Breakdown of Η ασθενής λέει ότι πονάει ο λαιμός της και δυσκολεύεται να καταπιεί.
Questions & Answers about Η ασθενής λέει ότι πονάει ο λαιμός της και δυσκολεύεται να καταπιεί.
It is originally an adjective meaning sick / ill / weak, but here it is being used as a noun, meaning patient.
This is very common in Greek: an adjective with the article can function like a noun.
- η ασθενής = the female patient
- ο ασθενής = the male patient
A useful thing to notice is that ασθενής has the same form in the singular for masculine and feminine; the article tells you the gender.
Because Greek often drops subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb or the context.
So:
- λέει = he/she/it says
- δυσκολεύεται = he/she/it has difficulty / struggles
Since the sentence already begins with η ασθενής, Greek does not need to repeat she. This is very normal and much more common than in English.
ότι is the conjunction that. It introduces what the patient says.
So after λέει, Greek commonly uses ότι to introduce reported speech or a statement.
Also, learners often confuse:
- ότι = that
- ό,τι = whatever / anything that
They are different words.