Preposition choice after a Greek verb is often lexical government: a particular verb and meaning select a bare object or a particular preposition, regardless of the word used in English. Diagnosis must therefore fix the intended meaning first, because changing the frame can produce another grammatical Greek sentence with a different relationship.
The main inventory belongs to verbs and their prepositions, while σε versus από explains their spatial source-and-goal meanings. This page concentrates on context-rich transfer errors and on contrasts that should remain uncorrected.
Learn the verb and frame as one unit
English depend on does not predict Greek εξαρτάται από, just as English rely on does not predict βασίζομαι σε. The English preposition belongs to the English lexical item, not to a universal meaning that can be translated independently.
❌ Η ώρα της αναχώρησης εξαρτάται στην αυριανή πρόγνωση του καιρού.
Incorrect — in this causal-dependence meaning, εξαρτάται selects από rather than σε.
✅ Η ώρα της αναχώρησης εξαρτάται από την αυριανή πρόγνωση του καιρού.
i óra tis anachórisis eksartáte apó tin avrianí próghnosi tu kerú
The departure time depends on tomorrow's weather forecast.
❌ Για την τελική παρουσίαση βασιζόμαστε από τα στοιχεία της έρευνας.
Incorrect — βασίζομαι 'rely on' selects σε in this meaning.
✅ Για την τελική παρουσίαση βασιζόμαστε στα στοιχεία της έρευνας.
ya tin telikí parusíasi vasizómaste sta stichía tis érevnas
For the final presentation we're relying on the research data.
The apparent English match on has led to opposite Greek prepositions. Store εξαρτάται από κάτι and βασίζομαι σε κάτι, including the placeholder and its accusative case.
ενδιαφέρομαι requires για for the object of interest
English interested in tempts speakers to translate in as σε. Greek instead uses για before the subject matter or opportunity that interests someone.
❌ Ενδιαφέρομαι στη θέση που ανακοινώσατε χθες στην ιστοσελίδα σας.
Incorrect for 'I am interested in the position' — ενδιαφέρομαι selects για.
✅ Ενδιαφέρομαι για τη θέση που ανακοινώσατε χθες στην ιστοσελίδα σας.
endhiaférome ya ti thési pu anakinósate chthes stin istoselídha sas
I'm interested in the position you advertised on your website yesterday.
Do not generalize the correction to every Greek expression translated with English interest. Έχω ενδιαφέρον για and δείχνω ενδιαφέρον για are different constructions that happen to contain the same preposition; the useful learning unit here is specifically ενδιαφέρομαι για.
σκέφτομαι: preserve both licensed frames
When σκέφτομαι means “consider a particular matter itself,” a direct accusative object is ordinary. Σκέφτομαι για is also grammatical when για introduces a broader topic or perspective, so it must not be marked as impossible Greek.
✅ Όταν σκέφτομαι για το μέλλον, αναρωτιέμαι αν πρέπει να αλλάξω δουλειά.
ótan skéftome ya to mélon, anarotjéme an prépi na alákso dhuliá
When I think about the future, I wonder whether I should change jobs. (για introduces the broader topic)
✅ Ο διευθυντής μού ζήτησε λύση και σκέφτομαι το συγκεκριμένο πρόβλημα όλο το πρωί.
o dhiefthindís mú zítise lísi ke skéftome to singekriméno próvlima ólo to proí
The director asked me for a solution, and I've been thinking about this specific problem all morning.
The first sentence frames the future as a broad topic; the second makes one specific problem the direct object under active consideration. The English translation think about does not decide between them.
Greek sometimes needs a preposition that English lacks
Transfer works in both directions. English places a direct complement after participate, deal, or refer, while Greek selects a prepositional frame.
❌ Θα συμμετέχω το εκπαιδευτικό σεμινάριο της Παρασκευής.
Incorrect — συμμετέχω requires σε before the event participated in.
✅ Θα συμμετέχω στο εκπαιδευτικό σεμινάριο της Παρασκευής.
tha simetécho sto ekpedheftikó seminário tis Paraskevís
I'll participate in Friday's training seminar.
❌ Αυτή την εβδομάδα ασχολούμαι τις αιτήσεις των νέων πελατών.
Incorrect — ασχολούμαι selects με for the matter being worked on.
✅ Αυτή την εβδομάδα ασχολούμαι με τις αιτήσεις των νέων πελατών.
aftí tin evdhomádha ascholúme me tis etísis ton néon pelatón
This week I'm dealing with the new clients' applications.
❌ Στην παράγραφο αυτή ο συγγραφέας αναφέρεται την οικονομική κρίση.
Incorrect — αναφέρομαι selects σε for the topic referred to.
✅ Στην παράγραφο αυτή ο συγγραφέας αναφέρεται στην οικονομική κρίση.
stin parághrafo aftí o singraféas anaférete stin ikonomikí krísi
In this paragraph the author refers to the economic crisis. (formal)
The contracted στο/στην is part of the resulting frame: σε + definite article fuses. Do not memorize συμμετέχω σε and then write separated ×σε το.
