Breakdown of Μπορείτε να με ειδοποιήσετε όταν έρθει ο ηλεκτρολόγος, παρακαλώ;
παρακαλώ
please
μπορώ
to be able
να
to
έρχομαι
to come
Questions & Answers about Μπορείτε να με ειδοποιήσετε όταν έρθει ο ηλεκτρολόγος, παρακαλώ;
Why does Μπορείτε mean Can you… and why is it plural?
Μπορείτε is the 2nd person plural form of μπορώ (I can / I’m able). Greek often uses the plural (you-plural) as the polite/formal you (like French vous).
So Μπορείτε να… is a standard polite request: Could you… / Can you… (formal).
Why is there να after Μπορείτε?
Greek typically expresses can + verb as μπορώ + να + verb.
Here, να introduces the verb in the subjunctive (a mood used after many verbs like can, want, must, etc.).
So Μπορείτε να με ειδοποιήσετε… literally functions like Are you able to notify me….
What exactly is με ειδοποιήσετε grammatically?
- με = me (weak object pronoun, accusative).
- ειδοποιήσετε = you notify in the aorist subjunctive, 2nd person plural (matching formal Μπορείτε).
Aorist subjunctive here doesn’t mean “past”; it presents the action as a single completed event: to notify me (once/when it happens).
Why is με placed before the verb? Can it go after?