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Questions & Answers about Την αγαπάω πολύ.
What is την here? Is it the word her?
Yes. Την is the unstressed object pronoun her (or it, for a feminine noun).
- It is feminine, singular, accusative case.
- It stands for the direct object of the verb: την = her.
- It’s “clitic”, meaning it is short and leans on the verb, so it usually appears right next to it: Την αγαπάω.
Why does την go before αγαπάω instead of after it?
In normal statements, unstressed object pronouns like τον / την / το almost always go before the verb in Greek:
- Την αγαπάω πολύ. = I love her very much.
- Τον βλέπω. = I see him.
- Το θέλω. = I want it.
Putting την after the verb (αγαπάω την) is generally wrong in everyday Greek, except in very specific cases (e.g. after some imperatives, or in poetry/very marked style). So for standard speech, keep την before the verb.
Why is there no word for I? Could I say Εγώ την αγαπάω πολύ?