Learn Hardcore Greek: Έχεις καφέ;

Έχεις = you have (2nd person singular, present, from έχω)
καφέ = coffee (direct object; here it means coffee as a substance/stock) So the structure is essentially: you-have coffee?

Why is there no word for “any” or an article like “a/the”?

Greek often omits an article with mass or indefinite nouns in this kind of question. Έχεις καφέ; naturally conveys “Do you have any coffee?” If you mean the specific coffee, you’d use the definite article: Έχεις τον καφέ; = “Do you have the coffee?”

What case is καφέ, and why doesn’t it end in -ς?

It’s accusative singular of ο καφές (nominative). Masculine nouns like καφές drop the final -ς in the accusative: τον καφέ. Here there’s no article, but the form is still accusative because it’s the direct object.

How do I pronounce it?

Έχεις: Éhis [ˈeçis] (the χ before ι is like the German “ich” sound)
καφέ: kafÉ [kaˈfe] (stress on the last syllable) Together: Éhis kafÉ.

What’s that punctuation at the end that looks like a semicolon?

In Greek, the question mark is written with the character that looks like an English semicolon: ; So Έχεις καφέ; is a question.

Is this form casual or polite?

Έχεις καφέ; is singular/informal. For polite or plural “you,” use:

Έχετε καφέ; (common in shops, restaurants, or addressing more than one person) To sound extra tentative or polite, add μήπως:
Μήπως έχετε καφέ; = “Do you happen to have coffee?”

If I want “a coffee” (a cup), should I still say this?

To order or ask for a cup, Greek usually treats “coffee” as a countable drink:

Θα ήθελα έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ. = “I’d like a coffee, please.”
Έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ. = “A coffee, please.” Έχεις καφέ; is more like asking if someone has coffee available (beans/powder/stock).

Could καφέ here mean something else (like the color or a café)?

καφέ can be the color “brown” (indeclinable adjective). In the right context, Έχεις καφέ; could mean “Do you have brown (color)?” (e.g., paint).
καφέ can also mean a “café” (the place). But with Έχεις, it would sound like “Do you own a café?” More natural for “Is there a café nearby?” is:
- Έχει καφέ εδώ κοντά; or Υπάρχει καφέ εδώ κοντά;

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Word order is flexible, and intonation marks it as a question:

Έχεις καφέ; (neutral)
Καφέ έχεις; (fronting “coffee” for focus: “Coffee, do you have?”) You can also add softeners: Έχεις καθόλου καφέ;, Μήπως έχεις καφέ;

How do I make it negative or ask “Don’t you have coffee?”

Statement: Δεν έχω καφέ. = I don’t have coffee.
Question: Δεν έχεις καφέ; = Don’t you have coffee? Short answers:
Έχεις καφέ; — Ναι, έχω. / Όχι, δεν έχω.
Δεν έχεις καφέ; — Ναι, έχω. (Yes, I do.) / Όχι, δεν έχω. (No, I don’t.)

What’s the plural of “coffee” if I mean multiple coffees (cups)?

For cups/types (countable), the plural is οι καφέδες:

Έχεις καφέδες χωρίς καφεΐνη; = “Do you have decaf coffees?” For “cafés” (venues), the plural is indeclinable τα καφέ.

Can I use “there is/are” instead of “have”?

Yes. Spoken Greek often uses impersonal έχει for “there is/are”:

Έχει καφέ; = “Is there any coffee?” More formal/literal: Υπάρχει καφές;

What’s the full present-tense paradigm of έχω so I can swap subjects?

έχω (I have)
έχεις (you sg.)
έχει (he/she/it)
έχουμε (we)
έχετε (you pl. / polite)
έχουν(ε) (they)

Are there common, more natural variants?

Έχεις λίγο καφέ; = “Do you have a bit of coffee?”
Έχεις καθόλου καφέ; = “Do you have any coffee at all?”
Polite: Μήπως έχετε λίγο καφέ;
Friendly diminutive: Έχεις καφεδάκι; (colloquial “a little coffee/a coffee?”)