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Γέμισε, σε παρακαλώ, τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.

Γέμισε, σε παρακαλώ, τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.
Please fill the pitcher with cold water.
FromLesson 84inHardcore Greek

Questions & Answers about Γέμισε, σε παρακαλώ, τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.

What does Γέμισε mean here, grammatically?

Γέμισε is the singular imperative of the verb γεμίζω (to fill).

In this sentence, it means:

  • Fill!

More specifically, it is the aorist imperative, which usually gives the sense of a single complete action:

  • Fill the jug
    rather than
  • Be filling the jug

So the sentence is giving a direct instruction or request.

Why is it Γέμισε and not something like γεμίζεις?

Because γεμίζεις means you fill / you are filling and is a normal indicative verb form, not a command.

Compare:

  • γεμίζεις = you fill / you’re filling
  • γέμισε = fill! (command to one person)

So if you want to tell someone to do it, Greek uses the imperative form, here γέμισε.

Is Γέμισε formal or informal?

It is informal singular: you are speaking to one person in the σύ form.

If you were speaking:

  • to one person informally: Γέμισε
  • to several people or one person formally: Γεμίστε

So this sentence is directed at one person in a familiar way.

What does σε παρακαλώ literally mean?

σε παρακαλώ literally means something like I beg you or I ask you, but in normal modern Greek it is a very common way to say:

  • please

Breakdown:

  • σε = you (object form, singular informal)
  • παρακαλώ = I ask / I beg

Together: σε παρακαλώ = please

It is one of the standard polite expressions in Greek.

Why is σε παρακαλώ placed in the middle of the sentence?

Because Greek is quite flexible with polite expressions like σε παρακαλώ.

All of these are natural:

  • Σε παρακαλώ, γέμισε τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.
  • Γέμισε, σε παρακαλώ, τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.
  • Γέμισε τον κανατά με κρύο νερό, σε παρακαλώ.

Putting it in the middle softens the command and sounds very natural. The commas show it is a parenthetical polite phrase.

Why is it τον κανατά?

Because κανατάς (jug / pitcher) is a masculine noun, and here it is the direct object of the verb fill.

So Greek uses the accusative case:

  • nominative: ο κανατάς
  • accusative: τον κανατά

That is why you see:

  • τον = masculine accusative singular article
  • κανατά = accusative singular form of κανατάς

So τον κανατά means the jug / pitcher as the object of the action.

Why does κανατάς become κανατά?

This is a normal pattern for many masculine nouns ending in -ας.

For these nouns:

  • nominative singular often ends in -ας
  • accusative singular often ends in -α

Example:

  • ο κανατάς = the jug
  • τον κανατά = the jug (as object)

Other nouns follow the same kind of pattern, so this is a useful declension type to learn.

What does με κρύο νερό mean exactly?

It means:

  • with cold water

Here με means with, and κρύο νερό means cold water.

So the whole phrase tells you what to fill the jug with.

In English we also say:

  • Fill the jug with cold water.

Greek works the same way here.

Why is it κρύο νερό and not κρύα νερό?

Because νερό (water) is neuter singular, so the adjective must agree with it.

Agreement in Greek means the adjective matches the noun in:

  • gender
  • number
  • case

Here:

  • νερό = neuter singular
  • so the adjective must also be neuter singular: κρύο

That is why you get:

  • κρύο νερό = cold water

If the noun were feminine or masculine, the adjective form would change.

Is με always with?

Not always, but very often.

In this sentence, με clearly means with:

  • με κρύο νερό = with cold water

But με can also have other uses, depending on context, such as:

  • by
  • using
  • together with

Still, for beginners, with is the best meaning to remember first.

Could Greek leave out the article and say just κανατά or νερό?

Yes, depending on context, but the version with the article is very natural.

Here:

  • τον κανατά refers to a specific jug, so the article sounds normal.
  • κρύο νερό does not need an article because it is more like a material/substance phrase: with cold water.

Greek often uses articles more than English does, especially with specific nouns.

So this sentence sounds natural exactly as written.

How do I know Γέμισε here is a command and not he/she filled?

Good question, because the form looks the same in writing.

γέμισε can also mean:

  • he/she/it filled

But in this sentence, the context makes it clearly a command:

  • it appears at the start
  • it is followed by σε παρακαλώ
  • the whole sentence is clearly a request

So although the form is identical, the surrounding words and punctuation show that it means:

  • Fill!

This is common in Greek: sometimes context tells you which meaning is intended.

What is the normal word order here?

The sentence follows a very natural Greek order:

  • Γέμισε = verb / command
  • σε παρακαλώ = polite insertion
  • τον κανατά = direct object
  • με κρύο νερό = phrase showing what to fill it with

So, roughly:

  • Fill, please, the jug with cold water.

But Greek word order is more flexible than English, so you may also hear:

  • Σε παρακαλώ, γέμισε τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.
  • Τον κανατά γέμισε με κρύο νερό.
    (more marked, with emphasis)

The given version is very natural and conversational.

How would this change if I were talking to more than one person, or being polite/formal?

You would use the plural/formal imperative:

  • Γεμίστε, σας παρακαλώ, τον κανατά με κρύο νερό.

Changes:

  • Γέμισε → Γεμίστε
  • σε παρακαλώ → σας παρακαλώ

So:

  • singular informal: Γέμισε, σε παρακαλώ...
  • plural or formal: Γεμίστε, σας παρακαλώ...
How is this sentence pronounced?

A simple pronunciation guide would be:

  • GHE-mi-se, se pa-ra-ka-LO, ton ka-na-TA me KREE-o ne-RO

Approximate stress:

  • Γέμισε → stress on the first syllable
  • παρακαλώ → stress on the last syllable
  • κανατά → stress on the last syllable
  • κρύο → stress on the first syllable
  • νερό → stress on the last syllable

A more careful transliteration:

  • YEMise, se parakalo, ton kanata me krio nero

The exact sounds are Greek sounds, of course, but this should help you say it approximately.

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