Breakdown of Dobbiamo salvarla prima che ella parta.
partire
to leave
dovere
must
la
her/it (direct object)
salvare
to save
Questions & Answers about Dobbiamo salvarla prima che ella parta.
Why is ella used here instead of lei for "she"?
ella is a literary and highly formal subject pronoun. In modern everyday Italian, you will almost exclusively hear lei (or the pronoun will be dropped). However, you need to recognize ella for reading literature, historical texts, or bureaucratic writing. Its use here gives the sentence a dramatic, literary tone.
Could we drop ella entirely and just say prima che parta?
You could, but keeping it adds important clarity here. The present subjunctive form parta is identical for the first, second (formal), and third person singular (I, you, he, she). Because the subject changes from "we" (dobbiamo) to "she," including ella (or lei in spoken Italian) prevents ambiguity about exactly who is leaving.
Why is the verb parta (subjunctive) used instead of the indicative parte?
The conjunction prima che (before) is a strict trigger for the subjunctive mood. It requires the subjunctive because it describes an anticipated event that hasn't happened yet, meaning it is not yet a concrete reality. parta is the present subjunctive form of partire (to leave).
Why is la attached to the end of salvarla, and could it go elsewhere?