Before the car hit it

[Khemehekis]

We saved the dog before the car hit it. [The denotation here is that the car did not hit the dog.]

Kankonian:

Wir teminen karaph kaluk yehade hakek wan.
/wir tʰɛˈminɛn kʰaˈrar̼ kʰaˈluk jɛˈhade ˈhakɛk wan/
we save+PAST dog before car hit+STAGNATIVE it

[Cordoma]

Teune:

Deuspe die kaere smieted die mutte, sie wie afthelped.
Before the car (to hit)-PAST the dog, It We (to help up)-PAST.

[Xing]

Waʻtē

Ko katu ā ‘ma ta tuki tā mo‘tu ā ta ka‘na (xí)
[ko̞ kat̪ aː mːa t̪a t̪ɯki t̪aː mo̞t̪ː aː t̪a kan̪ːa (ʔiː)]
PRFT save ERG 1PL DEG dog ABL hit ERG DEF car (3SG)
"We saved the dog from the car hit (it)"

[Visinoid]

Subjunctive! That's my favorite mood in all languages. :3 It always messes up the conjugation.


Nous avons sauvé (sauvâmes) le chien avant que la voiture (ne) le frappe (frappât).
we have.1PL.PRES saved.MASC the.MASC dog before that the.FEM car (not) him hit.SUBJ
or
Nous avons sauvé (sauvâmes) le chien avant qu'il ne soit (fût) frappé.
we have.1PL.PRES saved.MASC the.MASC dog before that he not be.SUBJ hit.PART.MASC


Salvamos el perro antes de que el carro lo pegara.
save.PAST.1PL the.MASC dog before of that the.MASC car him hit.PAST.SUBJ
or
Salvamos el perro antes de que fuera pegado.
save.PAST.1PL before of he be.PAST.SUBJ hit.PART.MASC

French Past Subjunctive: Only used in books nowadays.
French Old Simple Past

[thetha]

Vietnamese
Con chó thì tôi cứu trước khi xe có thể đụng.
CLF dog TOP 1PERS save before time car have potential collide
We saved the dog before the car hit it.

-Có thể is a verb used in Vietnamese to express the possibility of an event happening. Without this verbal particle here, it would sound like you saved the dog from something, and then the car hit it.
-Vietnamese has a plethora of words that mean 'hit', but this one, đụng is the one you would use for a car hitting something.
-Vietnamese is strongly pro-drop, and since the dog is the topic in my translation, I can just go without antecedents to it in later parts of the sentence, because it's obvious by context what the meaning is.
-There's no functional grammatical number in Vietnamese, so it's necessary to simply use the first person pronoun tôi here.

[taylorS]

Mekoshan

PS = Perfective Stem

Vivsevdai dsēz dag pòr aikauvèkai dsē rōkar.
[ˈvifsevdaj ʦeːz dak pʰɒʕ ˈajkʰawvɛkʰaj ʦɛː ˈʕɔːkʰɑʕ]
vi-v-sevd-ai dsēz dag pòr ai-kau-vèk-ai dsē rōkar
1PL.NOM-PFV-save.PS-3SG.N.ACC DEF.ACC dog before 3SG.N.NOM-PFV.COND-hit.PS-3SG.N.ACC DEF.NOM car

[Omzinesý]

Does any language distinguish the situation where the dog is hit though it's saved?

[thetha]

Sure, just take out the có thể in the Vietnamese translation.

[Khemehekis]

Does any language distinguish the situation where the dog is hit though it's saved?

Yes, in Kankonian, you would change:

Wir teminen karaph kaluk yehade hakek wan.
/wir tʰɛˈminɛn kʰaˈrar̼ kʰaˈluk jɛˈhade ˈhakɛk wan/
we save+PAST dog before car hit+STAGNATIVE it

to:

Wir teminen karaph kaluk yehade haken wan.
/wir tʰɛˈminɛn kʰaˈrar̼ kʰaˈluk jɛˈhade ˈhakɛn wan/
we save+PAST dog before car hit+PAST it

[Ehecatl12]

Rinaki

kasha vewestoho kwerum, pembeywem mpfoyyoyoloyn.
/kaːʃa vewestoːho kʷeːrum, pembejːwem mpfojjojoːlojn/
Car-AGT Smash-IMPERF-Intensifier before, Dog-PAT save-PERF-BENE
before the car hit the dog was saved.

[DanH34]

We saved the animal before the car hit it. (The car did not hit the animal.)

zvilaik kielef gOnzhben hwauth [mef] vwoteugzidil gOumfanoeps

zv-il-aik kiel-ef g-Onzhbe-n h-wauth [m-ef] vwot-eugz-id-il g-Oumfa-n-oe-ps
1+2+3-ERG-PL.ANDR animal-ACC.SG.MASC PAST-save-SIMPLE subordinator-ANTERATIVE [3.INAN-ACC.SG.MASC] small.group-wheeled.vehicle-small-ERG.SG.MASC PAST-strike-SIMPLE-IRREALIS-can

"We saved the animal before the car could strike [it]." With the 3rd-person inanimate personal pronoun implying that the speaker is not particularly emotionally attached to the animal in question.

