Greek σε is the everyday preposition for both where something is and where something goes. Depending on the context, English translates it as “to,” “at,” “in,” “on,” or “into.” Greek does not build those English distinctions into the preposition; the verb and the situation supply them.
In its productive everyday uses, σε takes an accusative complement. It also fuses obligatorily with a following definite article, producing extremely frequent forms such as στο, στην, στον. All uses on this page are neutral Standard Modern Greek unless noted otherwise.
One preposition for location and direction
Compare the same phrase after two verbs:
Είμαι στο σπίτι και δουλεύω.
íme sto spíti ke dhulévo
I'm at home and working.
Πάω στο σπίτι τώρα.
páo sto spíti tóra
I'm going home now.
στο σπίτι does not itself say “at home” or “to the house.” The stationary verb είμαι gives the first sentence a location reading; the motion verb πάω gives the second a destination reading. English changes the preposition or omits it in “go home,” but Greek keeps σε.
Περιμένω στη στάση απέναντι από την τράπεζα.
periméno sti stási apénandi apó tin trápeza
I'm waiting at the stop across from the bank.
Μπήκε στο δωμάτιο χωρίς να χτυπήσει.
bíke sto dhomátio chorís na chtipísi
He went into the room without knocking.
The same logic covers “in” and “into”: a verb of being favors location, while μπαίνω “enter/go in” makes the phrase directional. Greek therefore has no German-style case switch and no English-style demand for a different simple preposition.
The finer choices involving movement, boundaries, and destinations belong to motion versus location. At A1, σε is the reliable default for both location and goal.
“In” and “on” also depend on the noun
With cities and broad locations, σε commonly corresponds to English “in.”
Μένω στην Αθήνα, κοντά στο κέντρο.
méno stin Athína, kondá sto kéndro
I live in Athens, near the center.
For a surface, στο τραπέζι can be understood as “at/on the table” from context, but Greek often adds πάνω when the physical “on top of” relation matters.
Το κινητό σου είναι πάνω στο τραπέζι, δίπλα στα κλειδιά.
to kinitó su íne páno sto trapézi, dhípla sta klidhiá
Your phone is on the table, next to the keys.
This is an important difference from English. English makes “in” and “on” compulsory choices in the preposition itself. Greek frequently starts with σε, then adds a spatial word such as πάνω “above/on,” μέσα “inside,” or δίπλα “next to” when more precision is needed. Those combinations are developed on the uses of σε.
The forms στον, στη(ν), στο
Before a definite article, σε does not remain a separate word. It fuses with the accusative article:
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | σε + τον → στον | σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν) | σε + το → στο |
| Plural | σε + τους → στους | σε + τις → στις | σε + τα → στα |
The choice still reflects the noun's gender and number: στον γιατρό, στη δουλειά, στο γραφείο, στις φίλες, στα παιδιά. The full final-ν rule and the fixed “at someone's place” forms are on preposition + article.
With an indefinite article or a strong pronoun, there is no fusion. The vowel of σε may instead be elided before a vowel: σε ένα / σ' ένα, σε εσένα / σ' εσένα. Full forms are neutral in writing; elided forms are ordinary in speech and common in informal writing.
Recipients: “to someone”
σε also introduces a full-noun recipient. The underlying idea is again a goal, but this time something rather than a person moves toward that goal.
Το έδωσα στον Γιάννη πριν φύγω.
to édhosa ston Yáni prin fígho
I gave it to Giannis before I left.
Έστειλα ένα μήνυμα στη Μαρία, αλλά δεν απάντησε.
éstila éna mínima sti María, alá dhen apándise
I sent Maria a message, but she didn't reply.
English can place a recipient directly after the verb: “I gave Giannis the key.” Greek normally marks a full noun explicitly with σε. Unstressed pronoun recipients usually use a genitive clitic instead: του το έδωσα “I gave it to him.” For emphasis, σε returns with a strong pronoun:
Σ' εσένα έστειλα το μήνυμα, όχι στον Πέτρο.
s' eséna éstila to mínima, óchi ston Pétro
I sent the message to you, not to Petros.
That pronoun/full-noun division has genuine edge cases, so genitive versus σε owns the complete decision.
Time: “at” and “in”
σε extends naturally from a point in space to a point in time. It marks clock time and future intervals.
Συναντιόμαστε στις πέντε έξω από το ξενοδοχείο.
sinandiómaste stis pénde ékso apó to ksenodhochío
We're meeting at five outside the hotel.
Το μάθημα αρχίζει στη μία και τελειώνει στις τρεις.
to máthima archízi sti mía ke telióni stis tris
The class starts at one and ends at three.
Έρχομαι σε δύο λεπτά, μη φύγεις.
érchome se dhío leptá, mi fíyis
I'll be there in two minutes; don't leave.
Notice singular στη μία but plural στις δύο, στις πέντε. More varied calendar and duration expressions are intentionally left to the later time pages.
Common Mistakes
1. Writing σε and the definite article separately. The fusion is compulsory.
❌ Μένουμε σε το κέντρο της πόλης.
Incorrect — σε + το must fuse to στο.
✅ Μένουμε στο κέντρο της πόλης.
ménume sto kéndro tis pólis
We live in the city center.
2. Copying English double-object order without marking the recipient. A full-noun recipient needs σε.
❌ Έδωσα το κλειδί τον Γιάννη.
Incorrect — the recipient needs σε: στον Γιάννη.
✅ Έδωσα το κλειδί στον Γιάννη.
édhosa to klidhí ston Yáni
I gave Giannis the key.
3. Choosing a fused form without matching the noun's gender. Αθήνα is feminine.
❌ Μένω στο Αθήνα από πέρσι.
Incorrect — Αθήνα is feminine, so use στην.
✅ Μένω στην Αθήνα από πέρσι.
méno stin Athína apó pérsi
I've lived in Athens since last year.
4. Using plural στις with one o'clock. μία is singular.
❌ Το ραντεβού είναι στις μία ακριβώς.
Incorrect — one o'clock takes singular στη μία.
✅ Το ραντεβού είναι στη μία ακριβώς.
to randevú íne sti mía akrivós
The appointment is at exactly one.
Key Takeaways
- σε covers location and direction alike; the verb tells you “at/in/on” versus “to/into.”
- Its productive everyday complement is accusative, and it fuses with a definite article: στον, στη(ν), στο, στους, στις, στα.
- A full-noun recipient takes σε: το έδωσα στον Γιάννη.
- Clock time uses στη μία but στις δύο / στις πέντε.
Related Topics
- σε in DepthA2 — How Greek uses σε for location, destination, recipients, time, distribution, and movement into or onto a place.
- σε vs από: Goal vs SourceA2 — A practical decision guide to σε for location and goals versus από for origins, sources, paths, and separation.
- Motion vs LocationA2 — How Greek motion verbs choose goals, sources, paths, and direct objects while σε itself covers both destination and static location.