Learn Hardcore Greek: Πεινάς ακόμα ή θέλεις μόνο νερό; - Are you still hungry or do you want only water?

Πεινάς means “you are hungry.” It’s present tense, 2nd person singular.
Base verb: πεινάω (also written and said as πεινώ). Both are correct in modern Greek.
Mini conjugation (present):
- εγώ πεινάω/πεινώ (I’m hungry)
- εσύ πεινάς (you’re hungry)
- αυτός/αυτή/αυτό πεινάει/πεινά
- εμείς πεινάμε
- εσείς πεινάτε
- αυτοί πεινάνε/πεινούν

What does ακόμα mean here? Is it the same as ακόμη?

ακόμα means “still” here. You can also see ακόμη—they’re interchangeable; ακόμη tends to look slightly more formal.
Placement: both Πεινάς ακόμα; and Ακόμα πεινάς; are fine (preverbal placement can add emphasis).
For “not anymore,” use πια or πλέον: Δεν πεινάω πια/πλέον.

Why is ή written with an accent?

ή (with accent) means “or.” The accent distinguishes it from η (unaccented), which is the feminine article “the.”
Pronounced like English “ee.” Example: ή καφές ή τσάι = “either coffee or tea.”

Why is there no article before νερό? Why not το νερό?

With mass/uncountable nouns in a generic or indefinite sense, Greek often omits the article: μόνο νερό = “only water (some water).”
μόνο το νερό would mean “only the water” (that specific water, not another drink), which is a different meaning.

Why doesn’t νερό change form here?

νερό is neuter; neuter nouns have identical nominative and accusative forms.
Singular: το νερό (nom/acc). Plural: τα νερά (nom/acc).

Is θέλεις the same as θες?

Yes. θέλεις = “you want” (standard form of θέλω).
θες is a very common shorter form in speech and informal writing. Both are correct: Θέλεις μόνο νερό; / Θες μόνο νερό;

Can I move ακόμα or μόνο around? How does word order affect meaning?

Πεινάς ακόμα; vs Ακόμα πεινάς; Both mean “Are you still hungry?” The preverbal ακόμα often adds a touch of emphasis to “still.”
Θέλεις μόνο νερό; is neutral. To emphasize “only,” you can front it: Μόνο νερό θέλεις;
Postposing μόνο is limited to short answers: —Τι θες; —Νερό μόνο. In full sentences, keep μόνο before what it restricts.

What’s the polite/plural version of the sentence?

Is that really a question mark at the end? It looks like a semicolon.

In Greek, the question mark is written as ; (semicolon shape). So νερό; is a question, not a statement with a semicolon.

Do I need a comma before ή?

Generally, no. Greek doesn’t require a comma before ή in short, clear alternatives. You’d only add one if the clauses are long or to avoid ambiguity.

Could I say “Are you still hungry?” with an adjective instead of the verb πεινάω?

Yes: Είσαι ακόμα πεινασμένος; (to a man) / Είσαι ακόμα πεινασμένη; (to a woman).
Using πεινάς (the verb “to be hungry”) is very common and neutral; the adjective version is equally correct and natural.

What’s the difference between μόνο and μόνος/μόνη/μόνο?

μόνο (adverb) = “only/just”: Θέλεις μόνο νερό (You only want water).
μόνος/μόνη/μόνο (adjective) = “alone”: Είμαι μόνος (I’m alone; masc.), Είμαι μόνη (fem.).

Is either ή or είτε better here?

Use ή in everyday speech: Πεινάς ακόμα ή θέλεις μόνο νερό;
είτε… είτε… is a paired, more formal “either…or…” construction and isn’t the natural choice in this direct question.

How do I pronounce the whole sentence?

IPA: [piˈnas ˈakoma i ˈθelis ˈmono neˈro]
Rough guide (stressed syllables in caps): pee-NÁS Á-ko-ma ee THEH-lees MÓ-no ne-RO
Note: θ is like English “th” in “thin.” ή sounds like “ee.”

How could I answer this question naturally?

Is there a difference between μόνο νερό and σκέτο νερό?

μόνο νερό = “only water” (not any other drink).
σκέτο νερό = “plain water” (no carbonation, flavor, ice/lemon, etc.). Different nuance: exclusivity vs simplicity.