περιμένω: identify whether a person is the direct object
Neutral Standard Greek uses a bare accusative for the person or thing awaited: περιμένω τον Γιώργο, περιμένω το λεωφορείο. A για-phrase can be grammatical with other functions, including purpose or benefit, so the intended “await this person” reading must be explicit before correction.
✅ Ο Γιώργος πήγε να παρκάρει κι εγώ περιμένω στην ουρά για τον Γιώργο.
o yórghos píye na parkári ki eghó periméno stin urá ya ton yórgho
Giorgos has gone to park, and I'm waiting in the queue for him. (for his benefit / in his place)
✅ Έχω ραντεβού με τον Γιώργο στις έξι και τώρα περιμένω τον Γιώργο στην κεντρική είσοδο.
écho randevú me ton yórgho stis éksi ke tóra periméno ton yórgho stin kendrikí ísodho
I'm meeting Giorgos at six, and now I'm waiting for him at the main entrance.
A natural edit would normally avoid repeating the name and say τώρα τον περιμένω. It is kept twice here so the learner can see that the selected complement is an accusative object rather than an English-style for phrase.
ακούω: bare person and για-topic are different
Ακούω κάποιον means hear or listen to someone, depending on context. Ακούω για κάποιον means hear about that person or topic; it is grammatical, but it does not repair a sentence whose intended meaning is auditory access to the speaker.
❌ Από το πίσω θρανίο δεν ακούω στον καθηγητή, παρότι μιλάει δυνατά.
Incorrect for 'I cannot hear the professor' — the audible person is a direct accusative object.
✅ Από το πίσω θρανίο δεν ακούω τον καθηγητή, παρότι μιλάει δυνατά.
apó to píso thranío dhen akúo ton kathiyití, paróti milái dhinatá
From the back desk I can't hear the professor, even though he's speaking loudly.
Now compare the independently licensed topic phrase:
✅ Ακούω συχνά για τον καθηγητή από παλιούς φοιτητές του.
akúo sichná ya ton kathiyití apó paliús fitités tu
I often hear about the professor from his former students.
The presence or absence of για changes the relationship. Neither frame should be judged without a meaning-rich context.
ψάχνω: both bare object and για are grammatical
Do not manufacture a rule that ψάχνω για is English interference. Greek uses a bare accusative for a particular target and για + accusative for an open-ended search with no single presupposed item.
✅ Ψάχνω τα γυαλιά μου από το πρωί και δεν τα βρίσκω.
psáchno ta yaliá mu apó to proí ke dhen ta vrísko
I've been looking for my glasses since morning and can't find them.
✅ Ψάχνω για ήσυχο διαμέρισμα κοντά στο μετρό.
psáchno ya ísicho dhiamérizma kondá sto metró
I'm looking for a quiet flat near the metro.
The first search targets specific glasses known to exist. The second seeks any suitable flat. The detailed contrast belongs to the ψάχνω reference page.
Meaning-changing frames must remain distinct
Some verbs allow more than one frame because the meaning changes. Πιστεύω κάποιον means believe a person; πιστεύω σε κάποιον means believe in or have faith in that person.
✅ Σε πιστεύω όταν λες ότι δεν το ήξερες.
se pistévo ótan les óti dhen to íkseres
I believe you when you say you didn't know.
✅ Πιστεύω σε σένα και ξέρω ότι θα τα καταφέρεις.
pistévo se séna ke kséro óti tha ta kataféris
I believe in you, and I know you'll manage.
Likewise, μοιάζω με and μοιάζω σε are both Standard Greek for resemblance in suitable contexts. A diagnostic page must not declare one impossible merely to create a simpler chart.
Common Mistakes
Translating the English preposition separately
Store depend on → εξαρτάται από and interested in → ενδιαφέρομαι για as full lexical mappings, not word-by-word equations.
Adding a preposition to every English “verb + preposition” phrase
Greek bare-object frames include σκέφτομαι το πρόβλημα, περιμένω τον Γιώργο, ακούω τον καθηγητή under the intended readings shown above.
Removing για after ψάχνω
Both ψάχνω τα κλειδιά and ψάχνω για δουλειά are grammatical. Definiteness and search type motivate the contrast.
Ignoring meaning changes within one verb
Before editing πιστεύω or ακούω, decide whether the complement is a direct person/claim or the topic of belief or hearing. A different frame may be a different sentence, not an error.
Key Takeaways
- Greek verb government is lexical: learn verb, preposition, case, and meaning together.
- English prepositions do not predict Greek από, σε, για, or με.
- Some Greek verbs take bare objects where English uses a preposition; other Greek verbs require a preposition English lacks.
- ψάχνω για is grammatical for an open-ended search, while the bare accusative profiles a particular target.
- Diagnose περιμένω, ακούω, σκέφτομαι, and other flexible verbs only in a context that fixes the intended frame.
Now practice Greek
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Start learning Greek →Related Topics
- Verbs and Their PrepositionsB2 — Learn the lexical frames that pair common Greek verbs with από, για, σε, or με—and the important verbs that take no preposition at all.
- σε vs από: Goal vs SourceA2 — A practical decision guide to σε for location and goals versus από for origins, sources, paths, and separation.