Παρά can mean “despite,” subtract minutes from the coming hour, exclude one member, compare alternatives, or correct a negative statement with “but rather.” First identify whether it is a preposition or a connector, because only the preposition governs case.
παρά + accusative: despite
As a preposition, παρά introduces a circumstance that might have been expected to prevent the main event. Its noun phrase is in the accusative.
Παρά τη δυνατή βροχή, η συναυλία άρχισε στην ώρα της.
pará ti dhinatí vrochí, i sinavlía árchise stin óra tis
Despite the heavy rain, the concert started on time.
Παρά τις δυσκολίες, κατάφεραν να τελειώσουν το έργο.
pará tis dhiskolíes, katáferan na teliósun to érgho
Despite the difficulties, they managed to finish the project.
This is a concessive relationship: the obstacle is acknowledged, but the expected consequence does not follow. English uses despite before a noun and although before a clause. Greek makes the same broad distinction between παρά + noun phrase and clause connectors such as παρόλο που.
Clock time: subtraction from the next hour
In time-telling, παρά works like spoken subtraction. Say the coming hour first, then the number of minutes still missing from it.
Είναι πέντε παρά τέταρτο και πρέπει να φύγουμε.
íne pénde pará tétarto ke prépi na fíghume
It's a quarter to five and we have to leave.
Το τρένο φεύγει στις οκτώ παρά δέκα.
to tréno févyi stis októ pará dhéka
The train leaves at ten to eight.
Thus πέντε παρά τέταρτο is 4:45, not 5:15. For the latter, Greek uses πέντε και τέταρτο.
Το ραντεβού είναι στις πέντε και τέταρτο, όχι στις πέντε παρά τέταρτο.
to randevú íne stis pénde ke tétarto, óchi stis pénde pará tétarto
The appointment is at a quarter past five, not a quarter to five.
The full system belongs on telling time.
Minus and exception
Outside clock time, παρά can subtract an amount from a total or exclude a member. With parallel noun phrases, it behaves like a connector: it does not automatically force the second term into the accusative.
Ήρθαν όλοι παρά ένας, που ήταν άρρωστος.
írthan óli pará énas, pu ítan árostos
Everyone except one person came; he was ill.
Here όλοι and ένας are both subjects, so both are nominative. If the entire coordinated phrase is an object, both terms take the form required there.
Είδα όλους τους παλιούς συμφοιτητές μου παρά έναν.
ídha ólus tus paliús simfitités mu pará énan
I saw all my old university classmates except one.
“Παρά takes the accusative” is true of prepositional παρά τη βροχή, not of every occurrence of the word.
Comparison and preference: X παρά Y
Comparative παρά joins alternatives. It is especially natural after προτιμώ, καλύτερα, and in contrasts between two descriptions or actions.
Προτιμώ να περπατήσω παρά να περιμένω άλλο λεωφορείο.
protimó na perpatíso pará na periméno álo leoforío
I'd rather walk than wait for another bus.
Ήταν περισσότερο κουρασμένος παρά θυμωμένος.
ítan perisótero kurazménos pará thimoménos
He was more tired than angry.
Παρά is a real, grammatical comparator, not an error. Everyday από remains the broad default before a concrete standard (ψηλότερος από τον αδερφό του), while παρά is particularly useful when the sentence weighs one alternative against another. See case in comparisons for the complete system.
Negative correction: “not X but Y”
After a negative phrase, παρά can introduce the positive correction: not X, but rather Y. This is grammatically parallel to αλλά, but in modern conversation αλλά is usually more frequent; corrective παρά can sound more pointed or (formal).
Δεν ήρθε ο Γιάννης, παρά ο Νίκος.
dhen írthe o Yánis, pará o Níkos
It wasn't Giannis who came, but Nikos. (formal)
Δεν ζήτησε χρήματα, παρά μια ειλικρινή συγγνώμη.
dhen zítise chrímata, pará mia ilikriní sighnómi
He didn't ask for money, but for a sincere apology.
The second element keeps the syntax required by the omitted material: ο Νίκος is a subject, while μια συγγνώμη is an object. The connector governs neither.
