Κατά τη γνώμη μου, θα έπρεπε να μειώσω λίγο τον καφέ για να έχω λιγότερο άγχος.

In my opinion, I should reduce coffee a bit so that I have less stress.

Breakdown of Κατά τη γνώμη μου, θα έπρεπε να μειώσω λίγο τον καφέ για να έχω λιγότερο άγχος.

• ο καφές: the coffee
• λίγο: a little
• έχω: to have
• να: to

Questions & Answers about Κατά τη γνώμη μου, θα έπρεπε να μειώσω λίγο τον καφέ για να έχω λιγότερο άγχος.

What does Κατά τη γνώμη μου literally mean, and how is this expression built?

Κατά τη γνώμη μου literally means “according to my opinion” and is a fixed, very common way to say “in my opinion”.

• κατά
  • accusative can mean “according to”.
• τη γνώμη = the opinion (accusative, because of κατά).
• μου = my (weak/genitive pronoun used after the noun).

So the structure is: κατά + definite article + noun + μου → κατά τη γνώμη μου = according to the opinion of me → in my opinion.

Why is it τη γνώμη and not την γνώμη?

Both forms exist in theory (την γνώμη is the “full” form), but in modern spoken and written Greek, the ν of the feminine article την is very often dropped before consonants like γ, μ, ν, etc.

So:

• Full form: την γνώμη
• Common everyday form: τη γνώμη

You will almost always see and hear τη γνώμη in this phrase. The same happens with τον → το in many contexts.

Why is γνώμη in the accusative (τη γνώμη) instead of the genitive, since in English we say “in my opinion” (with my)?