Learn Hardcore Greek: Προτιμώ να διαβάζω λίγες σελίδες κάθε βράδυ, αλλά σήμερα θέλω να διαβάσω ολόκληρο το άρθρο. - I prefer to read a few pages every evening, but today I want to read the whole article.

Word

Προτιμώ να διαβάζω λίγες σελίδες κάθε βράδυ, αλλά σήμερα θέλω να διαβάσω ολόκληρο το άρθρο.

Meaning

I prefer to read a few pages every evening, but today I want to read the whole article.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Lesson

Breakdown of Προτιμώ να διαβάζω λίγες σελίδες κάθε βράδυ, αλλά σήμερα θέλω να διαβάσω ολόκληρο το άρθρο.

Why are there two different forms of read here: διαβάζω and διαβάσω?

This is one of the most important features of Modern Greek verbs: aspect.

να διαβάζω = to be reading / to read regularly / to read in an ongoing or repeated way
να διαβάσω = to read once / to finish reading / to read as a complete event

In this sentence:

Προτιμώ να διαβάζω λίγες σελίδες κάθε βράδυ
means the speaker prefers this as a habit or repeated action.
σήμερα θέλω να διαβάσω ολόκληρο το άρθρο
means the speaker wants to read the whole article as one complete action, probably finishing it.

So the contrast is not really about tense, but about how the action is viewed:

Why do both verbs come after να?

In Modern Greek, να is used before a verb form that often corresponds to English to + verb, or sometimes that + someone verb.

So:

A very useful pattern is:

Important: Greek does not usually use a separate infinitive like English to read. Instead, it uses να plus a finite verb form.