παρόλο που and παρ' όλα αυτά
Two frequent concessive expressions must be learned in their modern shapes:
- παρόλο που introduces a clause: “although / even though.” It is neutral and common.
- παρ’ όλα αυτά comments on a preceding statement: “nevertheless / even so.” Παρά elides before the vowel of όλα.
Παρόλο που ήταν αργά, βρήκαμε τραπέζι.
parólo pu ítan arghá, vríkame trapézi
Although it was late, we found a table.
Το σπίτι είναι μικρό. Παρ' όλα αυτά, μας χωράει άνετα.
to spíti íne mikró. par' óla aftá, mas chorái áneta
The house is small. Nevertheless, it fits us comfortably.
Before a noun, the transparent pattern παρά + όλος appears as παρ' όλη την κούραση, παρ' όλες τις δυσκολίες; the fused agreeing spellings παρόλη, παρόλες are also found. In either spelling, όλος agrees. The invariant clause connector is παρόλο που.
Common Mistakes
1. Using the nominative after prepositional παρά “despite.”
❌ Παρά οι δυσκολίες, συνεχίσαμε.
Incorrect — prepositional παρά takes the accusative: παρά τις δυσκολίες.
✅ Παρά τις δυσκολίες, συνεχίσαμε.
pará tis dhiskolíes, sinechísame
Despite the difficulties, we carried on.
2. Reading παρά in clock time as addition. Both clock expressions below are correct, but they name different times.
✅ Είναι έξι παρά τέταρτο.
íne éksi pará tétarto
It's a quarter to six. (5:45)
✅ Είναι έξι και τέταρτο.
íne éksi ke tétarto
It's a quarter past six. (6:15)
3. Forcing accusative case onto a corrected subject. Connector παρά does not govern the subject.
❌ Δεν ήρθε τον Πέτρο, παρά τη Μαρία.
Incorrect — ήρθε is intransitive, so its corrected subjects must be nominative.
✅ Δεν ήρθε ο Πέτρος, παρά η Μαρία.
dhen írthe o Pétros, pará i María
It wasn't Petros who came, but Maria. (formal)
4. Putting a noun phrase after the clause connector παρόλο που. Use παρά directly, or use παρ' + όλος with agreement.
❌ Παρόλο που τις δυσκολίες, τελειώσαμε.
Incorrect — παρόλο που must introduce a clause, not the noun phrase τις δυσκολίες.
✅ Παρ' όλες τις δυσκολίες, τελειώσαμε.
par' óles tis dhiskolíes, teliósame
Despite all the difficulties, we finished.
Key Takeaways
- Prepositional παρά + accusative means “despite”; connector παρά does not impose case.
- In clock time, παρά subtracts minutes from the coming hour.
- Exception, preference, and negative correction connect parallel terms whose case comes from the sentence.
- Comparative παρά is grammatical, especially between alternatives; από is the broader everyday baseline marker.
- Learn παρόλο που “although” and παρ’ όλα αυτά “nevertheless” as distinct fixed expressions.
Related Topics
- Telling the TimeA1 — Ask and tell clock time in Greek with feminine hour forms, και for minutes past, παρά for minutes to, and στη μία versus στις δύο.
- Contrast: αλλά, όμως, παράB1 — Choose αλλά or μα for ordinary opposition, mobile όμως for ‘however,’ and negative-frame παρά for corrective ‘not X but rather Y.’
- Concession: αν και, παρόλο που, μολονότιB1 — Greek concession presents a fact or possibility that might have blocked the main event but did not, using αν και, παρόλο που, μολονότι, ενώ, and even-if expressions.
- Case in ComparisonsB1 — How to say 'than' in Greek and what case follows — everyday από + accusative with a nominal standard, the learned genitive of comparison (ψηλότερος του αδερφού του) in formal writing, απ' ό,τι before a clause, and the narrow job that παρά still does.
- Prepositional IdiomsC1 — Ten fixed Greek prepositional phrases for everyday, emphatic, and formal meanings that cannot be assembled word by word.