Πώς είσαι τώρα;

How are you now?

Breakdown of Πώς είσαι τώρα;

• είμαι: to be
• τώρα: now
• πώς: how

Questions & Answers about Πώς είσαι τώρα;

How do you pronounce Πώς είσαι τώρα;

IPA: [pos ˈise ˈtora]. Simple transliteration: Pos íse tóra. Stress the bolded syllables: ΠΩΣ — ΕΙ — ΤΩ.

Why is there a semicolon at the end?

In Greek, the semicolon (;) is the question mark. So Πώς είσαι τώρα; is a question.

What does each word do grammatically?

• πώς = how (interrogative adverb)
• είσαι = you are (2nd person singular of είμαι “to be”)
• τώρα = now (time adverb)

Why is είσαι used here? What’s its conjugation?

είσαι is 2nd person singular present of είμαι. Present tense:

• εγώ είμαι
• εσύ είσαι
• αυτός/αυτή/αυτό είναι
• εμείς είμαστε
• εσείς είστε/είσαστε
• αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά είναι

Do I need to include the pronoun εσύ (“you”)?

No. Greek usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person. Add εσύ only for emphasis: Εσύ πώς είσαι τώρα; (= And you, how are you now?).

Is this informal or formal?

είσαι is informal singular. For polite/formal or plural, use Πώς είστε τώρα; (also acceptable: Πώς είσαστε τώρα;).

Can I move τώρα to another position?

Yes: Πώς είσαι τώρα;, Τώρα πώς είσαι;, or Πώς τώρα είσαι; (the last is rare/marked). Position shifts emphasis; meaning stays “How are you now?”

What’s the difference between Πώς είσαι; and Πώς είσαι τώρα;?

Without τώρα, it’s the general “How are you?”. Adding τώρα highlights the present moment, often after a change (illness, trip, news).

Why do πώς and τώρα have ω (omega) instead of ο?

It’s historical spelling. ο and ω sound the same in Modern Greek ([o]). You just have to memorize which word uses which letter.

Why is there an accent on the monosyllable πώς?

Monosyllables normally don’t need an accent, but πώς is accented to distinguish it from πως (without accent), which means “that” (a conjunction): Είπε πως θα έρθει = “He said that he will come.”

How do I answer naturally?

Common replies:

• Καλά, εσύ; = Fine, you?
• Μια χαρά. = Pretty good.
• Καλύτερα/Χειρότερα. = Better/Worse.
• Όχι και τόσο καλά. = Not so well. Note: With είμαι, use adverbs like καλά (well), not adjectives like καλός/καλή.

Is είσαι pronounced “ee-say”? What about the -αι ending?

είσαι = [ˈise]. The digraph ει sounds like [i] (“ee”), and the ending -αι here also sounds like [e] (“eh”).

Any intonation or punctuation tips?

Use rising intonation for yes–no or wh-questions. Keep the Greek question mark (;) at the end. The written accent (τόνος) shows stress, not a change in vowel quality.

Are there alternative ways to ask “How are you now?”

Yes:

• Τι κάνεις τώρα; = What are you doing/How are you now?
• Πώς πάει τώρα; = How’s it going now?
• Πώς τα πας τώρα; = How are you getting on now?

How would I ask about a different time?

• Past: Πώς ήσουν τότε; = How were you then?
• Future: Πώς θα είσαι αύριο; = How will you be tomorrow?

Is there any difference between τώρα and σήμερα?

Yes. τώρα = now (this moment). σήμερα = today (the whole day). So Πώς είσαι τώρα; asks about the current moment, not the whole day.