nisi, quamquam, antequam, priusquam (Unless, Although, Before)

Unless, Although, Before

Level 4

Use nisi, quamquam, antequam and priusquam with an ordinary verb for facts.

How It Works

Word	Meaning	Example
nisi	unless, if not	Nisi venis, discedo.
quamquam	although	Quamquam fessus erat, ridebat.
antequam	before	Antequam Marcus intravit, Iulia cantabat.
priusquam	before	Priusquam discedo, te saluto.

Ante and prius are sometimes written apart from quam: ante ... quam.

Quamquam introduces a fact that is true, which is why its verb is indicative.

Nisi makes the whole condition negative: Nisi venis, discedo means I leave if you do not come.

All four words state a fact when the verb is in the indicative. With the subjunctive these words say something different, and that comes at Level 5.

Nisi venis, discedo.
Unless you come, I leave.
Nisi with the present indicative.
Quamquam fessus erat, ridebat.
Although he was tired, he laughed.
Quamquam states a fact, so the verb erat is indicative.
Antequam Marcus intravit, Iulia cantabat.
Before Marcus came in, Iulia was singing.
Antequam takes the perfect indicative intravit.
Priusquam discedo, te saluto.
Before I leave, I greet you.
Priusquam takes the present indicative discedo.
Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam.
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
From Psalm 126:1. Nisi is followed by aedificaverit, read here as the future perfect. The same spelling can also be a subjunctive, which comes at Level 5.

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

nisi, quamquam, antequam, priusquam (Unless, Although, Before)Level 4Unless, Although, Before

These words start clauses like si and the time words, so both come first.

nisiquamquamantequampriusquam

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