу?

на + accusative expresses direction (“to/toward”).
• робота is feminine; its accusative singular is роботу.
• йти на роботу is the everyday idiom for “to go to work.”
• до роботи (genitive) would literally mean “toward the location of work,” but it’s not the standard collocation here.

Can we omit the second я before йду на роботу? If so, why is it optional?

Yes. In Ukrainian subject pronouns are usually optional because verb endings show person and number.
• йду already means “I go,” so you can simply say перед тим як йду на роботу.
• You might keep я for emphasis or clarity, especially in longer sentences.

Are there alternative ways to say “before I go to work” in Ukrainian?

Yes. Other common conjunctions for “before” + clause:
• перш ніж (e.g. перш ніж я йду на роботу) – shorter, fairly colloquial/formal.
• до того як (e.g. до того як іти на роботу) – more literary, often used with an infinitive: до того як іти.
All three are interchangeable in meaning; choice depends on style and register.

Can we change the word order and put the “before” clause first?

Absolutely. Ukrainian allows fronting the subordinate clause:
Перед тим як я йду на роботу, я їм сніданок.
or more concisely
Перед тим як йду на роботу, я їм сніданок.
Remember to place a comma after the introductory time clause.