να After Modal Verbs

The most useful pattern in beginner Greek is [modal verb + να + second verb] — “want to,” “can,” “must,” “know how to.” You will use it in your first week and never stop. English builds these with a modal plus a bare infinitive: want to leave, can help, must go. Greek instead links the two predicates with να: the second verb is person-marked, and personal main verbs conjugate too. Impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί are the fixed-form exceptions explained below.

The core modals

These seven cover the vast majority of everyday modal sentences. Learn the frame once and you can slot any verb into the second slot.

Modal	Meaning	Pattern
θέλω να	want to	θέλω να πάω — I want to go
μπορώ να	can / be able to	μπορώ να έρθω — I can come
πρέπει να	must / have to	πρέπει να φύγω — I have to leave
ξέρω να	know how to	ξέρω να οδηγώ — I know how to drive
πάω να	go to / be about to	πάω να δω — I'm going to see
αρχίζω να	start to	αρχίζω να καταλαβαίνω — I'm starting to understand
προσπαθώ να	try to	προσπαθώ να μάθω — I'm trying to learn

Here they are at work in natural sentences. Add σκοπεύω να ("intend to", a shade more formal) to the list too:

Θέλω να μάθω κιθάρα φέτος, το είχα πάντα όνειρο.

thélo na mátho kithára fétos, to ícha pánda óniro

I want to learn guitar this year, it's always been a dream of mine.

Μπορείς να μου δανείσεις πέντε ευρώ μέχρι αύριο;

borís na mu dhanísis pénde evró méchri ávrio

Can you lend me five euros until tomorrow?

Πρέπει να προλάβω το τελευταίο λεωφορείο.

prépi na prolávo to teleftéo leoforío

I have to catch the last bus.

Προσπαθώ να κόψω το κάπνισμα εδώ και έναν μήνα.

prospathó na kópso to kápnizma edhó ke énan mína

I've been trying to quit smoking for a month now.

Σκοπεύω να ταξιδέψω στην Ιταλία το καλοκαίρι.

skopévo na taksidhépso stin Italía to kalokéri

I intend to travel to Italy this summer.

With personal modals, both verbs conjugate

In English "We want to see the show", only want is inflected; see stays bare. In Greek, both verbs carry a person-and-number ending: θέλουμε ("we want") and δούμε ("we see"). The να-verb is a real, live verb, not a frozen "to"-form.

Θέλουμε να δούμε την παράσταση την Παρασκευή.

thélume na dhúme tin parástasi tin Paraskeví

We want to see the show on Friday.

Because the second verb has its own ending, it can also have its own subject. When the subjects match, both verbs take the same person; when they differ, only the second one changes — no extra pronoun needed, unlike English "I want you to…".

Μπορώ να το φτιάξω μόνος μου, μη σε νοιάζει.

boró na to ftiákso mónos mu, mi se niázi

I can fix it myself, don't worry.

Θέλω να μου το εξηγήσεις άλλη μια φορά.

thélo na mu to eksiyísis áli mia forá

I want you to explain it to me one more time.

In the second sentence the "you" lives entirely in the ending -εις of εξηγήσεις; there is no separate word for it. This same-subject / different-subject freedom is set out on the να overview.

ξέρω να — "know how to"

ξέρω να centers on learned know-how, while μπορώ να covers ability, permission, or possibility in the circumstances. The two overlap in broad ability contexts, but a contrast becomes clear when someone has the skill yet cannot perform it on a particular occasion.

Ξέρω να οδηγώ, αλλά δεν μπορώ να οδηγήσω απόψε, ήπια.

kséro na odhighó, alá dhen boró na odhiyíso apópse, ípia

I know how to drive, but I can't drive tonight, I've been drinking.

Ξέρεις να μαγειρεύεις ή παραγγέλνεις πάντα;

kséris na mayirévis i parangélnis pánda

Do you know how to cook, or do you always order in?

Notice that a standing skill is usually imperfective (να οδηγώ, να μαγειρεύεις) — knowing how to do something is an ongoing ability, not a single act.

