They were sweethearts for ten years before they married.是什么意思？

They were sweethearts for ten years before they married.

他们结婚之前恋爱了十年。

they

pron. 他/她/它们，人们，大家，政府，当局，她们；

例句
The storms had abated by the time they rounded Cape Horn.
他们绕过合恩角时，暴风雨已经减弱。

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

sweethearts

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例句
They were sweethearts for ten years before they married.
他们结婚之前恋爱了十年。

for

prep. 为，为了，倾向于，关于，当作；conj. 因为，由于；

例句
I've come looking for a bit of advice.
我特来讨教。

ten

num. 十，十个，第十；n. 十个人，十点钟，十岁，十元纸币；

例句
She has a nephew who is just ten years of age...
她有一个才10岁的侄子。

years

n. 年( year的名词复数 )，年纪，一年的期间，某年级的学生；

例句
His wife was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for aiding and abetting him...
他的妻子作为他的从犯被判入狱7年。

before

prep. 在…之前，先于，优于，当着…的面，与其…；conj. 在…之前，在…以前，比…早些，与其…；adv. 先前，从前，在前，在前方；

例句
He pleaded guilty before a court martial to absenting himself without leave.
在军事法庭上他对自己擅离职守表示服罪。

married

adj. 已婚的，与…结为夫妻的，婚姻的；n. <非正>已婚的年轻人；v. （使）结婚( marry的过去式)，娶，嫁，紧密结合的；

例句
I married above myself — rich county people...
我高攀了一门亲事，是县里的富有人家。