Μερικές φορές προτιμώ το βουνό από τη θάλασσα.

to prefer

Breakdown of Μερικές φορές προτιμώ το βουνό από τη θάλασσα.

• από: than
• μερικές φορές: sometimes
• η θάλασσα: the sea

Questions & Answers about Μερικές φορές προτιμώ το βουνό από τη θάλασσα.

Why is it “Μερικές φορές” and not just “Μερικές”? What is “φορές” doing here?

In Greek, “μερικές φορές” literally means “some times” (i.e., on some occasions).

• Μερικές = some (feminine plural)
• Φορές = times (feminine plural of φορά = time/occasion)

Often, in everyday speech, the noun is dropped in English (“sometimes”), but in Greek it normally stays:

• Μερικές φορές = some times → sometimes

You wouldn’t normally say just “μερικές” here; it would sound incomplete, like saying “some” with no noun. The feminine plural agreement (μερικές + φορές) is grammatical: adjective + noun in the same gender, number, and case.

Why is “προτιμώ” used here, and what form is it? How is it related to “προτιμάω”?

Προτιμώ is:

• Present tense
• Active voice
• 1st person singular
• From the verb προτιμώ / προτιμάω = I prefer

Greek has a group of verbs ending in -άω / -ώ, where both forms exist:

• προτιμάω → more “full” form
• προτιμώ → shorter, very common in speech and writing

They are interchangeable in meaning here:

• Προτιμώ το βουνό…
• Προτιμάω το βουνό…

Both mean “I prefer the mountain…”

Why is it “το βουνό” and not just “βουνό” like in English “I prefer mountain”? Why the definite article?