πάω να — two readings

πάω να has two everyday meanings. First, plain purpose: "go (somewhere) in order to". Second, and very common in speech, be about to / nearly — an action on the verge of happening.

Πάω να δω τι κάνει το μωρό, θα γυρίσω αμέσως.

páo na dho ti káni to moró, tha yiríso amésos

I'm going to check on the baby; I'll be right back.

Πήγε να πέσει στη σκάλα, αλλά κρατήθηκε.

píye na pési sti skála, alá kratíthike

He nearly fell on the stairs, but he caught himself.

Impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί

Πρέπει ("must") does not change for person, and the separate epistemic frame μπορεί να ("may/might") is likewise fixed in the third person singular; the real subject sits on the second verb. Do not confuse impersonal μπορεί να with personal ability μπορώ να, which conjugates normally (μπορώ, μπορείς, μπορούμε). “We must leave” is Πρέπει να φύγουμε — the “we” is in φύγουμε.

Πρέπει να φύγουμε τώρα, είναι κιόλας αργά.

prépi na fíghume tóra, íne kiólas arghá

We have to leave now, it's already late.

This impersonal behaviour — and how πρέπει differs from the personal modals — is covered on impersonal πρέπει & μπορεί να.

Register notes

The seven modals above are all neutral, everyday Greek. A few register variants are worth recognising:

λέω να (informal) — "I'm thinking of / I reckon I'll", a soft, chatty way to announce a plan: Λέω να μείνω σπίτι.
οφείλω να (formal) and είμαι υποχρεωμένος να (formal) — heavier ways to say "must", used in official or written contexts rather than in conversation, where πρέπει να does the job.
είμαι σε θέση να (formal) — a formal equivalent of μπορώ να ("be in a position to").

Λέω να μείνω σπίτι απόψε, είμαι πτώμα.

léo na míno spíti apópse, íme ptóma

I think I'll stay home tonight, I'm exhausted.

💡

Whatever the modal, the frame is [modal] + να + [second verb]. The second verb is person-marked; personal modals conjugate too, while impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί remain fixed. Match the second verb to whoever performs its action, then choose its aspect (see aspect after να).

Common Mistakes

1. Dropping να. English "want to go" has one little word between the verbs; Greek needs the linker να.

❌ Θέλω πάω στην Αθήνα το σαββατοκύριακο.

Incorrect — the linking να is obligatory: θέλω να πάω.

✅ Θέλω να πάω στην Αθήνα το σαββατοκύριακο.

thélo na páo stin Athína to savatokíriako

I want to go to Athens this weekend.

2. Conjugating πρέπει for obligation. The obligation modal is impersonal: do not create first- or second-person forms ×πρέπω, ×πρέπεις. A separate folk-style, third-person-only verb πρέπω “befit” survives in expressions such as Του πρέπουν τιμές, but it does not supply a personal obligation paradigm.

❌ Πρέπω να φύγω πριν τις οκτώ.

Incorrect — πρέπει never changes for person: πρέπει να φύγω.

✅ Πρέπει να φύγω πριν τις οκτώ.

prépi na fígho prin tis októ

I have to leave before eight.

3. Negating with δεν after the modal. The negator inside a να-clause is μη(ν), not δεν.

❌ Προσπαθώ να δεν σκέφτομαι τη δουλειά το βράδυ.

Incorrect — a να-clause takes μη(ν), here μη before σκέφτομαι.

✅ Προσπαθώ να μη σκέφτομαι τη δουλειά το βράδυ.

prospathó na mi skéftome ti dhuliá to vrádhi

I try not to think about work in the evening.

4. Second verb not matching the shared subject. When both actions have the same subject, both verbs take that person — don't freeze the second at 1st person.

❌ Θέλουμε να φύγω και οι δύο νωρίς για να αποφύγουμε την κίνηση.

Incorrect — και οι δύο forces the subordinate subject to be plural, so the second verb must be φύγουμε.

✅ Θέλουμε να φύγουμε και οι δύο νωρίς για να αποφύγουμε την κίνηση.

thélume na fíghume ke i dhío norís ya na apofíghume tin kínisi

We both want to leave early to avoid the traffic.

