Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι, πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο;

to be

Breakdown of Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι, πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο;

• θέλω: to want
• αυτός: this
• να: to

Questions & Answers about Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι, πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο;

Why do we say «θέλω να δοκιμάσω» and not something like a Greek infinitive, like in English “I want to try”?

Modern Greek doesn’t really use an infinitive the way English does.
Instead, it uses να + verb (in the subjunctive mood).

• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω = literally “I want that I try”.
• θέλω = “I want”
• να δοκιμάσω = “to try (once / this time)”

So whenever English would say “want to do”, “need to do”, “try to do”, etc., Greek usually has:

• θέλω να + verb
• πρέπει να + verb
• μπορώ να + verb

What is the difference between δοκιμάσω and δοκιμάζω?

Both come from the verb δοκιμάζω (“to try”, “to test”), but they differ in aspect:

• δοκιμάζω = present subjunctive form (continuous aspect)
  Focuses on the process / duration: “to be trying / to keep trying”.
• δοκιμάσω = aorist subjunctive form (single / completed action)
  Focuses on one whole act: “to try (once)”, “to give it a try”.

In this sentence:

• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι
  implies “I want to try these trousers on (once, right now).”

Saying Θέλω να δοκιμάζω αυτό το παντελόνι would sound odd here, as if you want to be continually trying the same trousers.

Why is it «αυτό το παντελόνι» and not just «αυτό παντελόνι»?