Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ κάθε πρωί πριν από τη δουλειά.

the coffee

Breakdown of Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ κάθε πρωί πριν από τη δουλειά.

• πίνω: to drink
• η δουλειά: the work
• να: to

Questions & Answers about Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ κάθε πρωί πριν από τη δουλειά.

What exactly does Συνηθίζω mean here? Is it “I usually drink coffee” or “I’m used to drinking coffee”?

The verb συνηθίζω literally means “to be in the habit of / to be accustomed to / to usually do”.

In this sentence, Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ… is close in meaning to both:

• “I usually drink coffee…”
• “I’m used to drinking coffee…”

Nuance:

• Πίνω καφέ κάθε πρωί… = a simple statement of a routine: I drink coffee every morning…
• Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ κάθε πρωί… = emphasizes the habit as such: I have the habit of drinking coffee every morning / I tend to drink coffee every morning.

So it’s a bit stronger in focusing on the habit, not just the fact.

Why do we need να before πίνω? Is it like “to” in English?

Yes, να here is roughly comparable to English “to” before a verb, but grammatically it’s different.

• Greek has no infinitive like “to drink”.
• Instead, it uses να + verb to form a kind of subjunctive or “non-finite” verb form.

In Συνηθίζω να πίνω καφέ…:

• να introduces the verb πίνω as the thing you are in the habit of doing.
• You can think of it like: “I am used to drink(ing) coffee…”, where να πίνω is functioning where English would use “to drink / drinking”.

You cannot say Συνηθίζω πίνω καφέ. After συνηθίζω (when it’s followed by a verb), you must have να.

Why is it πίνω and not after ?