Key Takeaways

The everyday frame is [modal + να + second verb]: the second verb is person-marked, and personal modals conjugate too. Greek has no productive, free infinitive in this complement slot; a restricted invariant form survives only inside perfect constructions.
Core modals: θέλω να, μπορώ να, πρέπει να, ξέρω να, πάω να, αρχίζω να, προσπαθώ να (and formal-ish σκοπεύω να).
ξέρω να centers on learned know-how; μπορώ να covers ability, permission, and possibility. They can overlap in general ability contexts.
πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί are impersonal (fixed 3sg), while ability μπορώ is personal; the subject of the impersonal frame rides on the second verb: πρέπει να φύγουμε.
Inside the frame, negate with μη(ν)—μη before σκέφτομαι—and match the second verb's person to whoever performs the action.

The core modals

These seven cover the vast majority of everyday modal sentences. Learn the frame once and you can slot any verb into the second slot.

Modal	Meaning	Pattern
θέλω να	want to	θέλω να πάω — I want to go
μπορώ να	can / be able to	μπορώ να έρθω — I can come
πρέπει να	must / have to	πρέπει να φύγω — I have to leave
ξέρω να	know how to	ξέρω να οδηγώ — I know how to drive
πάω να	go to / be about to	πάω να δω — I'm going to see
αρχίζω να	start to	αρχίζω να καταλαβαίνω — I'm starting to understand
προσπαθώ να	try to	προσπαθώ να μάθω — I'm trying to learn

Here they are at work in natural sentences. Add σκοπεύω να ("intend to", a shade more formal) to the list too:

Θέλω να μάθω κιθάρα φέτος, το είχα πάντα όνειρο.

thélo na mátho kithára fétos, to ícha pánda óniro

I want to learn guitar this year, it's always been a dream of mine.

Μπορείς να μου δανείσεις πέντε ευρώ μέχρι αύριο;

borís na mu dhanísis pénde evró méchri ávrio

Can you lend me five euros until tomorrow?

Πρέπει να προλάβω το τελευταίο λεωφορείο.

prépi na prolávo to teleftéo leoforío

I have to catch the last bus.

Προσπαθώ να κόψω το κάπνισμα εδώ και έναν μήνα.

prospathó na kópso to kápnizma edhó ke énan mína

I've been trying to quit smoking for a month now.

Σκοπεύω να ταξιδέψω στην Ιταλία το καλοκαίρι.

skopévo na taksidhépso stin Italía to kalokéri

I intend to travel to Italy this summer.

With personal modals, both verbs conjugate

Θέλουμε να δούμε την παράσταση την Παρασκευή.

thélume na dhúme tin parástasi tin Paraskeví

We want to see the show on Friday.

Μπορώ να το φτιάξω μόνος μου, μη σε νοιάζει.

boró na to ftiákso mónos mu, mi se niázi

I can fix it myself, don't worry.

Θέλω να μου το εξηγήσεις άλλη μια φορά.

thélo na mu to eksiyísis áli mia forá

I want you to explain it to me one more time.

ξέρω να — "know how to"

Ξέρω να οδηγώ, αλλά δεν μπορώ να οδηγήσω απόψε, ήπια.

kséro na odhighó, alá dhen boró na odhiyíso apópse, ípia

I know how to drive, but I can't drive tonight, I've been drinking.

Ξέρεις να μαγειρεύεις ή παραγγέλνεις πάντα;

kséris na mayirévis i parangélnis pánda

Do you know how to cook, or do you always order in?

Notice that a standing skill is usually imperfective (να οδηγώ, να μαγειρεύεις) — knowing how to do something is an ongoing ability, not a single act.

πάω να — two readings

πάω να has two everyday meanings. First, plain purpose: "go (somewhere) in order to". Second, and very common in speech, be about to / nearly — an action on the verge of happening.

Πάω να δω τι κάνει το μωρό, θα γυρίσω αμέσως.

páo na dho ti káni to moró, tha yiríso amésos

I'm going to check on the baby; I'll be right back.

