Breakdown of Την Πέμπτη εγώ βάζω το πλυντήριο, και η αδερφή μου καθαρίζει το πάτωμα.
και
and
εγώ
I
μου
my
καθαρίζω
to clean
Questions & Answers about Την Πέμπτη εγώ βάζω το πλυντήριο, και η αδερφή μου καθαρίζει το πάτωμα.
Why is it Την Πέμπτη and not Η Πέμπτη? What is this την doing here?
In Greek, days of the week used to say “on [day]” are usually put in the accusative case without a preposition.
- Η Πέμπτη = Thursday (as a subject, nominative case)
- Την Πέμπτη = on Thursday (accusative of time)
So την is the feminine accusative singular article. This is a very common pattern:
- Τη Δευτέρα = on Monday
- Την Τρίτη = on Tuesday
- Την Κυριακή = on Sunday
You could technically also say την ημέρα Πέμπτη (on the day Thursday), but in everyday speech people just say Την Πέμπτη: the accusative alone means “on Thursday”.
Why is there no word for “on” in Την Πέμπτη? In English we say “on Thursday”.
Greek often uses the bare accusative (no preposition) for time expressions:
- Την Πέμπτη = (on) Thursday
- Το βράδυ = (in) the evening
- Κάθε μέρα = (every) day
- Τον Ιούλιο = (in) July
So the idea of “on” is built into the case (accusative) rather than expressed with a separate preposition like English “on” or “in”.
You don’t say ✗ στην Πέμπτη for “on Thursday” in this context; just Την Πέμπτη.
Why is εγώ written? I thought Greek usually drops the subject pronoun.