Breakdown of Ο λογιστής μου είπε ότι η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο.
Questions & Answers about Ο λογιστής μου είπε ότι η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο.
Why are there articles ο and η in this sentence?
They are the Greek definite articles, equivalent to the.
- ο λογιστής = the accountant
- η πληρωμή = the payment
Greek uses articles very often, even in places where English might not. They also show gender, number, and case:
- ο = masculine singular nominative
- η = feminine singular nominative
Both λογιστής and πληρωμή are subjects in their own clauses, so they appear in the nominative.
Does μου mean my or to me here?
Here the normal reading is my:
- ο λογιστής μου = my accountant
Greek μου can also mean to me / me, so this is a very common point of confusion. In writing, if the meaning were The accountant told me, many writers would make that clearer with μού είπε or by rephrasing.
So in this sentence, μου belongs with λογιστής, not with είπε.
What form is είπε?
είπε is the aorist (simple past) of λέω (to say / to tell), in the 3rd person singular.
So it means:
- he said
- she said
- sometimes told, depending on context
The aorist presents the action as a single completed event. It does not mean something ongoing or habitual.
What does ότι do in the sentence?
ότι means that and introduces the content of what was said.
So:
- είπε ότι... = said that...
It connects the first clause to the second clause:
- Ο λογιστής μου είπε = My accountant said
- ότι η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο = that the payment will be made tomorrow
Is ότι the same as ό,τι?
No.
- ότι = that
- ό,τι = whatever / anything that
In this sentence you need ότι, because it introduces a statement after είπε.
Could Greek use πως instead of ότι here?
Yes. After verbs like λέω or είπε, both ότι and πως can mean that.
So this would also be possible:
- Ο λογιστής μου είπε πως η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο.
In many contexts:
- ότι can sound a bit more neutral or written
- πως can sound a bit more conversational
But both are very common.
What does θα mean here?
θα is the particle used to form the future in Modern Greek.
So:
- θα γίνει = will happen / will be done / will take place
Unlike English, Greek does not usually make the future with a special future verb ending. It normally uses θα + verb form.
Why is the verb form γίνει used after θα?
After θα, Greek uses a dependent verb form. In learner-friendly terms, you can think of γίνει as the form needed after θα for the verb γίνομαι.
So:
- να γίνει
- θα γίνει
are both normal patterns.
Here γίνει is 3rd person singular, matching η πληρωμή.
Also, do not confuse it with:
- γίνεται = is happening / happens
- θα γίνεται = will be happening / will happen regularly
In this sentence, θα γίνει is the right form for a one-time future event.
Why does Greek say η πληρωμή θα γίνει instead of something more literal like the payment will be paid?
Because γίνομαι is very natural in Greek for things that happen, take place, or get carried out.
So:
- η πληρωμή θα γίνει literally feels like the payment will happen / will be carried out
- in natural English, that becomes the payment will be made
Greek often prefers this structure where English uses a passive expression.
Why is αύριο at the end?
Because Greek word order is fairly flexible, and putting αύριο at the end is very natural.
- η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο = neutral, straightforward
- αύριο θα γίνει η πληρωμή = stronger focus on tomorrow
So the end position here is not strange; it is just a normal way to place a time word.
Is the word order fixed in this sentence?
No, not completely. Greek has more flexibility than English because articles and endings help show what each word is doing.
These are all possible, with slightly different emphasis:
- Η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο.
- Αύριο θα γίνει η πληρωμή.
- Θα γίνει αύριο η πληρωμή.
The version in your sentence is a neutral, standard one inside reported speech.
How is the whole sentence pronounced?
A rough pronunciation guide is:
o lo-yee-STEES moo EE-pe O-tee ee plee-ro-MEE tha YEE-nee AV-rio
More closely:
[o loʝiˈstis mu ˈipe ˈoti i pliroˈmi θa ˈʝini ˈavrio]
Stress falls on:
- λογιστής
- είπε
- ότι
- πληρωμή
- γίνει
- αύριο
A useful tip: the accent mark in Greek usually shows you which syllable gets the stress.
More from this lesson
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GreekMaster Greek — from Ο λογιστής μου είπε ότι η πληρωμή θα γίνει αύριο 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