Έχεις άλλη ιδέα;

to have

Breakdown of Έχεις άλλη ιδέα;

• η ιδέα: the idea
• άλλος: another

Questions & Answers about Έχεις άλλη ιδέα;

What does each word mean and how does the sentence work?

• Έχεις = you have (2nd person singular of έχω = to have)
• άλλη = other/another (feminine, agreeing with the noun)
• ιδέα = idea (feminine noun) So the sentence literally means: You have another idea? In English: Do you have another idea? or more idiomatically: Any other ideas?

Why is there a semicolon at the end instead of a question mark?

In Greek, the question mark is written as a semicolon: ;. So Έχεις άλλη ιδέα; uses the Greek question mark.

Why is άλλη feminine here?

Adjectives in Greek agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. Ιδέα is a feminine noun, so the adjective άλλος takes its feminine form άλλη. Basic forms:

• Masculine: άλλος
• Feminine: άλλη
• Neuter: άλλο

What case are άλλη and ιδέα in?

They’re in the accusative singular, because they are the direct object of έχεις. For many feminine nouns in -α (like ιδέα), nominative and accusative singular look the same. The article shows the difference:

• Nominative: η ιδέα
• Accusative: την ιδέα Here, there’s no article, so you only see the accusative through word role, not form.

Do I need an article here? What’s the difference between Έχεις άλλη ιδέα;, Έχεις μια/μία άλλη ιδέα;, and Έχεις καμιά/καμία άλλη ιδέα;?

• Έχεις άλλη ιδέα; Neutral, very common: “Do you have another idea?”
• Έχεις μια άλλη ιδέα; Slight “one more” nuance (counting one additional idea). μία (with stress) can emphasize “one (single)”.
• Έχεις καμιά/καμία άλλη ιδέα; “Do you have any other idea (by any chance)?” Sounds exploratory/softer, like “any other ideas?” in English.

How do I make it plural or more formal/polite?

• Plural ideas (informal you): Έχεις άλλες ιδέες; = “Do you have other ideas?”
• Formal/plural you (one idea): Έχετε άλλη ιδέα;
• Formal/plural you (multiple ideas): Έχετε άλλες ιδέες;

How do I pronounce it?

• Έχεις: [ˈe.çis] (the χ before e/i is like the German “ich” sound [ç]); stress on the first syllable.
• άλλη: [ˈa.li] (double λ is not doubled in length in Modern Greek).
• ιδέα: [iˈðe.a] (δ = voiced “th” as in “this” [ð]); three syllables i‑ðe‑a with stress on -δέ-. Whole sentence: [ˈe.çis ˈa.li iˈðe.a]

Does Greek need a helper like “do” to form a yes/no question?

No. Greek forms yes/no questions by intonation and the question mark. Έχεις άλλη ιδέα; is just the statement order with question intonation. Typical answers:

• Ναι, έχω. (Yes, I do/have.)
• Όχι, δεν έχω. (No, I don’t/have not.)

Can I make it even shorter in casual speech?

Yes. Elliptical options are common:

• Άλλη ιδέα; = “Another idea?”
• Καμιά άλλη ιδέα; = “Any other idea(s)?” These are perfectly natural in informal contexts.

How can I soften it or make it more polite?

Add μήπως (“by any chance”):

• Μήπως έχεις άλλη ιδέα; (informal)
• Μήπως έχετε άλλη ιδέα; (formal/plural) This sounds gentler and less direct.

How do I say “Don’t you have another idea?” and how do I answer negative questions in Greek?

• Negative question: Δεν έχεις άλλη ιδέα; Answers in Greek agree with the polarity of the sentence:
• Ναι, δεν έχω. = “Yes, I don’t have.” (affirming the negative)
• Όχι, έχω. = “No, I do have.” This can feel opposite to English habits—keep the polarity rule in mind.

Does άλλη mean “another” or “different”? When would I use διαφορετική?

άλλη covers both “another” and “other/different” depending on context:

• Θέλω άλλη ιδέα. = I want another/different idea. Use διαφορετική when you want to stress “different (not the same)”:
• Θέλω διαφορετική ιδέα. (clearer emphasis on difference)

Can I change the word order?

Yes, for emphasis or style:

• Άλλη ιδέα έχεις; (fronts “another idea” for focus)
• Έχεις άλλη ιδέα εσύ; (emphasizes “you”) Default Έχεις άλλη ιδέα; is the most neutral.

What’s the full present-tense conjugation of έχω (to have)?

• εγώ έχω = I have
• εσύ έχεις = you have (singular, informal)
• αυτός/αυτή/αυτό έχει = he/she/it has
• εμείς έχουμε = we have
• εσείς έχετε = you have (plural or formal)
• αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά έχουν(ε) = they have

Anything to know about the accent on the initial capital in Έχεις?

Greek keeps the stress mark (τόνος) even on an initial capital letter (e.g., Έ). In all-caps text it’s often omitted, but in normal writing it should be there.