Greek has no single all-purpose equivalent of English let's or let. This page is only a choice grid: use a bare first-person plural to move the group, να to put a proposal up for approval, and ας to propose more softly or to allow and concede. Formation, aspect, negation, and the wider meanings of both particles remain on the linked owner pages.
The three-way grid
| Conversational job | Choice | Stance | Compact model |
|---|---|---|---|
| move an included group toward action | bare 1st plural | decisive or energetic | Φεύγουμε! |
| float a proposal and seek agreement | να + 1st plural | consultative | Να φύγουμε; |
| soften or concede a group proposal | ας + 1st plural | proposing, accommodating, or resigned | Ας φύγουμε. |
| allow a third person to act | ας + 3rd person | permissive, delegating, or dismissive | Ας φύγει. |
| proceed despite a circumstance | κι ας / ας είναι | concessive acceptance | Κι ας βρέχει. |
| give advice or a soft instruction | να | directive, not permission | Να προσέχεις. |
The first three rows rank conversational stance, not politeness levels or grammatical correctness. All three forms can be neutral among friends or colleagues. The remaining rows keep third-person permission and concession with ας, while separating directive να.
For one group destination, compare the three stances directly:
Πηγαίνουμε στο μικρό εστιατόριο δίπλα στην πλατεία!
piyénume sto mikró estiatório dhípla stin platía
Let's go to the little restaurant by the square! (decisive group move)
Να πάμε στο μικρό εστιατόριο δίπλα στην πλατεία;
na páme sto mikró estiatório dhípla stin platía;
Shall we go to the little restaurant by the square? (asks for agreement)
Ας πάμε στο μικρό εστιατόριο, αφού προτιμάς κάτι ήσυχο.
as páme sto mikró estiatório, afú protimás káti ísicho
Let's go to the little restaurant, since you'd prefer somewhere quiet. (softened or conceding proposal)
The bare plural presents the group as moving toward a decision. Να πάμε; hands the decision to the other participants. Ας πάμε still proposes the trip, but easily accommodates “all right then” or “we may as well,” especially when the following context gives somebody else's preference.
With a third person, both particles can head grammatical clauses, but they make different moves. Ας μιλήσει πρώτα η Μαρία grants or accepts Maria's turn; Να μιλήσει πρώτα η Μαρία directs that she should go first.
Ας μιλήσει πρώτα η Μαρία.
as milísi próta i María
Let Maria speak first. (permission or delegation)
Να μιλήσει πρώτα η Μαρία.
na milísi próta i María
Maria should speak first. (a directive)
For concession, choose ας, often in κι ας:
Θα περπατήσω ως το σπίτι, κι ας βρέχει.
tha perpatíso os to spíti, ki as vréchi
I'll walk home even though it's raining.
Ας είναι ακριβότερο· τουλάχιστον θα κρατήσει χρόνια.
as íne akrivótero· tuláchiston tha kratísi chrónia
So be it if it's more expensive; at least it will last for years.
Standalone να also gives advice and softened instructions. In that job it is not competing with permissive or concessive ας:
Να προσέχεις στον δρόμο και να μου γράψεις όταν φτάσεις.
na proséchis ston dhrómo ke na mu ghrápsis ótan ftásis
Take care on the road and message me when you arrive. (advice and warm instruction)
Common Mistakes
- Treating the proposal forms as a politeness ladder. They chiefly encode whether the group is being moved, consulted, or accommodated; relationship and context determine politeness.
- Treating third-person να as impossible. It is grammatical as a directive; it simply does not grant permission in the way ας does.
- Extending this grid into formation rules. Aspect, negation, and the particles' other functions belong to the three owner pages linked above.
Key Takeaways
- Bare first plural moves an included group: decisive “let's.”
- να + first plural, especially as a question, asks the group to approve a proposal.
- ας softens or concedes a proposal and supplies third-person permission; κι ας / ας είναι mark concession.
- Third-person να is possible as a directive, but it is not the permissive choice.
- For aspect, negation, formation, and wider functions, follow the three owner links rather than extending this compact grid.
Related Topics
- The Particle ας (let / let's)B1 — ας + subjunctive covers 'let's', 'let me' and 'let him / them', often with a permissive or resigned stance; it also forms concessions and, with a past tense, sharp reproaches. It is negated with μη(ν), and its aspect follows the ordinary bounded-versus-internal contrast.
- Standalone να: Wishes and Softened CommandsB1 — να can open a main clause with no verb in front of it — carrying wishes and blessings (Να ζήσεις! Να 'σαι καλά), gentle advice softer than a command (Να πας στον γιατρό), and, with an accent, the pointing Νά! (there it is).
- First-Person Commands With ας / ναB1 — The Greek imperative is only second-person, so first-person proposals use a ranked inventory: bare plural Πάμε! for a decisive move, Να πάμε; for consultation, Ας πάμε for a softened or conceding proposal, and να/ας formulas for 'let me'. Negative proposals take μη(ν).