Archive for 'Grammar'
Untangling the Greek Personal Pronouns Posted by Ourania on Apr 4, 2017
In Greek, there are different pronouns for the direct and indirect object.This topic is very confusing, especially when we try to translate directly from English. In this post, there are examples the use of the personal pronoun used as the object of the verb. Feel free to leave a comment if you have a question! Direct…
Native language interference in learning Greek Posted by Ourania on Mar 30, 2017
When we speak a foreign language, it is not unusual to translate directly from our native language. In this post, there are examples of phrases translated from English and the correct way of saying the same thing in Greek. The correct sentences are translated literally from Greek to English. I drove to work: Οδήγησα στη…
Accusative case: Quiz for beginners Posted by Ourania on Mar 22, 2017
The topic of the last post was the use of the accusative case as a direct object. In this post there is a quiz for beginners: you should find the right translation to the English sentences. Καλή επιτυχία! Would you like a coffee? α. Θέλετε ένας καφές; β. Θέλετε έναν καφέ; My brother is here…
Examples of the accusative case Posted by Ourania on Mar 16, 2017
In this post, there is a list of 15 common verbs followed by nouns in the accusative case (αιτιατική). It is a topic hard to explain, especially to students who are not familiar with syntax terms. Below, there are some examples of nouns in the accusative case and the common mistakes that students make when…
Question vs request confusion Posted by Ourania on Feb 28, 2017
Greek learners often mix up the use of ρωτάω and ζητάω. Both verbs mean “to ask”. In the examples below, you can see the use of these verbs. Ρωτάω (question) Ο Νίκος ρώτησε τι ώρα είναι. Nikos asked the time (lit: Nikos asked what time it was). Η Σοφία ρώτησε πού είναι η Μαρία. Sophia…
Make a wish in Greek Posted by Ourania on Feb 15, 2017
We all make wishes in our everyday life. If you want to express a hope or wish in Greek, this post might be useful. Phrases Tenses Μακάρι Παρατατικός (Past Continuous) Τι καλά Αόριστος (Past Simple) Θα ήθελα να (μην) Συνεχής Υποτακτική (Subj. Continuous) Θα μου άρεσε Απλή Υποτακτική (Simple Subj.) Θα μου άρεσε Παρακείμενος…
Transitive and Intransitive Greek Verbs Posted by Ourania on Jan 30, 2017
In this post there is a list of common verbs that can be used with a direct object or without one. The object shows the person or the thing the action of the verb affects. When a verb is used without an object , it is the action of the verb that is important. ανοίγω…