Questions & Answers about Περιμένω να έρθεις νωρίς αύριο.
What does Περιμένω mean here? Is it I wait or I expect?
It can be either, depending on context.
- Περιμένω by itself often means I wait.
- With να
- verb, it can mean I’m waiting for / I expect something to happen.
So this sentence can feel like:
- I’m waiting for you to come early tomorrow, or
- I expect you to come early tomorrow.
Greek περιμένω covers both ideas more easily than English does.
Why is να used before έρθεις?
Να introduces a dependent verb clause, usually called the subjunctive in Modern Greek.
After verbs like:
- θέλω = I want
- ελπίζω = I hope
- περιμένω = I wait / expect
Greek normally uses να + verb.
So:
- Περιμένω να έρθεις = I expect / am waiting for you to come
In English we often use an infinitive (to come), but Modern Greek does not use an infinitive this way. It uses να + a finite verb instead.
What exactly is έρθεις?