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Questions & Answers about Έχεις καφέ;
What does each word correspond to?
- 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?”)
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