Breakdown of Πριν από τη μετακόμιση θέλω να αγοράσω καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα για το μπάνιο.
Questions & Answers about Πριν από τη μετακόμιση θέλω να αγοράσω καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα για το μπάνιο.
What does πριν από mean, and why are there two words?
Πριν από means before when it is followed by a noun phrase.
So in πριν από τη μετακόμιση, it means before the move / before moving house.
Why two words?
- πριν = before
- από is the preposition that normally goes with a noun here
In everyday speech, you may also hear πριν τη μετακόμιση, but πριν από τη μετακόμιση is the full, standard form and a very safe choice for learners.
Why is it τη μετακόμιση and not η μετακόμιση?
Because από is a preposition, and after it Greek uses the accusative case.
So:
- η μετακόμιση = nominative, the subject form
- τη μετακόμιση = accusative, the form used after this preposition
Even though μετακόμιση itself looks the same in nominative and accusative, the article changes:
- η → nominative
- τη(ν) → accusative
Why is it τη μετακόμιση and not την μετακόμιση?
The feminine accusative article is basically τη(ν). The final -ν is sometimes kept and sometimes dropped depending on the sound that follows.
Here the next word is μετακόμιση, which begins with μ, so writing τη μετακόμιση is normal and standard.
You may still see την in some contexts or writing styles, but τη μετακόμιση is completely natural here.
Why do we say θέλω να αγοράσω? Why is να needed?
In Modern Greek, verbs like θέλω do not take an infinitive the way English does.
English says:
- I want to buy
Greek says:
- θέλω να αγοράσω
So να introduces the verb that follows. You can think of it as part of the normal pattern after θέλω:
- θέλω να πάω = I want to go
- θέλω να δω = I want to see
- θέλω να αγοράσω = I want to buy
So θέλω αγοράσω would be ungrammatical in Modern Greek.
Why is it αγοράσω and not αγοράζω?
Because αγοράσω here is the aorist/perfective form used after να for a single complete action.
The idea is:
- I want to buy these things = one completed shopping action
So:
- θέλω να αγοράσω = I want to buy
- θέλω να αγοράζω would suggest something more like I want to be buying / I want to buy regularly, which does not fit this sentence
This is a very common Greek distinction:
- να
- perfective form for a single whole event
- να
- imperfective form for repetition, duration, or habit
Why is καθρέφτη used without an article? Shouldn’t it be έναν καθρέφτη?
Greek often allows a bare noun in shopping-list or indefinite contexts where English would usually need a or some.
So:
- να αγοράσω καθρέφτη = to buy a mirror
- να αγοράσω έναν καθρέφτη = to buy a mirror
Both are possible.
The version without the article can sound a bit like a list of items to get:
- mirror, shampoo, and a new comb
English normally requires an article, but Greek is freer here.
Why do καθρέφτη and σαμπουάν have no article, but μια καινούρια χτένα does?
Greek does not always make lists perfectly symmetrical the way English often does.
In this sentence:
- καθρέφτη and σαμπουάν are presented as general items to buy
- μια καινούρια χτένα is a bit more specific, because the speaker highlights a new comb
The article μια helps package that noun phrase as a fuller, more individualized item.
Also, σαμπουάν is often treated like a substance or general shopping item, so using it without an article is especially natural.
You could also say:
- έναν καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα
- έναν καθρέφτη, ένα σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα
Those would also be grammatical, but they sound slightly different in style and specificity.
Why is it μια καινούρια χτένα? How does καινούρια work here?
Καινούρια is the adjective new, and it has to agree with χτένα.
Since χτένα is:
- feminine
- singular
- accusative
the adjective is also feminine singular in the matching form:
- μια καινούρια χτένα
A useful point: in this case, the feminine singular nominative and accusative forms are the same, so καινούρια looks the same in both.
You may also see καινούργια instead of καινούρια. Both are common.
What case are καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν, and χτένα in?
They are all direct objects of αγοράσω, so they are in the accusative case.
You can see it most clearly with καθρέφτης:
- nominative: ο καθρέφτης
- accusative: τον καθρέφτη
For the other two:
- σαμπουάν is an indeclinable loanword, so its form does not change
- χτένα has the same form in nominative and accusative singular, so the article/adjective help show its role
Is σαμπουάν one of those Greek words that doesn’t change form?
Yes. Σαμπουάν is a loanword and is usually treated as indeclinable, so the word itself stays the same.
For example:
- το σαμπουάν
- αγοράζω σαμπουάν
- θέλω το σαμπουάν
The article may change, but the noun σαμπουάν usually does not.
What does για το μπάνιο attach to? Does it describe all three items, or only the comb?
Most naturally, για το μπάνιο means for the bathroom and applies to the whole shopping list:
- a mirror, shampoo, and a new comb for the bathroom
Because it comes after the whole list, it can be understood as describing the group of items.
That said, just as in English, the exact scope can sometimes depend on context. If the speaker especially means the comb is for the bathroom, the sentence can still allow that reading. But the most natural interpretation is that all the items are bathroom-related.
Why is it για το μπάνιο and not just για μπάνιο?
Because το μπάνιο here means the bathroom as a room.
So:
- για το μπάνιο = for the bathroom
But για μπάνιο usually means something more like:
- for bathing
- for a swim
- to go bathe / go swimming
So the article is important here because it points to the room, not the activity.
Is the word order fixed? Could I say Θέλω να αγοράσω ... πριν από τη μετακόμιση instead?
Yes, you could.
Greek word order is fairly flexible. The sentence starts with Πριν από τη μετακόμιση to set the time frame first, a bit like:
- Before the move, I want to buy...
If you say:
- Θέλω να αγοράσω καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα για το μπάνιο πριν από τη μετακόμιση
that is also grammatical. It just places the time information later, so the focus shifts slightly.
Starting with Πριν από τη μετακόμιση sounds very natural because it frames the whole plan right away.
More from this lesson
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GreekMaster Greek — from Πριν από τη μετακόμιση θέλω να αγοράσω καθρέφτη, σαμπουάν και μια καινούρια χτένα για το μπάνιο to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions