Greek με connects an event with a companion, tool, means of transport, or manner. English says “with a friend” and “with a pen” but “by bus”; Greek keeps the same preposition.
με takes an accusative complement. The uses on this page are neutral Standard Modern Greek; later idioms and verb-specific combinations are reserved for the wider uses of με.
Accompaniment: who is with you?
Use με for a person, animal, or group that accompanies someone or participates in the same situation.
Θα πάω στο σινεμά με τον Νίκο απόψε.
tha páo sto sinemá me ton Níko apópse
I'm going to the cinema with Nikos tonight.
Η Άννα μένει με τους γονείς της κοντά στο κέντρο.
i Ána méni me tus ghonís tis kondá sto kéndro
Anna lives with her parents near the center.
The case is visible in ο Νίκος → τον Νίκο and οι γονείς → τους γονείς. με does not fuse with the article: write με τον, με τη(ν), με το, με τους, με τις, με τα as separate words.
Plain με normally suffices for accompaniment. μαζί με makes “together” explicit.
Θα έρθει και η Μαρία μαζί με τα παιδιά.
tha érthi ke i María mazí me ta pedhiá
Maria will come too, together with the children.
Instrument: what do you use?
με introduces the tool, material, or body part used to perform an action.
Άνοιξα το κουτί με ένα μικρό μαχαίρι.
ániksa to kutí me éna mikró machéri
I opened the box with a small knife.
Γράφω καλύτερα με μολύβι παρά με στιλό.
ghráfo kalítera me molívi pará me stiló
I write better with a pencil than with a pen.
Bare nouns commonly name a type of instrument: με μολύβι, με στιλό, με κάρτα. They are still accusative. A specific tool normally has a determiner: με το κόκκινο στιλό, “with the red pen.”
English uses “by” in several expressions of method, including “by hand.” Greek still sees a means or instrument and uses με:
Αυτά τα κεραμικά είναι φτιαγμένα με το χέρι.
aftá ta keramiká íne ftiaghména me to chéri
These ceramics are made by hand.
Do not confuse the instrument with the agent of a passive. “The letter was written by Maria” uses από τη Μαρία because Maria is the doer; “written with a pencil” uses με μολύβι because the pencil is the tool. The full passive contrast belongs to the passive agent with από.
Means of transport: English “by”
Transport is treated as a means, so Greek again uses με. A definite article is normal with a particular or conventional vehicle phrase.
Πήγαμε στο αεροδρόμιο με το λεωφορείο.
píghame sto aerodhrómio me to leoforío
We went to the airport by bus.
Αύριο θα έρθω με το αυτοκίνητο, γιατί θα έχω βαλίτσες.
ávrio tha értho me to aftokínito, yatí tha écho valítses
Tomorrow I'll come by car because I'll have suitcases.
The fixed everyday expression for “on foot” is με τα πόδια, literally “with the feet.”
Όταν έχει κίνηση, πάω στη δουλειά με τα πόδια.
ótan échi kínisi, páo sti dhuliá me ta pódhia
When there's traffic, I walk to work.
English divides these among “by bus,” “by car,” and “on foot.” Greek keeps με + accusative. Article use varies among travel collocations, so learn frequent phrases as units.
Manner: how something happens
An abstract noun after με can describe the attitude or manner accompanying an action. English often uses “with,” an adverb, or an adjective.
Μας υποδέχτηκαν με χαρά και μας κέρασαν καφέ.
mas ipodhéchtikan me chará ke mas kérasan kafé
They welcomed us warmly and offered us coffee.
Διάβασε τις οδηγίες με προσοχή πριν αρχίσεις.
dhiávase tis odhiyíes me prosochí prin archísis
Read the instructions carefully before you begin.
Frequent phrases include με χαρά “gladly/with pleasure,” με προσοχή “carefully,” με δυσκολία “with difficulty,” and με ηρεμία “calmly.” They are productive, but the natural English translation need not contain “with.”
Why με does so many jobs
Modern Greek no longer has the ancient dative. Its instrument/means function is now expressed productively by με + accusative. This is a functional replacement, not a surviving dative ending. See the lost dative for the historical redistribution.
Strong pronouns and elision
After με, use a strong accusative pronoun: με μένα, με σένα, με αυτόν, με εμάς. Before a vowel, ε may drop: μ' αυτόν, μ' εμένα. Full forms are neutral; elision is ordinary in speech and informal writing.
Δεν θέλω να συνεργαστώ μ' αυτόν ξανά.
dhen thélo na sinerghastó m' aftón ksaná
I don't want to work with him again.
The apostrophe records a missing vowel; it is not the same as fusion. με remains separate from articles beginning with a consonant: με τον φίλο, never a fused form.
Common Mistakes
1. Using a subject pronoun after με. English “with me” also uses an object form; Greek requires its strong accusative.
❌ Θα έρθεις με εγώ στο πάρτι ή με τον Νίκο;
Incorrect — after με, use μένα or εμένα.
✅ Θα έρθεις με μένα στο πάρτι ή με τον Νίκο;
tha érthis me ména sto párti i me ton Níko;
Will you come to the party with me or with Nikos?
2. Putting a weak possessive clitic after the preposition. μου cannot stand as με's complement.
❌ Η Ελένη ήρθε με μου.
Incorrect — use με μένα or the idiomatic μαζί μου.
✅ Η Ελένη ήρθε μαζί μου.
i Eléni írthe mazí mu
Eleni came with me.
3. Mixing an accusative article with a nominative noun ending. Both parts of the phrase must agree in case.
❌ Μίλησα με τον αδερφός σου χθες.
Incorrect — after τον, the masculine noun must also be accusative: αδερφό.
✅ Μίλησα με τον αδερφό σου χθες.
mílisa me ton adherfó su chthes
I spoke with your brother yesterday.
4. Moving the apostrophe to the end of the full preposition. It replaces the missing ε.
❌ Δεν έχω μιλήσει με' αυτόν ακόμα.
Incorrect spelling — write με αυτόν in full or μ' αυτόν.
✅ Δεν έχω μιλήσει μ' αυτόν ακόμα.
dhen écho milísi m' aftón akóma
I haven't spoken with him yet.
Key Takeaways
- με + accusative covers accompaniment, instrument, transport, and manner.
- English may translate it as “with,” “by,” or “on”: με φίλους, με μολύβι, με το λεωφορείο, με τα πόδια.
- A passive doer takes από; a tool or method takes με.
- μ' is an optional elided form before a vowel, not a fusion with the article.
Related Topics
- με in DepthA2 — How Greek uses με for company, instruments, transport, manner, description, rates, ranges, and the contrast between agent and means.
- The Lost Dative and Its ReplacementsB2 — Why Modern Greek has four cases instead of five — what the ancient dative did, how its work was split between the genitive, σε + accusative and με + accusative, why the north and the south divided the estate differently, and why the overloaded modern genitive is the direct consequence.