Ζήτησε συγγνώμη για την προσβολή.

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Breakdown of Ζήτησε συγγνώμη για την προσβολή.

• ζητάω συγγνώμη: to apologize
• η προσβολή: insult

Questions & Answers about Ζήτησε συγγνώμη για την προσβολή.

What does Ζήτησε mean here?

Here Ζήτησε is the 2nd person singular aorist imperative of ζητώ.

So grammatically it is a command to one person: ask / request.
But in the fixed expression ζητώ συγγνώμη, it means apologize or more literally ask for forgiveness.

Why does Greek use ζητώ (ask) with συγγνώμη instead of a single verb meaning apologize?

Because ζητώ συγγνώμη is a very common Greek expression.

• ζητώ = ask
• συγγνώμη = forgiveness, pardon, or sorry

So the whole phrase literally means ask forgiveness, but in normal English that is usually translated as apologize.

Greek does also have other ways to express apology, but ζητώ συγγνώμη is one of the most standard and natural ones.

Why is Ζήτησε in the aorist imperative and not the present imperative?