Learn Hardcore Greek: Πότε θέλετε να πάμε;

for addressing more than one person (you all)
as a polite form to one person (like French vous) Informal singular is θέλεις: Πότε θέλεις να πάμε;

Why do we need να? Can I say Πότε θέλετε πάμε;?

You need να. Verbs of wanting/trying/being able (e.g., θέλω, προσπαθώ, μπορώ) normally take a να-clause. So: Πότε θέλετε να πάμε; is correct; dropping να is ungrammatical here.

What form is πάμε here? Is it the same as “let’s go”?

It’s 1st person plural in a να-clause (subjunctive). Formally it’s the perfective (aorist) subjunctive: “for us to go (once).”

With να: να πάμε = for us to go.
On its own as an exclamation, Πάμε! = Let’s go! (hortative use of the same form).

How would I make this informal with singular “you”?

Use θέλεις: Πότε θέλεις να πάμε;

What if I mean “When do you want to go (you, not us)”?

Change the subject in the να-clause:

Singular you: Πότε θέλεις να πας;
Plural/polite you: Πότε θέλετε να πάτε; Using να πάμε means “us/we.”

Why πάμε and not πηγαίνουμε? What’s the difference?

Aspect:

να πάμε (perfective): a single, complete trip (“When would you like us to go [once]?”).
να πηγαίνουμε (imperfective): ongoing/repeated action (“When do you want us to be going/keep going/usually go?”), e.g., for a regular schedule.

Is πάμε present or aorist in this sentence?

In να-clauses Greek contrasts aspect, not tense. να πάμε uses the perfective (often called “aorist subjunctive”). It doesn’t mean past; it means a single, bounded event.

Can I say just Πότε να πάμε;?

Yes. Πότε να πάμε; = “When should we go?” It asks for guidance/suggestion. Πότε θέλετε να πάμε; asks for the listener’s preference.

Where does πότε go? Can I put it later in the sentence?

Wh-words like πότε usually go at the start: Πότε θέλετε να πάμε; Placing it at the end (Θέλετε να πάμε πότε;) is unnatural in standard speech.

What’s the difference between πότε and ποτέ?

πότε (stress on the first syllable) = when?
ποτέ (stress on the last syllable) = ever; with negation, “never.” Examples:
Πότε πάμε; = When are we going?
Δεν πάω ποτέ. = I never go.

Why is there a semicolon at the end?

In Greek, the question mark is written as a semicolon: ; So Πότε θέλετε να πάμε; is correctly punctuated.

How do I pronounce it?

Póte thélete na páme?

θ as in English “thin,” not “this.”
Stress the bolded vowels: ΠΌ-τε, ΘΈ-λε-τε, ΠΆ-με.

How can I make it softer/more polite?

Use a conditional or a “what suits you” phrase:

Πότε θα θέλατε να πάμε; (When would you like us to go?)
Πότε σας βολεύει να πάμε; (When is convenient for you for us to go?)

Can I say να φύγουμε instead of να πάμε?

Yes, with a nuance:

να πάμε = for us to go (to some place).
να φύγουμε = for us to leave (from here). Use whichever matches the context.

How might someone answer this?

Common answers:

Στις έξι. (At six.)
Αύριο το πρωί. (Tomorrow morning.)
Όποτε θέλετε. (Whenever you like.)
Το Σάββατο θα με βόλευε. (Saturday would suit me.)

Can I add εμείς?

Normally you omit subject pronouns because the verb shows person/number. Add εμείς for emphasis/contrast:

Πότε θέλετε να πάμε εμείς; (When would you like us to go [as opposed to others]?)

Is Πάμε; also a question or invitation?

Yes. Πάμε; can mean “Shall we go?” and Πάμε! means “Let’s go!” Context and intonation/punctuation tell them apart.