Μπορείτε να μου δώσετε μια ομπρέλα, παρακαλώ;

please

Breakdown of Μπορείτε να μου δώσετε μια ομπρέλα, παρακαλώ;

• μπορώ: to be able
• να: to
• δίνω: to give

Questions & Answers about Μπορείτε να μου δώσετε μια ομπρέλα, παρακαλώ;

Why is the verb in the plural (Μπορείτε) if I’m talking to one person?

Modern Greek uses the second-person plural as a polite form of address (like French vous). Use Μπορείτε for polite/formal “you” (or when addressing more than one person). With a friend or a child, you’d say Μπορείς.

What does να do in να μου δώσετε?

Να introduces the subjunctive. Greek has no infinitive; instead, it uses να + subjunctive to express actions that are desired, possible, requested, etc. Here it’s part of a polite request: “(that you) give me.”

Why is it δώσετε and not δίνετε?

Aspect. Δώσετε is aorist subjunctive (single, complete act: “give once”), which fits a one-off request. Δίνετε would be present (ongoing/habitual: “be giving”), which sounds odd in a single request.

What verb does δώσετε come from?

From δίνω (to give), which has an irregular aorist stem δώσ-. Subjunctive forms: να δώσω, να δώσεις, να δώσει, να δώσουμε, να δώσετε, να δώσουν(ε). The imperative polite form is δώστε.

Why μου and not με?