German · A2 · Family moment
Before Your Next Cuddle in German
Before Your Next Cuddle: familiar baby-care steps in natural German. Use bevor (before) to explain which action happens first.
What you'll learn
- Describe everyday baby-care routines.
- Connect two actions with bevor.
- Put the conjugated verb at the end of a bevor clause.
German phrases for before your next cuddle
Ich wasche mir die Hände, bevor ich dein Fläschchen vorbereite.
I wash my hands before I prepare your bottle.
Vorbereite comes last in the bevor clause. German normally uses mir die Hände rather than meine Hände when describing washing your own hands.
Ich prüfe die Milch, bevor ich dir das Fläschchen gebe.
I check the milk before I give you the bottle.
Dir means 'to you': the baby receives the bottle. Gebe comes at the end.
Ich wechsle deine Windel, bevor wir nach draußen gehen.
I change your nappy before we go out.
Nach draußen gehen means 'to go outside.' With wir, use gehen at the end.
Ich prüfe das Wasser, bevor ich dich in die Badewanne setze.
I check the water before I put you in the bath.
Dich means 'you' as the direct object. In die Badewanne describes movement into the bath.
Ich hole dein Handtuch, bevor wir mit dem Baden anfangen.
I get your towel before we start your bath.
Holen means 'to get' or 'to fetch.' Anfangen stays together at the end of the bevor clause.
Wir schauen uns ein Buch an, bevor du schlafen gehst.
We look at a book before you go to sleep.
Sich etwas anschauen means 'to look at something.' In schlafen gehst, the conjugated verb gehst comes last.
Ich setze dir deine Mütze auf, bevor wir das Haus verlassen.
I put on your hat before we leave the house.
Jemandem eine Mütze aufsetzen means 'to put a hat on someone.' Dir shows that you put it on the baby.
Ich mache deine Gurte fest, bevor ich den Kinderwagen schiebe.
I fasten your straps before I push the pram.
Festmachen means 'to fasten.' In the main clause, it separates: mache … fest.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
das Fläschchen
baby bottle
A common word for a baby's feeding bottle. Nouns ending in -chen are neuter.
prüfen
to check
Useful for checking milk or bath water.
die Windel
nappy; diaper
Eine Windel wechseln means 'to change a nappy.'
die Badewanne
bath; bathtub
Names the tub itself. Das Baden means the activity of bathing.
das Handtuch
towel
Dein Handtuch means 'your towel.'
die Mütze
hat; cap
Commonly used for a baby's soft or warm hat.
der Gurt; die Gurte
strap; straps
Here, these are the pram's safety straps.
der Kinderwagen
pram; stroller
After schieben, use den Kinderwagen because it is the direct object.
Using bevor to order two actions
Bevor means 'before' and introduces a subordinate clause. The action in the main clause happens first. Separate the clauses with a comma and put the conjugated verb at the end of the bevor clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First action | Subject + conjugated verb + other words | Ich prüfe die Milch. |
| Later action | bevor + subject + other words + conjugated verb | bevor ich dir das Fläschchen gebe |
| Complete sentence | Main clause, bevor clause. | Ich prüfe die Milch, bevor ich dir das Fläschchen gebe. |
Separable verbs and verb pairs
A separable verb stays together in a bevor clause. If there are two verbs, the conjugated verb comes last.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Separable verb in a main clause | fange … an | Ich fange mit dem Baden an. |
| Separable verb after bevor | bevor … anfange | Ich hole dein Handtuch, bevor ich mit dem Baden anfange. |
| Two verbs | bevor … schlafen gehst | Wir schauen uns ein Buch an, bevor du schlafen gehst. |
Starting with bevor
You can put the bevor clause first without changing the order of the actions. After the comma, begin the main clause with its conjugated verb, followed by its subject.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bevor clause first | Bevor + subject + … + verb, main-clause verb + subject + … | Bevor wir nach draußen gehen, wechsle ich deine Windel. |
More examples
Ich hole deine Mütze, bevor wir nach draußen gehen.
I get your hat before we go out.
Getting the hat happens first; going outside happens later.
Bevor ich dich in die Badewanne setze, prüfe ich das Wasser.
Before I put you in the bath, I check the water.
Setze ends the bevor clause. Prüfe comes immediately after the comma.