Breakdown of Εμείς λέμε να πάμε λίγο νωρίτερα, για να προλάβουμε την ήσυχη ώρα πριν χτυπήσει το κουδούνι του διπλανού σχολείου.
πάω
to go
λίγο
a little
να
to
η ώρα
the time
Questions & Answers about Εμείς λέμε να πάμε λίγο νωρίτερα, για να προλάβουμε την ήσυχη ώρα πριν χτυπήσει το κουδούνι του διπλανού σχολείου.
Why is Εμείς used here? The verb λέμε already shows the subject, right?
Yes, the verb already shows the subject, so Εμείς is not grammatically necessary.
Greek often drops subject pronouns, but they are added for:
- Emphasis: Εμείς λέμε… = We, for our part, think/say… (as opposed to others).
- Contrast: It can imply “we (and not someone else)” or “as for us…”.
Without Εμείς, Λέμε να πάμε… would be a neutral “We’re thinking of going…”.
With Εμείς, it can sound like “We suggest going…” or “Our plan is to go…”, possibly contrasting with someone else’s idea or plan.
What exactly does λέμε να πάμε mean? Is it literally “we say to go”?
Literally yes, but in modern Greek λέω να + subjunctive is a fixed pattern meaning:
- I/we am/are thinking of …
- I/we suggest …
- I/we plan to …
So:
- Εμείς λέμε να πάμε λίγο νωρίτερα…
≈ We’re thinking of going a bit earlier… / We suggest going a bit earlier…
It’s softer and more tentative than a plain future like Θα πάμε (We will go).
It sounds like a proposal or idea rather than a firm decision.
Why is it να πάμε and not just πάμε or πηγαίνουμε?