1. One present-tense form
Greek has no separate present continuous form. Πίνω can mean “I drink” or “I am drinking.”
- το νερό — water
- τώρα — now
- κάθε μέρα — every day
Πίνω νερό τώρα.
I'm drinking water now.
Πίνω νερό κάθε μέρα.
I drink water every day.
2. The six persons: πίνω (to drink)
The verb changes its ending depending on who does the action. Greek often leaves out the subject pronoun because the verb ending tells us who it is.
| Person | Greek | English |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | πίνω | I drink |
| εσύ | πίνεις | you drink (singular) |
| αυτός / αυτή / αυτό | πίνει | he / she / it drinks |
| εμείς | πίνουμε | we drink |
| εσείς | πίνετε | you drink (plural / polite) |
| αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά | πίνουν(ε) | they drink |
Notice the common endings: -ω, -εις, -ει, -ουμε, -ετε, -ουν(ε).
Πίνουμε νερό.
We drink water.
Πίνουν νερό.
They drink water.
3. Two more useful verbs
μένω (to live / stay) follows the same endings. έχω (to have) is similar but has a few different forms.
μένω (to live / stay)
| Person | Greek | English |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | μένω | I live / stay |
| εσύ | μένεις | you live / stay (singular) |
| αυτός / αυτή / αυτό | μένει | he / she / it lives / stays |
| εμείς | μένουμε | we live / stay |
| εσείς | μένετε | you live / stay (plural / polite) |
| αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά | μένουν(ε) | they live / stay |
- η Ελλάδα — Greece
- η Αθήνα — Athens
Learn στην Ελλάδα (in Greece) and στην Αθήνα (in Athens) as whole expressions for now.
Μένω στην Ελλάδα.
I live in Greece.
Μένουμε εδώ.
We live here.
έχω (to have)
| Person | Greek | English |
|---|---|---|
| εγώ | έχω | I have |
| εσύ | έχεις | you have (singular) |
| αυτός / αυτή / αυτό | έχει | he / she / it has |
| εμείς | έχουμε | we have |
| εσείς | έχετε | you have (plural / polite) |
| αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά | έχουν(ε) | they have |
Έχουμε ένα παιδί.
We have a child.
Η Μαρία έχει ένα σπίτι.
Maria has a house.
Greek normally uses the definite article before people’s names.
4. Questions
To ask a yes/no question, keep the same verb form and use a questioning tone.
Μένεις στην Αθήνα;
Do you live in Athens?
Έχεις ένα παιδί;
Do you have a child?
5. Negatives
- το αυτοκίνητο — car
To make a negative sentence, put δεν before the verb.
Δεν μένω στην Αθήνα.
I don't live in Athens.
Δεν έχω αυτοκίνητο.
I don't have a car.
6. Practice exercises
Translate into Greek. Use the present tense.
-
He lives in Athens.
-
You drink water every day. (Singular.)
-
We don't live here.
-
He is drinking water now.
-
I have a book.
-
She has a cat.
-
They have a child.
-
Do you (plural / polite) have a car?
-
Are you drinking water now? (Plural or polite.)
-
I don't drink water.
Show answers
Suggested answers; other natural translations may also be possible.
- Μένει στην Αθήνα.
- Πίνεις νερό κάθε μέρα.
- Δεν μένουμε εδώ.
- Πίνει νερό τώρα.
- Έχω ένα βιβλίο.
- Έχει μια γάτα.
- Έχουν ένα παιδί.
- Έχετε αυτοκίνητο;
- Πίνετε νερό τώρα;
- Δεν πίνω νερό.