Alternately, 'g-Oumfa-n-oe-ps' (could.strike.PAST) could be replaced with 'g-l-Oumfa-n-oe-tth' (would.strike.PAST.PERFECT) to give 'We saved the animal before the car would have struck it'.

Dan

[Imralu]

Swahili:

Tulimwokoa mbwa kabla gari halijamgunga.
tu-li-mw-oko-a mbwa kabla gari ha-li-ja-m-gung-a
1p-PST-1-save-Ø dog(1) before car(5) NEG-5-not.yet-1-collide-Ø
We saved the dog before the car hit it.
(Literally more like "We saved the dog before the car hadn't hit it yet.")

[Parlox]

Pod
Ttåmy by atod våroćisa ńid ǵóttansa póṭa dan.
[ʈɑmi pʼi atɑd vɑɹɑt͡ʃʼɪsa ŋɪd kʼɤʈansa pɤtʼa dan]
save.TRANS-PER multiple 1ST.NOM valur-DEF hit.TRANS car-DEF before 3RD.NEU.ACC
We saved the dog before the car hit it. (lit, multiple i saved the valur the car before hit it)

(Valurs are beagle-like creatures that exist on my conworld, Sorpear.)

Makǔdorın
Y̌ǔmsun ats muǰǒn yına sahsǔm ke ats gomaǰ gomez
[ɟʌmsɯn at͡s mɯd͡ʒɘn cina saxsʌm kɛ at͡s gɤmad͡ʒ gɤmɛz]
help.TRANS-PRES.ACT.TRANS PROX dog 1ST.NOM-PLUR(W) hit.TRANS-PAST.PASS.TRANS 3RD.NEU.ACC PROX car before
We saved the dog before the car hit it. (lit, We helped that dog that car before hit it)

[Davush]

Both the gerund and past tense can be used, but it is ambiguous whether the car did/did not hit the dog. The gerund is considered more 'correct'.

rarshi ăsh zuazuda-n miava-nda, cuan-a á-năths-un.
/ɾaɾʃi ǝʃ dzu:ǝdzudan mi:ǝvanda ku:ǝna a:nǝθsun/

wagon 3p.ACC hit.GER-GEN before-CONJ, dog-ACC PAST-save-1pl
'before the wagon's hitting it (and) we saved the dog'

Qutrussan prefers to link clauses with the suffix -anda which I call a generic 'connective' suffix. There is probably a more fitting name for it, though.

[Iyionaku]

German

Wir haben den Hund gerettet, bevor ihn das Auto überfahren hätte.
[viɐ̯ ˈhaːbən den hʊnt gəˈʁɛtʰət, bəˈfɔɐ̯ ʔiːn das ˈʔaʊ̯tʰo ˌʔyːbɐˈfaːɐn ˈhɛtʰə]
1PL.NOM AUX.PST.1PL DEF.MASC.ACC dog save.PP, before 3SG.MASC.ACC DEF.NEUT.NOM car drive_over.PP AUX.PST.COND.PST.3SG
We saved the dog before the car hit it.

The German verb for "to hit" is "treffen" in this context, but somehow it felt weird to use it in this context. For some reason, the verb "überfahren" (to drive over so./sth.) is always used for a collision between a vehicle and a passenger, even if the latter is only brushed by the former.

Yélian

Yipamest a'teriys desiy diyilacveit un'aélico.
[ɕɨˈpaːməst ɐˈteːɾa̯iːʃ ˈdeːsa̯iː dɨɕɨˈlakvɛɪ̯t ʉnaˈeːlɨko]
PST-save-1PLEX DEF.ANIM=dog before COND-PST-hit-INV.COND.3SG.ANIM DEF.INAN=car
We saved the dog before it were hit by the car.

Caelian

Rer taruit siwutersiz vorwapif kalrej Tang tistükimnas.
[rɛh tʰaˈrʊɪ̯t ʒi.utɛɾˈʒis vɔɾwaˈpʰiɸ kʰalˈrɛj tʰaŋ tʰiʃtʰykʰimˈnaʃ]
1SG.NOM dog.ACC PST-save.1PLEX>3SG before car.NOM 3SG.FEM.ACC COND.PST-hit.3SG>3SG-can
We saved the dog before the car hit it.

Ular

狗兽得保维有咱就去得德砗惹为岩负能它。
Wónkūng tā phú'āj jù lár mûlhù tā tájāng ôr nùnglhó kă pár tōn.
[ʊɔn˥kuŋ˧ tɛ˧ pʰu˥aj˧ ju˩ lɛɹ˥ mu˥ʟu˩ tɛ˧ tɛ˥jaŋ˧ ɔɹ˧˥ nyŋ˩ʟɔ˥ ka˥˧ pɑɹ˥ tɔn˧]
dog TOP save PST 1PL before TOP car cause hit suffer can 3SG.NEUT
We saved the dog before the car hit it.

