Μιλάω ήσυχα στο σαλόνι το βράδυ.

I speak quietly in the living room in the evening.

Breakdown of Μιλάω ήσυχα στο σαλόνι το βράδυ.

• μιλάω: to speak
• το βράδυ: in the evening
• σε: in
• το σαλόνι: the living room

Questions & Answers about Μιλάω ήσυχα στο σαλόνι το βράδυ.

Why is there no word for “I” in the Greek sentence?

Greek usually leaves out subject pronouns like εγώ (I) because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Μιλάω by itself means I speak / I am speaking.
• If you say Εγώ μιλάω ήσυχα στο σαλόνι το βράδυ, that adds emphasis, like I (as opposed to someone else) speak quietly in the living room in the evening.

So the subject pronoun is optional and mainly used for emphasis or contrast.

What exactly does Μιλάω mean, and what is its dictionary form?

Μιλάω is the 1st person singular present tense of the verb μιλάω / μιλώ = to speak, to talk.

• Μιλάω = I speak / I am speaking
• You will see both μιλάω and μιλώ in dictionaries; they are just two forms of the same verb.
  
  • μιλάω is more common in everyday speech.
  • μιλώ sounds a bit more formal or literary.

A few present-tense forms (using the more colloquial μιλάω pattern):

• εγώ μιλάω – I speak
• εσύ μιλάς – you speak (singular)
• αυτός / αυτή / αυτό μιλάει – he / she / it speaks
• εμείς μιλάμε – we speak
• εσείς μιλάτε – you speak (plural / polite)
• αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά μιλάνε – they speak

What is the difference between μιλάω and λέω?