Quikie

[アシカス]

Hi,　I just wanted to make sur ethis was right, as I'm putting it in my speech for school：

ひるごはんをたべることがで前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげました。

Does it mean:　Before eating luｎch, we gave Rebecca presents.　？？
　
Also, is there a way that　I could make it say:　Before we could eat lunch, we had to give Rebecca presents.？

Thanks for the help!

[spin13]

ひるごはんをたべることがで前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげました。
Before eating luｎch, we gave Rebecca presents.

たべる前に

Before we could eat lunch, we had to give Rebecca presents.

What looks simple in English isn't quite as simple in Japanese.
ひるごはんをたべさせてもらえる前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげなければならなかった。

[Hyperworm]

Be aware of nuances in play here though.

The English version

Before we could eat lunch, we had to give Rebecca presents.

can be interpreted as either

Before lunchtime came around, there still remained the matter of giving Rebecca presents.

(speaking with reference to the day's schedule; fairly neutral) or

Before we were allowed to eat lunch, we were required to give Rebecca presents.

(implies that you did not want to give Rebecca presents or that you are only doing it to get lunch)

Personally I can't help but read the Japanese version

ひるごはんをたべさせてもらえる前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげなければならなかった。

as the second one...

[writebook]

Be aware of nuances in play here though.

The English version

Before we could eat lunch, we had to give Rebecca presents.

can be interpreted as either

Before lunchtime came around, there still remained the matter of giving Rebecca presents.

(speaking with reference to the day's schedule; fairly neutral) or

Before we were allowed to eat lunch, we were required to give Rebecca presents.

(implies that you did not want to give Rebecca presents or that you are only doing it to get lunch)

Personally I can't help but read the Japanese version

ひるごはんをたべさせてもらえる前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげなければならなかった。

as the second one...

Right. The Japanese translation here makes it sound like there's someone holding back your meal, and you have to do what s/he says (give the present to Rebecca) to get permission to eat.

We need context to translate it properly. What was the situation that made you have to give the present first?

[アシカス]

We were at her B'day party, and...

ひるごはんに　レベッカのりょうしん　は　バーベーキューを　りょうりしました。　その上　おなかが　すいていましたかれ　いいにおい　だとおもいました。　しかし、ひるごはんをたべさせてもらえる前に、レベッカにプレゼントをあげなければならなかった。

Does that fit in the context? I think it's more, I wanted to get the present-giving out of the way so we could eat lunch, because I was hungry and it smelt good.

Thanks! That's helped already.