Chinese phrase
你能在〜之前完成吗？ nǐ néng zài 〜 zhī qián wán chéng ma
Meaning
Can you finish by ___?
When to use it
Asks if a task can be finished by a stated time. It is a polite way to check whether a deadline is possible.
Example dialogue
这个翻译 你能在 今天下班 之前完成吗？ zhè ge fān yì nǐ néng zài jīn tiān xià bān zhī qián wán chéng ma
Can you finish this translation before you leave work today?
抱歉，今天可能做不到，能不能延到明天？ bào qiàn jīn tiān kě néng zuò bú dào néng bù néng yán dào míng tiān
Sorry, I may not be able to finish it today. Can we move it to tomorrow?