Οι περισσότεροι μένουν στην πόλη, αλλά εγώ μένω σε χωριό.

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Breakdown of Οι περισσότεροι μένουν στην πόλη, αλλά εγώ μένω σε χωριό.

• μένω: to live
• αλλά: but
• σε: in

Questions & Answers about Οι περισσότεροι μένουν στην πόλη, αλλά εγώ μένω σε χωριό.

What exactly does Οι περισσότεροι mean here, and why is there no noun after it?

Οι περισσότεροι literally means “the more (ones)” → “the majority / most (of them)”.

• οι = the (plural, masculine)
• περισσότεροι = “more / most” (masculine, plural, nominative)

In Greek, an adjective with the article can act as a noun. So:

• οι περισσότεροι (άνθρωποι) = most (people)
• οι περισσότεροι (από αυτούς) = most (of them)

The noun άνθρωποι (people) or the phrase από αυτούς (of them) is understood from context and can be left out.

So Οι περισσότεροι μένουν στην πόλη = “Most (people) live in the city” or “Most of them live in the city.”

What is the difference between μένουν and μένω?

Both forms come from the verb μένω = “to live”, “to stay”, “to reside”.

• μένω = I live / I stay (1st person singular)
• μένουν (or μένουνε) = they live / they stay (3rd person plural)

So in the sentence:

• Οι περισσότεροι μένουν στην πόλη = Most (people) live in the city.
• εγώ μένω σε χωριό = I live in a village.

The subject is clear from the verb ending, even if the pronoun is not present.

Why do we have εγώ here if the ending of μένω already shows “I”? Is it necessary?