Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα της φίλης μου και να τη χαϊδεύει απαλά.

to want

Breakdown of Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα της φίλης μου και να τη χαϊδεύει απαλά.

• και: and
• να: to
• η φίλη: the female friend

Questions & Answers about Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα της φίλης μου και να τη χαϊδεύει απαλά.

Why is να used after θέλει? Why isn’t there an infinitive like in English?

Modern Greek does not normally use an infinitive the way English does.

So instead of wants to feed, Greek says θέλει να ταΐζει — literally something like she wants that she feed / be feeding, though you should think of it simply as the normal Greek pattern.

A very common structure is:

• θέλω να + verb
• μπορώ να + verb
• πρέπει να + verb

So in this sentence, θέλει να ταΐζει ... και να τη χαϊδεύει means she wants to feed ... and pet it.

Why are the verbs ταΐζει and χαϊδεύει in this form? Why not ταΐσει and χαϊδέψει?

This is about aspect, which is very important in Greek.

• να ταΐζει / να χαϊδεύει = imperfective aspect
• να ταΐσει / να χαϊδέψει = perfective aspect

Very roughly:

• imperfective focuses on the action as ongoing, repeated, habitual, or general
• perfective focuses on a single complete action

So:

• θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα can suggest she wants to be feeding the cat regularly, or in a general sense
• θέλει να ταΐσει τη γάτα would sound more like she wants to feed the cat once, as a completed act

English often does not make this distinction as clearly, so learners often wonder why Greek chooses one form over another.

What is the difference between τη in τη γάτα and τη in να τη χαϊδεύει?