Πιάνω το παιδί από το χέρι όταν περνάμε τον δρόμο.

I hold the child by the hand when we cross the road.

Breakdown of Πιάνω το παιδί από το χέρι όταν περνάμε τον δρόμο.

• το παιδί: the child
• όταν: when
• περνάω: to cross
• ο δρόμος: the road

Questions & Answers about Πιάνω το παιδί από το χέρι όταν περνάμε τον δρόμο.

Why does the sentence start with Πιάνω? Does it mean I catch, I grab, or I hold?

In this sentence, πιάνω means something like I take/hold rather than literally I catch.

Greek πιάνω is a very common verb with a broad range of meanings, including:

• catch
• grab
• touch
• take hold of
• sometimes hold

Here, Πιάνω το παιδί από το χέρι means I take the child by the hand or I hold the child’s hand.

A learner might also expect κρατάω here. That would also be possible in many situations, but πιάνω often emphasizes the action of taking hold of someone or something.

---

Why is there no word for I in Πιάνω?

Because Greek usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• πιάνω = I hold / I take
• πιάνεις = you hold
• πιάνει = he/she/it holds
• πιάνουμε / πιάνωμεν (depending on style/dialect, but standard is πιάνουμε) = we hold

So Πιάνω already tells you the subject is I.

Greek can include εγώ (I) for emphasis, but normally it is omitted:

• Εγώ πιάνω το παιδί... = I’m the one who holds the child...

Without emphasis, just Πιάνω is natural.

---