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Questions & Answers about Ναι, είμαι καλά.
Do I need to say εγώ (“I”), or is είμαι enough?
You don’t need εγώ. Greek drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. Είμαι already means “I am.” Use Εγώ είμαι… only for emphasis or contrast (e.g., “As for me, I’m fine”: Εγώ είμαι καλά).
Why is there a comma after Ναι?
Ναι is an interjection (“yes”), and Greek sets it off with a comma, just like English: Ναι, είμαι καλά. You usually pause slightly after it in speech.
How do I pronounce the words?
- Ναι = “neh” (the digraph αι sounds like the e in “bed”).
- είμαι = “EE-meh” (the digraph ει sounds like “ee,” stress on the first syllable).
- καλά = “ka-LA” (stress on the last syllable).
Is καλά an adjective or an adverb here? Does it change with gender?
Here καλά is an adverb meaning “well,” so it doesn’t change for gender or number. With adjectives you would have gender agreement (e.g., καλός/καλή/καλό), but not with the adverb καλά.
What’s the difference between είμαι καλά and είμαι καλός/καλή/καλό?
- Είμαι καλά = “I’m well/OK” (health, mood, general state).
- Είμαι καλός/καλή/καλό = “I’m good (at something)” or “I’m a good person,” with gender agreement. Example: Είμαι καλός στο τένις (“I’m good at tennis”).
Can I say Ναι, καλά είμαι instead?
Yes. Greek word order is flexible. Καλά είμαι frontloads “well/OK,” adding a touch of emphasis or reassurance, a bit like “I’m fine, really.”
How do I say “No, I’m not well”?
Όχι, δεν είμαι καλά. Use όχι to answer “no” and δεν directly before the verb to negate it. So: δεν είμαι = “I am not.”
What do the accent marks do in είμαι and καλά, and why doesn’t Ναι have one?
The accent mark (τόνος) shows the stressed syllable: ΕΊ-μαι, κα-ΛΆ. Monosyllables like ναι usually don’t take an accent in modern Greek. A few monosyllables do for disambiguation (e.g., ή, πού, πώς), but ναι is never accented.
How do you conjugate είμαι (present tense)?
- εγώ είμαι = I am
- εσύ είσαι = you (sg) are
- αυτός/αυτή/αυτό είναι = he/she/it is
- εμείς είμαστε = we are
- εσείς είστε/είσαστε = you (pl/formal) are
- αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά είναι = they are
How do I say “I was fine” or “I will be fine”?
- Past: Ήμουν καλά (also heard: Ήμουνα καλά) = “I was fine.”
- Future: Θα είμαι καλά = “I will be fine.”
Is ναι the only way to say “yes”? When do I use μάλιστα or βεβαίως/βέβαια?
Ναι is the neutral “yes.” Μάλιστα is a polite/confirming “yes” (often to superiors or on the phone). Βεβαίως/βέβαια means “of course/certainly,” a stronger, assuring yes.
Are there other natural ways to say “I’m fine/OK”?
Yes:
- Είμαι εντάξει = “I’m OK/alright.”
- Μια χαρά είμαι or Είμαι μια χαρά = “I’m great/just fine.”
- Όλα καλά = “All good.”
- As a short reply: Καλά, εσύ; = “Fine, you?” (informal)