Clauses introduced by इससे पहले कि ... are used to express actions and events that are preceded or prevented by a prior action or event expressed in the main clause. In (1) for example the speaker's coming downstairs is preceded in time by Bhagat Ji's coming upstairs:
1. इससे पहले कि मैं नीचे आऊँ, भगतजी ख़ुद ही ऊपर आ गए ।
'Before I went downstairs, Bhagat Ji himself came upstairs.'
[https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0143100289 - p. 143]
In (2) the hearer is ordered to finish eating before someone arrives on the scene:
2. जल्दी खा लो... इससे पहले कि कोई आ जाए ।
'Hurry up and eat (this) before anybody comes.'
[kahani.hindyugm.com/2007/11/blog-post_12.html]
While the इससे पहले कि clause usually precedes the main clause in speech it expresses actions that follow the actions expressed in the main clause. On the basis of their meanings we may call the इससे पहले कि clause "posterior" and the main clause that follows it (in speech) "anterior". While not obligatory, the subjunctive is the mood of choice in इससे पहले कि ... clauses. Examples (1), (2) and (3) have the present subjunctive; example (4) has the past subjunctive (aka, counter-factual):
3. प्लीज़, इससे पहले कि पागल हो जाऊँ, कुछ कीजिए !
[naisadak.blogspot.com]
'Please do something before I go crazy !'
4. इससे पहले कि मेट्रो का दरवाज़ा बंद होता वह मेट्रो के अंदर पहुँच गया । [www.hindisamay.com]
'He got inside before the Metro door closed.'
Unlike the expression of posteriority in a clause introduced by जब तक, इससे पहले कि clauses very often have compound verbs in them, especially if they express discomfiting actions or events that are feared:
5. जल्द से जल्द अपने अपने प्री-आर्डर प्लेस कीजिये इससे पहले कि छूट वापस ले ली जाय.
'Everybody hurry up and place their pre-orders before the discount is withdrawn.'
6. इससे पहले कि उसे कोई और ले लेता, मैंने जल्दी से उसे खरीद लिया ।
'I snatched it up before anybody else could.'
If the इससे पहले कि clause simply indicates temporal posteriority then the non-compound is appropriate, as in (1), (4), and (7):
7. इससे पहले कि तुम मेरा हाथ देखो, अपना हाथ ठीक से देख लो ।
[www.samaylive.com]
'Before you look at my hand, take a careful look at yours.'
Compare the plain unemotional instruction in (7) with the command in (8) in which the speaker is anxious:
8. इससे पहले कि तुम्हें कोई यहाँ पर देख ले, तुम चले जाओ ! [bimleshtripathi.blogspot.com]
'Go away before somebody sees you here.'
For discussion and examples of the expression of fear and anxiety in the use of compound verbs see notes in section 27.
The इससे पहले कि construction alternates with the infinitive plus से पहले (ही). Even when expressing unwanted or feared events the V-ने से पहले (ही) construction rarely allows the infinitive to be compound. Compare the non-compound infinitive लेने in (9) with the compound verb ले लेती in (10):
9. समझदारी का तकाज़ा है कि विकराल रूप लेने से पहले ही समस्याएँ सुलझा ली जाएँ । [panchjanya.com]
'It's up to the wise to see to it that problems are solved before they get out of control.'
10. इससे पहले कि बात झगड़े का रूप ले लेती, प्रीती बीच में बोली, “तुम लोग सब चुप हो जाओ..... प्लीज़ सब शाँत हो जायें ।”
'Before the conversation turned into an argument Priti spoke, "Quiet all of you. Please calm down."'
As an alternant to इससे पहले कि speakers may also use उससे पहले (ही) which usually occurs after its dependent clause (shown in italics). Note the difference in word order [and punctuation] between (11) and (12):
11. इससे पहले कि मैं कुछ कहता, उसने इशारे से मुझे चुप करा दिया ।
'Before I could say anything she signaled me to keep silent.'
12. मैं कुछ और कहता, उससे पहले ही वह बाहर जा चुकी थी ।
'Before I could say anything more she had already gone out.
The जब तक ... तब तक ... construction is also used to express anteriority versus posteriority. (See notes.) When should which be chosen? In general we may say that if the bad precedes the good or renders it pointless then use जब तक :
13. दोनों की नींद जब तक खुली आग ने विकराल रूप ले लिया था।
[www.jagran.com]
'By the time they awoke the fire had turned into an inferno.'
If the good precedes [or prevents] the bad then use इससे पहले कि as in (14):
14. इससे पहले कि आग विकराल रूप ले पाती मौके पर पहुंची फायर ब्रिगेड ने आग पर काबू पाया । [www.amarujala.com]
'Before the fire could turn into an inferno the fire brigade showed up and brought it under control.'
There is yet one more construction that may be used to express anteriority vs. posteriority:
15. फ़ायर ब्रिगेड के पहुँचते-पहुँचते आग ने विकराल रूप ले लिया था । [adapted from www.prabhatkhabar.com]
'By the time the fire brigade arrived the fire had become a blazing inferno.'
For this construction see notes on reduplicated participles.
To exercise on इससे पहले कि ...
To index of grammatical notes.
To index of मल्हार .
Drafted and keyed in 1 Feb 2002. Posted 2 Feb 2002.
Mangalized and rewritten 10-13 Oct 2015. Augmented 25-26, 28-29 Oct 2015.
Vetted by सुनील भट्ट 30 Oct 2015.