Ναι, αλλά δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα, είμαστε μαζί αύριο.

Yes, but we are not here today, we are together tomorrow.

Breakdown of Ναι, αλλά δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα, είμαστε μαζί αύριο.

• ναι: yes
• είμαι: to be
• εδώ: here
• δεν: not
• σήμερα: today
• μαζί: together
• αύριο: tomorrow
• αλλά: but

Questions & Answers about Ναι, αλλά δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα, είμαστε μαζί αύριο.

Why is the negative δεν placed right before είμαστε? When do I use δεν vs μη(ν)?

• Δεν is the standard negator for the indicative (statements and questions): Δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα.
• Μη(ν) is used with imperatives and the subjunctive (after να, ας): Μην αργήσεις!, Να μην είμαστε αργοί.
• Position: the negative particle goes immediately before the verb or before any clitics attached to it.

Why does the sentence use present tense (είμαστε) with αύριο? Shouldn’t it be θα είμαστε for the future?

Both are possible:

• Είμαστε μαζί αύριο: present used for a scheduled/arranged near-future event (common in speech).
• Θα είμαστε μαζί αύριο: explicit future; neutral and always correct. The difference is subtle; the present can sound a bit more immediate or firmly planned.

Can I move σήμερα and εδώ around? Does the word order change the meaning?

Greek allows flexible adverb placement:

• Δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα (neutral).
• Σήμερα δεν είμαστε εδώ (emphasis on today).
• Δεν είμαστε σήμερα εδώ (focus on the place, implying “not here, but elsewhere”). All are correct; fronting an element often adds emphasis or contrast.

Do I need to say εμείς for “we,” or is είμαστε enough?

You usually omit subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person/number:

• Neutral: Δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα. Use εμείς for emphasis or contrast:
• Εμείς δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα, (αλλά) αυτοί είναι.

What are the present-tense forms of είμαι?

• είμαι (I am)
• είσαι (you are, sg.)
• είναι (he/she/it is; they are)
• είμαστε (we are)
• είστε / είσαστε (you are, pl./polite; both are correct)
• είναι (they are)

How do I pronounce the tricky parts like Ναι, είμαστε, αύριο, μαζί, εδώ?

• Ναι = “neh” (αι → e)
• είμαστε = “EE-ma-ste” (ει → i; stress on the first syllable)
• αύριο = “AV-rio” (αυ before a voiced consonant/ρ → av)
• μαζί = “ma-ZEE”
• εδώ = “e-THÓ” (δ = the th in “this”)

Can I replace αλλά with μα or όμως?

• αλλά = but (neutral, very common): Ναι, αλλά…
• μα = but (more informal/literary or emphatic): Ναι, μα…
• όμως = however/though; its position can vary:
  • Ναι, όμως δεν είμαστε εδώ σήμερα.
  • Ναι, δεν είμαστε όμως εδώ σήμερα. All three work; choose based on tone and flow.

Does μαζί need με? When do I use μαζί vs μαζί με?

• μαζί by itself means “together (with each other)”: Είμαστε μαζί αύριο.
• μαζί με specifies who else is included: Είμαστε μαζί με τον Γιάννη αύριο. So use μαζί alone when the participants are clear; add με to name them.

Is it okay to join the two clauses with a comma? What other punctuation could I use in Greek?

Yes, a comma is fine in Greek for closely linked clauses:

• …, είμαστε μαζί αύριο. For a stronger break, use the raised dot (άνω τελεία): … σήμερα· είμαστε μαζί αύριο. Note: in Greek, the symbol ; is the question mark, not a semicolon.

Why do I see δε sometimes instead of δεν? When do we drop the final -ν?

The final -ν of δεν is “movable.” Standard guidance:

• Keep -ν before vowels and before κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ and clusters like μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ: δεν είμαστε, δεν πάμε.
• Drop it before most other consonants in speech: δε φεύγουμε. In careful writing many people just keep δεν everywhere; you won’t be marked wrong.

Is ’μαστε acceptable instead of είμαστε?

Yes, in informal speech and casual writing you’ll hear/see the clipped form ’μαστε:

• Ναι, αλλά δεν ’μαστε εδώ σήμερα… Use the full είμαστε in neutral or formal writing.

What’s the difference between είμαστε, ήμαστε, and ήμασταν?

• είμαστε = we are (present).
• ήμασταν = we were (imperfect; most common standard form).
• ήμαστε is also used by many speakers for “we were” (imperfect), but ήμασταν is preferred in standard modern Greek. Don’t use ήμαστε for the present in standard usage.