Breakdown of Μου αρέσει να βάφω μικρά έπιπλα, αλλά σήμερα θέλω να βάψω μόνο το ράφι στο σαλόνι.
θέλω
to want
να
to
σήμερα
today
αλλά
but
Questions & Answers about Μου αρέσει να βάφω μικρά έπιπλα, αλλά σήμερα θέλω να βάψω μόνο το ράφι στο σαλόνι.
Why does Greek use Μου αρέσει for I like?
Because Greek expresses this idea differently from English.
Μου αρέσει literally means something like It is pleasing to me:
- μου = to me
- αρέσει = is pleasing / pleases
So instead of saying I like X, Greek often says X pleases me.
That is why the sentence starts with Μου αρέσει... and not with a form meaning I like in the English sense.
Why is it αρέσει and not αρέσουν here?
Because the thing that pleases the speaker is the whole activity να βάφω μικρά έπιπλα.
A whole activity or clause is treated as singular, so Greek uses αρέσει.
Compare:
- Μου αρέσει να βάφω μικρά έπιπλα. = I like painting small furniture items.
- The subject is the whole action.
- Μου αρέσουν τα μικρά έπιπλα. = I like the small pieces of furniture.
- Now the subject is τα μικρά έπιπλα, which is plural, so Greek uses αρέσουν.
What does να do in this sentence?