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

I want to try on these pants; where is the fitting room?

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

• είμαι: to be
• θέλω: to want
• αυτός: this
• να: to
• πού: where
• το παντελόνι: the pants
• δοκιμάζω: to try on
• το δοκιμαστήριο: the fitting room

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»?

In Greek, when you use a demonstrative (this/that) with a noun, you normally also include the definite article:

• αυτό το παντελόνι = this (the) pair of trousers
• εκείνο το παντελόνι = that (the) pair of trousers

General pattern:

• αυτό το + neuter noun (this X)
• αυτή η + feminine noun
• αυτός ο + masculine noun

Leaving the article out (αυτό παντελόνι) is ungrammatical in standard modern Greek.

In English we say “these trousers” (plural), but in Greek it’s «αυτό το παντελόνι» (singular). Why?

Greek treats «το παντελόνι» as a singular neuter noun meaning “pair of trousers”.

So:

• το παντελόνι = (a) pair of trousers
• τα παντελόνια = trousers (in general), multiple pairs

English uses a plural form “trousers / pants” for one item; Greek uses a singular word παντελόνι for one pair.

Could I also say «Θέλω να δοκιμάσω το παντελόνι αυτό» instead of «αυτό το παντελόνι»? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, you can say both:

• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι.
• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω το παντελόνι αυτό.

They mean the same thing. The first version (αυτό το παντελόνι, demonstrative before the noun) is more neutral and common in everyday speech.

Putting αυτό after the noun (το παντελόνι αυτό) can sound a bit more emphatic or slightly more formal/stylized, but the difference is subtle.

Why is there a comma before «πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο;»?

The sentence has two clauses:

1. Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι,
2. πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο;

The comma separates the first clause (“I want to try these trousers on”) from the second question (“where is the fitting room?”), just as in English:

• I want to try these trousers on, where is the fitting room?

Also note Greek punctuation:

• The Greek question mark is ; (semicolon shape), as in «δοκιμαστήριο;».
• A Greek semicolon (for a pause in the middle of a sentence) is written as · (raised dot), but it’s not used here.

What is the difference between «πού» with an accent and «που» without an accent?

• πού (with accent) = “where” (question or exclamation)

  • Πού είναι το δοκιμαστήριο; = Where is the fitting room?

• που (without accent) = “that / which / who / where” as a relative conjunction

  • Example: Το παντελόνι που πήρα είναι ακριβό.
    “The trousers that I bought are expensive.”

In our sentence, it’s a direct question, so you must use πού with an accent.

What gender is «δοκιμαστήριο», and how do I form its plural?

δοκιμαστήριο is a neuter noun.

• Singular: το δοκιμαστήριο = the fitting room / changing room
• Plural: τα δοκιμαστήρια = the fitting rooms

Pattern: many neuter nouns in -ιο form their plural in -ια:

• το βιβλίο → τα βιβλία
• το εργοστάσιο → τα εργοστάσια
• το δοκιμαστήριο → τα δοκιμαστήρια

Is «Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι…» polite enough to use in a shop, or is there a more polite version?

Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι is perfectly acceptable and common in everyday speech, especially if your tone is friendly.

To sound more polite / softer, you can use:

• Θα ήθελα να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι.
  = “I would like to try these trousers on.”

You can also add a “please”:

• Θα ήθελα να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι, παρακαλώ.

Where is the stress in the words «παντελόνι» and «δοκιμαστήριο», and how are they roughly pronounced?

Stress is marked by the accent:

• παντελόνι → pan-de-LO-ni
  Stress on λό.

• δοκιμαστήριο → tho-ki-ma-STI-rio
  Stress on στή.

Approximate pronunciation (using English sounds):

• παντελόνι ≈ “panda-LOH-nee”
• δοκιμαστήριο ≈ “tho-kee-mah-STEE-ree-o”

(Θ/θ = a soft “th” as in “this”; ι/η/υ/ει/οι usually sound like “ee”.)

Can I drop the word «αυτό» and just say «Θέλω να δοκιμάσω το παντελόνι»?

Yes, grammatically you can say:

• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω το παντελόνι.

That means “I want to try on the trousers”, referring to some trousers that are already clear from context (for example, the only pair you are both looking at).

Using αυτό (“this”) makes it explicit that you mean this specific pair, as opposed to another one:

• Θέλω να δοκιμάσω αυτό το παντελόνι. = this pair here.

Are there any other common ways to say “fitting room / changing room” in Greek besides «δοκιμαστήριο»?

Yes, depending on the place and context:

• δοκιμαστήριο – usual in clothes shops (for trying on clothes).
• αποδυτήρια – more like locker rooms / changing rooms in gyms, pools, sports facilities.
• Colloquially, some people may also say καμπίνα (cabin) in certain contexts, but δοκιμαστήριο is the standard word for a shop fitting room.