Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε λίγο στο γρασίδι και να ξεκουραστούμε;

In this sentence, Τι θα έλεγες...; is a very common way to make a suggestion politely. It means something like:

• How about... ?
• What would you say to... ?
• What do you think about... ?

So Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε λίγο...; is basically How about we sit on the grass for a bit and rest?

It does not literally function as a real request for the other person to "say something." It is an idiomatic suggestion formula.

Έλεγες is the imperfect of λέω (to say), and with θα it creates a conditional-style meaning:

• θα έλεγες = would you say

Greek often uses this kind of structure to sound softer, more polite, or less direct.

Compare:

• Τι λες να καθίσουμε...; = What do you say we sit...?
  More direct, casual.
• Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε...; = What would you say to sitting...? / How about we sit...?
  Slightly softer, more tentative.

So the imperfect here is not really about past time. It helps form a polite suggestion.

After expressions like Τι θα έλεγες, Greek commonly uses να + verb to introduce the suggested action.

So:

• Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε...
  = How about we sit...

This is a very common pattern:

• Τι θα έλεγες να πάμε έξω; = How about going out?
• Τι θα έλεγες να φάμε τώρα; = How about eating now?

A useful way to think of it is:

• Τι θα έλεγες = sets up the suggestion
• να + verb = says what the suggestion is

They are in the aorist subjunctive, which is the normal form used after να in many cases.

Here:

• να καθίσουμε = that we sit / for us to sit
• να ξεκουραστούμε = that we rest / for us to rest

In natural English, these are best translated as:

• to sit
• to rest
• or in this sentence, we sit ... and rest

The aorist here does not mean past tense. After να, the aorist usually presents the action as a whole, as a single event or complete action.

So:

• να καθίσουμε = to sit down
• να ξεκουραστούμε = to get some rest / to rest

Because καθίσουμε and καθόμαστε are different forms with different meanings.

• καθίσουμε = aorist subjunctive, from κάθομαι / καθίζω-related forms, meaning sit down
• καθόμαστε = present, meaning we are sitting or we sit

In this sentence, the speaker is suggesting an action to do next: sit down on the grass.
That is why Greek uses να καθίσουμε, not καθόμαστε.

Very roughly:

• να καθίσουμε = let’s sit down
• να καθόμαστε = let’s be sitting / let’s sit habitually, which would not fit here

Because the speaker is making a suggestion that includes both people:

• καθίσουμε = we sit / let’s sit
• ξεκουραστούμε = we rest / let’s rest

Greek often uses the 1st person plural for suggestions, just like English let’s:

• Να φύγουμε. = Let’s leave.
• Να καθίσουμε λίγο. = Let’s sit for a bit.

So even though English might use let’s, Greek often uses να + 1st person plural.

Λίγο means a little, a bit, or for a little while.

In this sentence:

• να καθίσουμε λίγο = to sit for a bit
• να ξεκουραστούμε = and rest

So λίγο softens the suggestion and makes it sound natural:

• How about we sit on the grass for a bit and rest?

It refers to duration here, not quantity.

Στο is a contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• στο γρασίδι = on the grass

Greek often uses the definite article where English may or may not use it. So στο γρασίδι sounds natural even though English often just says on the grass.

Also, after σε, the noun is in the accusative:

• το γρασίδι (nominative/accusative neuter singular)
• στο γρασίδι = on the grass

Yes. Το γρασίδι means grass or the grass, especially in the sense of a grassy area or lawn.

So:

• στο γρασίδι = on the grass

In context, it suggests physically sitting down on a grassy patch, lawn, or field.

Because Greek often repeats να before each coordinated verb.

So:

• να καθίσουμε λίγο στο γρασίδι και να ξεκουραστούμε

literally has:

• to sit a bit on the grass and to rest

This repetition is very normal and natural in Greek.

Sometimes in informal speech, people may omit the second να, but repeating it is standard and clear.

Because the verb is ξεκουράζομαι, which means to rest.

It is one of those Greek verbs that has middle/passive-looking forms but an active meaning in English.

So:

• ξεκουράζομαι = I rest
• να ξεκουραστούμε = for us to rest / let’s rest

By contrast:

• ξεκουράζω κάποιον = I give someone rest / I relieve someone / I let someone rest

So the form in the sentence is correct because the meaning is we ourselves rest.

It is not especially formal, but it is polite and natural. It works well in everyday conversation.

It sounds:

• friendly
• suggestive
• a bit softer than a direct proposal

For example:

• Να καθίσουμε λίγο; = Shall we sit for a bit? / Let’s sit for a bit.
• Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε λίγο; = How about we sit for a bit?

The second one feels a little more tactful or inviting.

Yes, absolutely. That is also very common.

• Τι λες να...; = What do you say we...?
• Τι θα έλεγες να...; = What would you say to...? / How about...?

Both are natural. The version with θα έλεγες is a bit softer or more tentative.

Very little in everyday meaning here. Both can mean sit down.

• να καθίσουμε = slightly more standard/formal
• να κάτσουμε = very common in speech, a bit more colloquial

So you may hear:

• Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε λίγο...;
• Τι θα έλεγες να κάτσουμε λίγο...;

Both are natural.

In Greek, the question mark is written as a semicolon:

• Greek ; = English ?

So:

• Τι θα έλεγες να καθίσουμε λίγο στο γρασίδι και να ξεκουραστούμε;

is a question, even though it ends with ;

This is one of the first punctuation differences Greek learners notice.

Grammatically, it is a question. But functionally, it is mainly a suggestion.

The speaker is not mainly seeking information. They are proposing an idea:

• How about we sit on the grass for a bit and rest?

This is very common in both Greek and English: a question form used to make a suggestion politely.

You can break it down like this:

• Τι θα έλεγες = What would you say / How about
• να καθίσουμε = that we sit / to sit / let’s sit
• λίγο = for a bit
• στο γρασίδι = on the grass
• και να ξεκουραστούμε = and (to) rest

So the whole structure is:

• suggestion phrase
  • να-clause
    • second coordinated να-clause

This is a very useful pattern to learn because you can build many everyday suggestions with it.