Questions & Answers about Βήχω πολύ το βράδυ και δεν μπορώ να κοιμηθώ.
Why is there no word for “I” in the Greek sentence?
Greek is a “pro-drop” language: the subject pronoun (like εγώ = I) is usually left out when the verb ending already shows the person.
- Βήχω is the 1st person singular form: “I cough”.
- Μπορώ is also 1st person singular: “I can / I am able”.
So:
- Βήχω πολύ το βράδυ = (I) cough a lot at night
- Δεν μπορώ να κοιμηθώ = (I) can’t sleep
You only add εγώ for emphasis or contrast, e.g. Εγώ βήχω πολύ, όχι εσύ. — I cough a lot, not you.
What exactly does βήχω mean, and what form is it?
Βήχω is a verb meaning “to cough”. In this sentence it is:
- tense: present
- person/number: 1st person singular
- meaning here: I cough (habitually / right now)
Basic forms you might see:
- βήχω – I cough
- έβηξα – I coughed (simple past)
- θα βήξω – I will cough
It’s an intransitive verb in Greek, like in English: you just say βήχω, not βήχω κάτι (I cough something).
Why is it πολύ and not πολλά or πολύς?