Bath'aso

Shels khek dronabz parnul zar khats parnřokuzh krħedstshkedzhizt.
[ʂɛls kʰɛk ˈdrɔnɐbz pɑɾnul zɑɾ kʰɑt͡s ˈpɑɾnuluʐ krʕɛdstʂkɛ͡dʐizt]
POT PERF save=1PL.ERG dog-likable.ABS NEG hit dog-scared-INDR carriage-artificial-threatening-INST
We could save the dog [we like it very much] so the dog [we were scared for it] was not hit by a car [that was threatening].

Paatherye

वौ तेऌप़ कड़ू मा क्वाड़़ ठोम मे त्रायाठ फामि क्रुतू ध्रा.
Wey telpan karū mā kwāran thēma me trāyātha phāmi krutū dhrā.
[wei̯ ˈtelpan ˈkaruː maː ˈkwaːran ˈtʰeːma me traːˈjaːtʰa ˈpʰaːmi ˈkrutuː θraː]
1PL.NOM AUX.AOR.1PL save.PP DEF.FEM.ACC dog.ACC before DEF.MASC.NOM car.NOM AUX.AOR.COND.3SG hit.PP 3SG.FEM.ACC
We have saved the dog before the car would have hit it.

[Alessio]

Italiano
Abbiamo salvato il cane prima che la macchina lo colpisse.
/ab'bjaːmo sal'vaːto il 'kaːne 'priːma ke la 'makkina lo kol'pisse/
abb-iamo salv-ato il cane prima che la macchina lo colp-isse
have-1PL save-PART.PASS DET.MS dog before that DET.FS car 3SG.M.OBJ hit-3SG.SUBJ.PAST

The subjunctive mood is used, since the action didn't happen, and is thus purely hypothetical; however, "prima che" always needs to be followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood, so this isn't particularly noticeable in this sentence. If the car had hit the dog, you'd have to turn the whole sentence around to make it evident; a possible way to do so would be "we saved the dog, but then the car hit it" (abbiamo salvato il cane, ma poi la macchina l'ha colpito).
As a side note: probably the verb "investire" (so "investisse") is more appropriate than "colpire", although less literal (it means "to run over").

[Parlox]

H̱ěrkxaas̱ǐ
H̱oṟtěr nǐs e koḵao fǔvv̌aatěr e ṯǔis̱e ṯutra toṟ
[ʀɤʟtəɹ nʌs ɛ kɤqaɤ fɯvwɑtəɹ ɛ θɯiʃɛ θut͡ɹ̥a tɤʟ]
save.TRANS-PAST.PER 1ST.ERG.COL DEF dog-ACC.SGV strike.TRANS-PAST.PER DEF car-ERG.SGV-TI before 3RD.NEU.ACC
We saved the dog before the car hit it. (lit, We saved the dog the car before strikes it)

[Evynova]

K'anerhtówhí

Aninnúhakính wishénn at'anirhúk hénk'erek'árrh.
/ɑnɪnːuhɑkʏn̥ wɪsʰœnː ɑt’ɑnɪr̥uk hœn̥k’ɛrɛk’ɑr̥ː/
Ani-m=núha=ak-ính wishén=m at'a=ani-rh-úk hénk'erek'an=rh
3SG.NH-OBL=save=NP-1PL dog=OBL strike=3SG.NH-GEN-ALL car-GEN

We saved the dog before the car hit it

The dog "possesses" the hit from the car; the car "possesses" its hit.
Towards the hitting used to mean "before", as in leading up to the hit
Car is "wolfless-wheel-sledge"
Dog is "care-wolf"

[Void]

Ûzmeklen kiras athar amjutkung rihém ires.
[ˈyːzme̞kle̞n ˈkirɑs ˈɑθɑr ˈɑmjutkuŋ ˈriçe̞ːm ˈire̞s]
rescue-1PL.PST dog-ACC before run.over-3SG.PST-SUBJ car 3SG.IN-ACC
"We saved the dog before the car hit it."

[Creyeditor]

German

Wir haben den Hund gerettet, bevor ihn das Auto überfahren hätte.
[viɐ̯ ˈhaːbən den hʊnt gəˈʁɛtʰət, bəˈfɔɐ̯ ʔiːn das ˈʔaʊ̯tʰo ˌʔyːbɐˈfaːɐn ˈhɛtʰə]
1PL.NOM AUX.PST.1PL DEF.MASC.ACC dog save.PP, before 3SG.MASC.ACC DEF.NEUT.NOM car drive_over.PP AUX.PST.COND.PST.3SG
We saved the dog before the car hit it.

Anfahren (lit. do drive on or to drive against s.th.) is another verb that would fit here, right?