Πήγε να πέσει στη σκάλα, αλλά κρατήθηκε.

píye na pési sti skála, alá kratíthike

He nearly fell on the stairs, but he caught himself.

Impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί

Πρέπει να φύγουμε τώρα, είναι κιόλας αργά.

prépi na fíghume tóra, íne kiólas arghá

We have to leave now, it's already late.

This impersonal behaviour — and how πρέπει differs from the personal modals — is covered on impersonal πρέπει & μπορεί να.

Register notes

The seven modals above are all neutral, everyday Greek. A few register variants are worth recognising:

λέω να (informal) — "I'm thinking of / I reckon I'll", a soft, chatty way to announce a plan: Λέω να μείνω σπίτι.
οφείλω να (formal) and είμαι υποχρεωμένος να (formal) — heavier ways to say "must", used in official or written contexts rather than in conversation, where πρέπει να does the job.
είμαι σε θέση να (formal) — a formal equivalent of μπορώ να ("be in a position to").

Λέω να μείνω σπίτι απόψε, είμαι πτώμα.

léo na míno spíti apópse, íme ptóma

I think I'll stay home tonight, I'm exhausted.

💡

Common Mistakes

1. Dropping να. English "want to go" has one little word between the verbs; Greek needs the linker να.

❌ Θέλω πάω στην Αθήνα το σαββατοκύριακο.

Incorrect — the linking να is obligatory: θέλω να πάω.

✅ Θέλω να πάω στην Αθήνα το σαββατοκύριακο.

thélo na páo stin Athína to savatokíriako

I want to go to Athens this weekend.

❌ Πρέπω να φύγω πριν τις οκτώ.

Incorrect — πρέπει never changes for person: πρέπει να φύγω.

✅ Πρέπει να φύγω πριν τις οκτώ.

prépi na fígho prin tis októ

I have to leave before eight.

3. Negating with δεν after the modal. The negator inside a να-clause is μη(ν), not δεν.

❌ Προσπαθώ να δεν σκέφτομαι τη δουλειά το βράδυ.

Incorrect — a να-clause takes μη(ν), here μη before σκέφτομαι.

✅ Προσπαθώ να μη σκέφτομαι τη δουλειά το βράδυ.

prospathó na mi skéftome ti dhuliá to vrádhi

I try not to think about work in the evening.

4. Second verb not matching the shared subject. When both actions have the same subject, both verbs take that person — don't freeze the second at 1st person.

❌ Θέλουμε να φύγω και οι δύο νωρίς για να αποφύγουμε την κίνηση.

Incorrect — και οι δύο forces the subordinate subject to be plural, so the second verb must be φύγουμε.

✅ Θέλουμε να φύγουμε και οι δύο νωρίς για να αποφύγουμε την κίνηση.

thélume na fíghume ke i dhío norís ya na apofíghume tin kínisi

We both want to leave early to avoid the traffic.

Key Takeaways

The everyday frame is [modal + να + second verb]: the second verb is person-marked, and personal modals conjugate too. Greek has no productive, free infinitive in this complement slot; a restricted invariant form survives only inside perfect constructions.
Core modals: θέλω να, μπορώ να, πρέπει να, ξέρω να, πάω να, αρχίζω να, προσπαθώ να (and formal-ish σκοπεύω να).
ξέρω να centers on learned know-how; μπορώ να covers ability, permission, and possibility. They can overlap in general ability contexts.
πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί are impersonal (fixed 3sg), while ability μπορώ is personal; the subject of the impersonal frame rides on the second verb: πρέπει να φύγουμε.
Inside the frame, negate with μη(ν)—μη before σκέφτομαι—and match the second verb's person to whoever performs the action.

The core modals

With personal modals, both verbs conjugate

ξέρω να — "know how to"

πάω να — two readings

Impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί

Register notes

Common Mistakes

Key Takeaways

Related Topics

να After Modal Verbs

The core modals

With personal modals, both verbs conjugate

ξέρω να — "know how to"

πάω να — two readings

Impersonal πρέπει and epistemic μπορεί

Register notes

Common Mistakes

Key Takeaways

Related Topics