Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

today

Breakdown of Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

• σε: in
• το σαλόνι: the living room
• το απόγευμα: in the afternoon

Questions & Answers about Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

Why is the subject “I” not written in the Greek sentence?

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

• ξεκουράζομαι is 1st person singular → it already means I rest / I am resting.
• Adding εγώ is only needed for emphasis, e.g. Εγώ σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι. (I, this afternoon, am the one resting in the living room.)

So the sentence is complete without an explicit I.

What does ξεκουράζομαι look like in its basic dictionary form, and what kind of verb is it?

The dictionary (infinitive-like) form is just ξεκουράζομαι – modern Greek doesn’t use infinitives the way English does. Verbs are usually listed in the 1st person singular present tense.

Grammar points:

• ξεκουράζομαι is a middle / reflexive verb (ending in -ομαι).
• Active voice would be ξεκουράζω (to give someone a rest), but in everyday Greek people almost always use ξεκουράζομαι to mean I rest / I relax / I take a break.
• Present tense ξεκουράζομαι can mean both:
  • I rest (generally / habitually)
  • I am resting (right now / this afternoon)
    Context tells you which one is meant.

In English we say this afternoon, but the Greek has Σήμερα το απόγευμα (“today the afternoon”). Is that normal?