Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι;

or

Breakdown of Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι;

• το τσάι: the tea
• ο καφές: the coffee
• πίνω: to drink

Questions & Answers about Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι;

What does the word Πίνεις mean here?

It’s the 2nd person singular present of πίνω “to drink,” so it means “you drink” or “are you drinking.”

• εγώ πίνω = I drink
• εσύ πίνεις = you (singular) drink

Where is the English auxiliary “do”? Why isn’t it “Do you drink…” in Greek?

Greek doesn’t use an auxiliary like “do” to form questions. You keep the normal word order and indicate a question with intonation and the Greek question mark.

Why is the question mark written as a semicolon (;)?

In Greek, the symbol that looks like a semicolon (;) is the question mark. So Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι; ends with ; to show it’s a question.

Is πίνεις singular? How do I say “you” politely or to more than one person?

Yes, πίνεις is 2nd person singular (informal). For plural or polite “you,” use πίνετε:

• Πίνετε καφέ ή τσάι; = Do you (plural/polite) drink coffee or tea?

Why is there no article before καφέ or τσάι?

When talking about things in general or as substances (mass nouns), Greek often omits the article: πίνω καφέ/τσάι/γάλα = “I drink coffee/tea/milk.”
If you mean “a coffee” (one serving), you add the article/number:

• Θέλω έναν καφέ. = I want a coffee.
• Θέλω ένα τσάι. = I want a tea.

Why does καφέ end in -έ and not -ς (like καφές)?

Καφές is a masculine noun. In the accusative singular (used for direct objects), it becomes καφέ (no -ς).

• Nominative: ο καφές (subject)
• Accusative: τον καφέ (object) → in our sentence the article is omitted: πίνεις καφέ

Why doesn’t τσάι change form here?

Τσάι is neuter. In Greek, neuter nominative and accusative singular are identical, so as an object it still appears as (το) τσάι:

• Πίνεις τσάι. = You drink tea.

What’s the difference between ή and η?

• ή (with accent) = “or.”
• η (no accent) = the feminine article “the” (nominative singular).
  In our sentence ή is the conjunction “or,” so it must carry an accent.

Does this mean “Are you drinking right now?” or “Do you usually drink…?”

Greek present can mean either. Context clarifies:

• Right now: Τώρα πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι;
• Habitual: Συνήθως πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι;

If I’m offering someone a drink, is Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι; what people actually say?

You will hear it, but more idiomatic for an offer is:

• Informal: Θέλεις καφέ ή τσάι; (Do you want…?)
• Polite: Θα θέλατε καφέ ή τσάι; (Would you like…?)

How do I pronounce the whole sentence?

Approximate: “PEE-nees ka-FEH ee TSAI?”

• π = p, ι/ει/ή = “ee,” ν = n, ες = “is”
• καφέ stressed on the last syllable: ka-FEH
• ή = “ee” (the word “or”)
• τσ = “ts,” τσάι = “TSAI” (two vowels: “a” + “ee” → like “ts-eye”)

Can I change the word order?

Yes, for emphasis:

• Καφέ ή τσάι πίνεις; (fronts the options)
• Τσάι ή καφέ πίνεις; (same idea)
  The meaning stays the same; you just shift the focus.

How do I negate it? How do I say “neither coffee nor tea”?

• Simple negative: Δεν πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι; = Don’t you drink coffee or tea?
• “Neither…nor”: Δεν πίνω ούτε καφέ ούτε τσάι. = I drink neither coffee nor tea.

How do I say “both”?

Use double “και”: Πίνεις και καφέ και τσάι; = Do you drink both coffee and tea?

Is ή exclusive (“one or the other”)?

By default, ή is interpreted as picking one. For an inclusive reading, make it explicit:

• Πίνεις καφέ ή τσάι, ή και τα δύο; = …or both?

Is τσάι ever written with a diaeresis (ï)?

The standard modern spelling is τσάι (without diaeresis). You may occasionally see τσαΐ in older or very careful writing, but τσάι is the norm today.