Την επόμενη αργία λέω να μείνω σπίτι και να κάνω λίγη επανάληψη στα ελληνικά.

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Questions & Answers about Την επόμενη αργία λέω να μείνω σπίτι και να κάνω λίγη επανάληψη στα ελληνικά.

Why does the sentence start with Την (accusative)? Isn’t την usually her/it?

Here Την is the feminine accusative singular definite article (την) used with a time expression: Την επόμενη αργία = (On) the next holiday/day off.
Greek often uses the accusative article + a time noun to mean “on/this/next …”:

  • Την Κυριακή = on Sunday
  • Την επόμενη εβδομάδα = next week
    So it’s not the object pronoun την = her/it here; it’s the article agreeing with αργία.

What exactly does αργία mean? Is it a holiday or just a day off?

Αργία is a non-working day (often an official/public holiday, but it can also mean a day when you personally don’t work). It’s closer to day off / public holiday than to a celebration.
Related words:

  • διακοπές = vacation/holidays (a period of time)
  • γιορτή = celebration/feast day (the event)

Why is it λέω να? Doesn’t λέω mean I say?

Yes, literally λέω = I say, but λέω να + subjunctive is a very common conversational pattern meaning:

  • I’m thinking of…
  • I’m planning to…
  • I think I’ll…
    So λέω να μείνω σπίτιI think I’ll stay home.

Why do we use να with μείνω and κάνω?

Because after λέω να Greek uses the subjunctive introduced by να. The verbs after να don’t take an infinitive (Modern Greek doesn’t use infinitives like English does).
So English to stay / to do becomes Greek να μείνω / να κάνω.


Why is it μείνω (aorist) and not μένω (present)?

να μείνω is aorist subjunctive, which often suggests a complete/one-time decision or event: to stay (for that occasion).
να μένω (present subjunctive) would sound more like a repeated/habitual situation or focus on the ongoing nature: to be staying (in general / repeatedly).
Here, for the next day off, να μείνω fits naturally.


Why is there a second να after και? Can you say …και κάνω…?

Repeating να is the most standard and clear way:

  • …να μείνω σπίτι και να κάνω…
    You can sometimes omit the second να in casual speech when it’s obvious both verbs are under the same να, but repeating it is very common and often preferred, especially in writing or careful speech.

Why is it σπίτι without an article? Why not στο σπίτι?

Greek often uses σπίτι without an article to mean “(at) home” as a fixed, adverb-like idea:

  • μένω σπίτι = I stay home
    With an article/preposition it becomes more specific:
  • μένω στο σπίτι = I stay at the house / at home (more literal, can sound slightly more specific or emphatic)

What does κάνω λίγη επανάληψη mean literally, and is it a set phrase?

Literally: I do a little review/revision.
Yes, κάνω επανάληψη is a very common collocation meaning to review (material):

  • κάνω επανάληψη στα μαθηματικά = review maths
    Adding λίγη makes it a bit of review.

Why is it λίγη and not λίγο?

Because λίγη agrees with επανάληψη, which is feminine singular:

  • λίγη επανάληψη (fem.)
    Compare:
  • λίγο διάβασμα (neut.) = a bit of studying
  • λίγος χρόνος (masc.) = a little time

What does στα ελληνικά mean exactly? Why plural ελληνικά?

στα ελληνικά means in Greek / in the Greek language, and it’s extremely common.
ελληνικά is often used as a plural noun meaning Greek (language), similar to how some languages are treated as plural in Greek.
So:

  • κάνω επανάληψη στα ελληνικά = I review (my) Greek / I do some revision in Greek

How is στα formed? What case is ελληνικά in here?

στα is a contraction of σε + τα:

  • σε τα ελληνικάστα ελληνικά
    After σε, the noun phrase is in the accusative. Here τα ελληνικά is neuter plural accusative (same form as nominative for neuter plural, but grammatically it’s accusative after σε).

Could you also say στην επόμενη αργία instead of την επόμενη αργία?

Yes, and the meaning is very similar:

  • Την επόμενη αργία… = (On) the next day off… (very natural time-accusative)
  • Στην επόμενη αργία… = On/at the next day off… (explicit σε)
    Both work; την + time expression is especially common and idiomatic.