Breakdown of Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο, γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ.
Questions & Answers about Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο, γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ.
In Greek, a very common way to express time (when something happens) is:
definite article (accusative) + time word (accusative)
So instead of saying “in winter” with a preposition, Greek uses the accusative alone:
- τον χειμώνα = in (the) winter
- το καλοκαίρι = in (the) summer
- την Κυριακή = on Sunday
- το βράδυ = in the evening
No extra preposition (like σε) is needed here. The accusative with the article already carries the meaning “during / in” for time expressions.
In normal, neutral Greek, you do need the article here:
- Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια… ✅ (natural)
- Χειμώνα φοράω γάντια… ❌ (sounds wrong/very odd in standard speech)
You might see or hear χειμώνα without the article in:
- fixed expressions (e.g. χειμώνα–καλοκαίρι = winter and summer / all year round)
- poetry or very stylized language
But for a plain sentence like this with the meaning “in winter I wear gloves…”, you should use the article: τον χειμώνα.
Φορώ and φοράω are forms of the same verb (to wear), present tense, 1st person singular:
- φορώ = I wear (more formal / written / careful speech)
- φοράω = I wear (more colloquial / everyday speech)
In most everyday spoken Greek, people say φοράω:
- Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια… (very natural in speech)
You could say Τον χειμώνα φορώ γάντια… – it’s correct, but it sounds a bit more formal or “bookish.”
Φοράω mainly means “to wear / to have on (clothes, accessories)”, but it can also be used when you’re putting something on.
- φοράω γάντια = I wear gloves / I have gloves on
- βάζω γάντια = I put on gloves
In practice:
- For a state (how you are dressed): use φοράω
- For the action of putting something on: βάζω is more precise, but φοράω is often used too, especially if the focus is on the result (ending up wearing them)
In this sentence (φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο) the meaning is habitual: “I wear gloves (I work with gloves on)”, so φοράω is the natural choice.
Στο is a contraction of:
- σε (in, at, to) + το (the – neuter, accusative or nominative)
So:
- σε το περίπτερο → στο περίπτερο (always contracted in normal Greek)
Other similar contractions:
- σε + τον → στον (e.g. στον δρόμο)
- σε + την → στη(ν) (e.g. στη δουλειά)
- σε + τα → στα (e.g. στα μαγαζιά)
Στο περίπτερο here means “at the kiosk / in the kiosk”.
Περίπτερο is usually translated as “kiosk” or “newsstand”, but in Greece it traditionally refers to a very specific kind of small stand or booth that typically sells:
- newspapers, magazines
- cigarettes, lighters
- drinks, snacks, gum, etc.
- sometimes phone cards, small items, etc.
It’s often open to the street on one or more sides. So στο περίπτερο likely means “at the kiosk where I work / stand”, not “inside a big building.”
Γιατί can mean:
- why (question)
- because (answer / conjunction)
You know it’s “because” here because:
- It does not start a question – the sentence ends with a period, not a question mark.
- It connects two clauses:
- main clause: Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο
- reason clause: γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ
So here γιατί = because:
“…I wear gloves at the kiosk, because outside I get very cold.”
Greek punctuation normally uses a comma to separate:
- a main clause from
- a dependent (subordinate) clause introduced by γιατί, όταν, επειδή, etc.
So you get:
- Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο, γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ.
The comma marks the break between what happens and the reason:
- What happens: Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο
- Reason: γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ
Έξω by itself is an adverb meaning “outside” in a general sense:
- έξω = outside (as opposed to inside)
You only add από when you specify outside of what:
- έξω από το σπίτι = outside the house
- έξω από το περίπτερο = outside the kiosk
In this sentence:
- έξω κρυώνω πολύ = “outside I get very cold” / “when I’m outside, I get very cold”
The context is already clear (outside in general, compared to being inside the kiosk), so έξω alone is enough.
Κρυώνω is a personal verb: it describes how a person (or animal, etc.) feels:
- κρυώνω = I am cold / I get cold
- κρυώνεις = you are cold
- κρυώνει = he / she / it is cold
By contrast, κάνει κρύο or έχει κρύο mean:
- it is cold (the weather is cold)
So:
- Έξω κρυώνω πολύ. = Outside *I am (feel) very cold / I get very cold.*
- Έξω κάνει πολύ κρύο. = It’s very cold outside (the weather is very cold).
Both can be true at the same time, but the focus is different: feeling vs. weather.
In Greek, the verb ending shows the subject, so subject pronouns are usually dropped unless you want emphasis.
Present tense, -ω ending:
- φοράω = I wear
- κρυώνω = I am cold / I get cold
Including the pronoun εγώ is possible but changes the emphasis:
- Εγώ τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια…
= I (as opposed to someone else) wear gloves in winter…
Since there’s no contrast or emphasis here, it’s more natural to omit the pronoun. The listener automatically understands “I” from the verb form.
Greek word order is more flexible than English, especially when the meaning is clear from endings. Some alternatives that are still natural:
- Τον χειμώνα, έξω κρυώνω πολύ. (moving έξω κρυώνω πολύ together)
- Έξω, τον χειμώνα, κρυώνω πολύ. (emphasis on “outside, in winter…”)
- Έξω κρυώνω πολύ τον χειμώνα. (still understandable: “Outside I get very cold in winter.”)
However, the original:
- Τον χειμώνα φοράω γάντια στο περίπτερο, γιατί έξω κρυώνω πολύ.
is very clear and natural: it presents time → action → place → reason in a straightforward way. Some rearrangements are possible, but if you move things too much it can start to sound marked or slightly awkward.