English for, about, to + verb, and in order to overlap in ways that Greek does not. Use για + an accusative noun phrase for a recipient, topic, intended use, occasion, or nominal purpose. Use για να + a finite verb when a clause states an explicit goal; after a motion verb, plain να + verb is also standard and often lighter.
The decision table
| What follows | Meaning | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| noun or strong pronoun | for, about, intended for | για + accusative |
| finite verb stating a purpose | in order to, so that | για να + verb |
| finite purpose verb after motion or directed action | go/come/run/drop by to do something | plain να is common; για να is also possible |
Αυτό το πακέτο είναι για την κυρία Παπαδοπούλου.
aftó to pakéto íne ya tin kiría Papadhopúlu
This parcel is for Mrs Papadopoulou.
Άφησα το πακέτο στη ρεσεψιόν για να το παραλάβει η κυρία Παπαδοπούλου.
áfisa to pakéto sti resepsión ya na to paralávi i kiría Papadhopúlu
I left the parcel at reception so that Mrs Papadopoulou could collect it.
The first για governs the noun phrase την κυρία Παπαδοπούλου. The second introduces a clause: παραλάβει is a fully conjugated third-person verb. English can place for in both translations, but Greek marks a phrase and a purpose clause differently.
για + noun phrase
Before a noun or strong pronoun, για is a preposition and the complement is accusative. The phrase can name a beneficiary, topic, intended use, event, destination, or planned duration. This page only asks what kind of complement follows; the full meaning inventory belongs on the preposition για page.
Μιλήσαμε για τη μετακόμιση μέχρι αργά το βράδυ.
milísame ya ti metakínisi méchri arghá to vrádhi
We talked about the move until late in the evening.
Χρειάζομαι ένα ζεστό μπουφάν για το ταξίδι στη Φλώρινα.
chriázome éna zestó bufán ya to taksídhi sti Flórina
I need a warm jacket for the trip to Florina.
Κράτησα μια θέση για σένα δίπλα στο παράθυρο.
krátisa mia thési ya séna dhípla sto paráthiro
I saved a seat for you by the window.
English often uses an -ing form after for, but Greek may package the same purpose as a noun:
Πήγα στο κέντρο για ψώνια και γύρισα με δύο σακούλες.
pígha sto kéndro ya psónia ke yírisa me dhío sakúles
I went into town to do some shopping and came back with two bags.
Here ψώνια is a noun, so no να is needed. Compare the verbal version below: the goal is expressed as an action performed by a conjugated verb.
για να + finite purpose verb
When an action is presented as the goal of another action, για να introduces a finite clause. Modern Greek does not replace the verb with an English-style infinitive. The ending identifies who is supposed to act.
Έκλεισα το παράθυρο για να μην μπαίνει ο θόρυβος του δρόμου.
éklisa to paráthiro ya na min béni o thórivos tu dhrómu
I closed the window so that the street noise wouldn't come in.
Σου έστειλα τις οδηγίες για να βρεις εύκολα το γραφείο.
su éstila tis odhiyíes ya na vris éfkola to ghrafío
I sent you the directions so that you could find the office easily.
In the first example, μπαίνει has “the street noise” as its subject. In the second, βρεις is second person and assigns the finding to “you.” The construction does not change merely because the main and purpose clauses have different subjects.
Motion verbs license plain να
After πάω, έρχομαι, βγαίνω, τρέχω, περνάω and similar verbs of motion or directed action, the movement already points toward a goal. Plain να can therefore introduce the purpose, especially in neutral conversation.
Πετάχτηκα να πάρω γάλα πριν κλείσει το μίνι μάρκετ.
petáchtika na páro ghála prin klísi to míni márket
I popped out to get milk before the mini-market closed.
Έλα να δεις τη θέα από το μπαλκόνι.
éla na dhis ti théa apó to balkóni
Come and see the view from the balcony.
Full για να remains grammatical after motion and can make the purpose more explicit or contrastive:
Πήγα ξανά στο κατάστημα για να αλλάξω το μέγεθος, όχι για να πάρω άλλο σχέδιο.
pígha ksaná sto katástima ya na alákso to méyethos, óchi ya na páro álo schédhio
I went back to the shop to change the size, not to choose another design.
The contrast is not “plain να is wrong” versus “για να is right.” It is a choice between a lighter purpose already licensed by the motion verb and an explicitly marked purpose. The aspect and subject choices inside these clauses belong on purpose clauses with (για) να, while purpose conjunctions compares heavier alternatives.
Common Mistakes
Adding να before a noun
If the intended complement is simply “for the meeting,” the noun phrase follows για directly: ×για να τη συνάντηση must be για τη συνάντηση.
Χρειαζόμαστε μεγαλύτερη αίθουσα για τη συνάντηση της Δευτέρας.
chriazómaste meghalíteri éthusa ya ti sinándisi tis Dheftéras
We need a larger room for Monday's meeting.
Dropping να before a purpose verb outside the motion pattern
In the intended “I lowered my voice in order not to disturb them” reading, για alone cannot introduce the finite verb: ×για μην τους ενοχλήσω needs για να μην. Likewise, ×πήγα εκεί για δω needs για να δω; because πήγα is a motion verb, lighter πήγα εκεί να δω is also grammatical.
✅ Χαμήλωσα τη φωνή μου για να μην τους ενοχλήσω.
chamílosa ti foní mu ya na min tus enochlíso
I lowered my voice so that I wouldn't disturb them.
This diagnosis is deliberately contextual. Greek για has other grammatical jobs, including an exhortative use before some imperatives; the error here is the missing να in an unambiguous purpose clause, not every imaginable sequence of για plus a verbal form.
Adding για mechanically after a motion verb
The full form is grammatical, but plain να is the ordinary compact choice when the movement itself already establishes the goal.
Πέρασα να σου αφήσω τα έγγραφα πριν από τη δουλειά.
pérasa na su afíso ta énghrafa prin apó ti dhuliá
I stopped by to leave you the documents before work.
Treating a purpose clause as an asserted result
για να names the intended outcome; it does not guarantee that the goal was achieved.
Της τηλεφώνησα για να της εξηγήσω, αλλά δεν απάντησε.
tis tilefónisa ya na tis eksiyíso, alá dhen apándise
I called her to explain, but she didn't answer.
Key Takeaways
- για + accusative noun phrase means “for/about/intended for” and covers nominal purposes.
- για να + finite verb introduces an explicit purpose clause.
- After a motion or directed-action verb, plain να is normal: πάω να δω; full για να can make the purpose explicit or contrastive.
- Diagnose a missing να only where the intended purpose parse is clear; do not ban strings that have another grammatical analysis.
Related Topics
- για: for, about, toA1 — How για marks beneficiaries, topics, destinations, durations, and purpose through the high-frequency connector για να.
- Purpose Clauses: (για) ναA2 — How Greek says 'in order to / so that': για να spells out purpose explicitly, plain να is enough after verbs of motion, and — because no free infinitive fills this English complement slot — the purpose verb stays fully conjugated whether the subject is the same or different.
- Purpose: για να, να, ώστε ναB1 — Greek purpose clauses use a conjugated subjunctive: everyday για να, plain να after motion verbs, and more formal ώστε να for a stated intended outcome.