Breakdown of Η πιλότος είπε ότι η πτήση αργεί λίγο λόγω ομίχλης.
λίγο
a little
ότι
that
αργώ
to be late
λέω
to say
Questions & Answers about Η πιλότος είπε ότι η πτήση αργεί λίγο λόγω ομίχλης.
Why is it η πιλότος when πιλότος ends in -ος, which often looks masculine?
Because πιλότος is a noun that can be used for either a male or a female pilot. The article shows the gender here:
- ο πιλότος = the male pilot
- η πιλότος = the female pilot
So in this sentence, η tells you the pilot is a woman. This is something that often surprises English speakers, because the noun ending alone does not always tell you the gender.
You may also hear πιλότισσα for a female pilot, but η πιλότος is very common and standard.
What does είπε mean, and what tense is it?
Είπε means said.
It is the aorist form of λέω (to say / to tell), specifically:
- λέω = I say
- είπε = he/she said
This is a very common irregular verb, so the past form does not look much like the dictionary form. Greek learners usually just have to get used to:
- λέω → είπα / είπε
In this sentence, είπε is 3rd person singular, so it means she said.
What is ότι doing in the sentence?