Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα και μετά έκανα μπάνιο.

First I went to the toilet and then I took a bath.

Breakdown of Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα και μετά έκανα μπάνιο.

• και: and
• πάω: to go
• μετά: then
• σε: to
• η τουαλέτα: the toilet
• κάνω μπάνιο: to take a bath
• πρώτα: first

Questions & Answers about Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα και μετά έκανα μπάνιο.

What does the word στην mean here, and why isn’t it written as σε την?

Στην is the contracted form of σε + την and means “to the/at the/in the” with a feminine singular noun. Since τουαλέτα is feminine, you get στην τουαλέτα. Because the verb πήγα (I went) implies motion, στην here means “to the”: “I went to the toilet.”

Why is there a final -ν in στην before τουαλέτα?

Modern Greek often keeps the final -ν of words like την/στην/έναν before a vowel and before certain consonants: κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, ξ, ψ (often ζ as well). Τουαλέτα starts with τ, so the -ν is kept: στην τουαλέτα. In casual speech you may hear variation, but this is the standard rule.

Where is the word “I”? Why isn’t εγώ used?

Greek is a “pro‑drop” language: subject pronouns are usually omitted because the verb ending shows the person. Πήγ-α and έκαν-α both end in -α (1st person singular), so “I” is understood. Use εγώ only for emphasis (e.g., Εγώ πρώτα πήγα… “I, for my part, first went…”).

Why is it πήγα and not πήγαινα?

Πήγα is the aorist (simple past, perfective aspect) and is used for completed, one‑off events in sequence. Πήγαινα is the imperfect (past continuous/habitual), meaning “I was going/I used to go.” In a timeline like “first… then…”, Greek uses the aorist: completed steps.

What tense/aspect is έκανα here? Isn’t that also the imperfect?

For κάνω, the past forms of the aorist and the imperfect look the same in the indicative (e.g., έκανα). Context disambiguates:

• Aorist (completed): Χθες έκανα μπάνιο. “I took a bath yesterday.”
• Imperfect (ongoing): Όταν τηλεφώνησες, έκανε μπάνιο. “When you called, he/she was bathing.” In your sentence, with πρώτα… μετά… (a sequence), έκανα is understood as aorist.

What’s the difference between πάω and πηγαίνω, and which past form do they use?

Both mean “to go.” Πάω is very common in everyday speech; πηγαίνω is a bit more formal or can stress regularity/habit. Both typically use the same aorist: πήγα (“I went”).

Why is it κάνω μπάνιο? Can I say παίρνω μπάνιο like in English “take a bath”?

The idiomatic Greek expression is κάνω μπάνιο (“take a bath/shower”). You’ll hear παίρνω μπάνιο from some speakers (influenced by English), but κάνω μπάνιο is the neutral, standard choice. For shower: κάνω ντους is the norm.

Does μπάνιο mean “bath” or “shower”?

In everyday Greek, κάνω μπάνιο covers both a bath and a shower—it just means “to wash/bathe.” If you specifically want “shower,” you can say κάνω ντους. Also, κάνω μπάνιο στη θάλασσα can mean “go for a swim in the sea.”

Why is there no article before μπάνιο? Could I say έκανα ένα μπάνιο?

Κάνω μπάνιο is a set phrase and usually appears without an article. You can say έκανα ένα μπάνιο (“I took a bath”) to highlight one specific bath, and έκανα το μπάνιο μου (“I took my bath”) is also natural, especially in routine contexts.

Could I say πήγα στο μπάνιο instead of στην τουαλέτα?

Yes, but there’s a nuance. Η τουαλέτα is specifically “the toilet/lavatory,” while το μπάνιο is “the bathroom” (the room). Πήγα στην τουαλέτα sounds like you went to use the toilet; πήγα στο μπάνιο just says you went into the bathroom.

Can I drop και and say: Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα, μετά έκανα μπάνιο?

Yes. Both …και μετά… and punctuation with … , μετά … are common. Including και often sounds a bit smoother in speech, but both are correct.

Can I move πρώτα and μετά around?

Yes. Common options:

• Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα και μετά έκανα μπάνιο.
• Πήγα πρώτα στην τουαλέτα και μετά έκανα μπάνιο.
• Πρώτα πήγα στην τουαλέτα· μετά έκανα μπάνιο.
• You can also use synonyms: ύστερα/έπειτα/κατόπιν.

What are good synonyms for μετά and how else can it be used?

Synonyms: ύστερα, έπειτα (neutral; κατόπιν is more formal). As a preposition, μετά means “after”: μετά το μπάνιο (“after the bath”), μετά από εμένα (“after me”).

What case is τουαλέτα in after στην?

Accusative singular feminine: (σε + την) τουαλέτα → στην τουαλέτα. In Modern Greek, σε governs the accusative for both location (“at/in”) and direction (“to”); the verb and context tell you which is meant.

How do I pronounce the tricky bits?

• Πρώτα: PRO-ta (rolled r; stress on the first syllable).
• πήγα: PEE-gha (the γ before α is a voiced [ɣ], like a soft g).
• στην: steen.
• τουαλέτα: too-a-LE-ta (stress on -λέ-).
• μπάνιο: BAN-yo (initial μπ = b; νι
  • ο gives a “nyo” sound).