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Breakdown of Αυτή προσπαθεί να μάθει να οδηγεί, αλλά εγώ προτιμώ το μετρό.
εγώ
I
να
to
αυτή
she
αλλά
but
το μετρό
the metro
οδηγώ
to drive
προτιμάω
to prefer
μαθαίνω
to learn
προσπαθώ
to try
Questions & Answers about Αυτή προσπαθεί να μάθει να οδηγεί, αλλά εγώ προτιμώ το μετρό.
Do I have to say Αυτή and εγώ, or can I drop them?
You can drop them. Greek is a pro‑drop language, so subject pronouns are usually omitted because the verb ending shows the person.
- Without pronouns: Προσπαθεί να μάθει να οδηγεί, αλλά προτιμώ το μετρό.
- Keeping Αυτή and εγώ adds emphasis/contrast: “SHE is trying…, but I prefer….”
What’s the difference between Αυτή and Εκείνη here?
- Αυτή works as a neutral “she.”
- Εκείνη literally “that one (female),” feels more distant or pointed. In this sentence it would sound unusually contrastive unless you want to stress distance or a specific previously mentioned woman. Most of the time you’d use Αυτή (or omit it).
How do you pronounce Αυτή, and why is it “aftí,” not “avtí”?
Αυ is pronounced:
- as “av” before voiced consonants/vowels (e.g., αυγό “av‑GO”),
- as “af” before voiceless consonants (e.g., αυτό “af‑TO,” Αυτή “af‑TEE”). Because τ is voiceless, Αυτή becomes “af‑TEE.”
Why does the present προσπαθεί mean “is trying”?
Greek present covers both simple and progressive meanings. Context decides:
- Προσπαθεί… = “She tries/She is trying…” If you want to highlight the ongoing action, add an adverb like τώρα: Τώρα προσπαθεί να μάθει…
Why is there να after προσπαθεί?
να introduces the subjunctive. After verbs of desire/effort/ability (e.g., προσπαθώ, θέλω, μπορώ), Greek uses να + subjunctive for the following action:
- Προσπαθεί να μάθει… = “She is trying to learn…”
Why να μάθει and not να μαθαίνει?
Aspect choice:
- να μάθει (aorist/perfective) views “learn” as a single, complete achievement (acquire the skill).
- να μαθαίνει (present/imperfective) would focus on the ongoing process “to be learning,” but with προσπαθεί it sounds odd in this context. The natural choice is να μάθει.
Why να οδηγεί and not να οδηγήσει?
- να οδηγεί (present/imperfective) expresses the activity/ability of driving in general.
- να οδηγήσει (aorist/perfective) would suggest a single, bounded act (“to drive once/that time”). You’d use aorist if you mean she’s learning so she can drive on a specific occasion: Προσπαθεί να μάθει για να οδηγήσει αύριο.
Could I just say Μαθαίνει να οδηγεί?
Yes. Μαθαίνει να οδηγεί = “She is learning to drive.” It implies she has started learning. Προσπαθεί να μάθει highlights the effort or struggle to learn (maybe she hasn’t started or finds it hard). You can also combine them: Προσπαθεί να μάθει να οδηγεί (as in the sentence).
Is there a difference between οδηγεί and οδηγάει?
They’re both correct 3rd‑person singular present forms of the same verb:
- οδηγεί (type in ‑ώ): a bit more standard/formal.
- οδηγάει (type in ‑άω): very common in everyday speech. Meaning is the same. You’ll also hear the shortened οδηγά in speech.
How do you pronounce εγώ? Is the γ a hard “g”?
No. γ is usually a soft, fricative sound:
- Before back vowels (like ο in εγώ), it sounds like a soft “gh” (as in Spanish “amigo”): “e‑GHÓ.”
- Before front vowels (ε/ι), it’s a softer “y‑like” fricative (e.g., γεια ≈ “ya”).
Why is there a comma before αλλά?
Greek normally places a comma before αλλά when it connects two independent clauses:
- …να οδηγεί, αλλά εγώ προτιμώ… This mirrors standard punctuation practice in Greek.
Could I use μα or όμως instead of αλλά?
- μα = “but” (more colloquial/poetic): …, μα εγώ προτιμώ το μετρό.
- όμως = “however.” Usually placed after the subject or later in the clause: …, εγώ όμως προτιμώ το μετρό. All are fine; αλλά is the neutral default.
Why το μετρό? Could I say Προτιμώ μετρό without the article?
Greek often uses the definite article with general nouns and means of transport. Προτιμώ το μετρό sounds natural and generic (“I prefer the metro [as a mode of transport]”). Προτιμώ μετρό is possible but feels clipped/elliptical; you’d hear it less.
What gender is μετρό, and does it change form?
μετρό is neuter and indeclinable:
- Singular: το μετρό
- Plural (rarely needed): τα μετρό (same form) Often you’ll refer to the system with phrases like το μετρό της Αθήνας.
Can I change the word order?
Yes. Word order is flexible, and pronouns help mark emphasis:
- Αυτή προσπαθεί να μάθει…, αλλά προτιμώ το μετρό.
- Προτιμώ το μετρό, αλλά αυτή προσπαθεί να μάθει…
- Προσπαθεί να μάθει…, αλλά εγώ προτιμώ το μετρό. Shifting εγώ/αυτή changes the emphasis/contrast.
Is προσπαθεί the only correct 3rd‑person form? What about προσπαθάει?
Both exist:
- προσπαθεί (type in ‑ώ): standard.
- προσπαθάει (type in ‑άω): common in speech; you’ll also hear προσπαθά. Meaning is identical; choose based on style/flow.
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