Ρουφάω λίγο τσάι όταν βήχω πολύ.

the tea

Breakdown of Ρουφάω λίγο τσάι όταν βήχω πολύ.

• λίγος: little
• πολύ: a lot
• όταν: when

Questions & Answers about Ρουφάω λίγο τσάι όταν βήχω πολύ.

Why is there no word for I in this sentence?

Greek often drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the person.

Here, ρουφάω means I sip / I slurp / I take in, and βήχω means I cough.
So Greek does not need εγώ for I unless the speaker wants emphasis or contrast.

• Ρουφάω λίγο τσάι όταν βήχω πολύ. = I sip a little tea when I cough a lot.
• Εγώ ρουφάω λίγο τσάι... would sound more like I’m the one who sips a little tea...

What exactly does ρουφάω mean here?

Ρουφάω literally means something like suck in, slurp, or draw in. With a drink, it often suggests taking little sips or slurping rather than just the neutral drink.

So in this sentence, it gives a slightly more physical image than πίνω.

• πίνω τσάι = I drink tea
• ρουφάω τσάι = I sip/slurp tea

In context, it can sound natural if the idea is taking small soothing sips of tea because of coughing.

Is ρουφάω a normal word here, or would πίνω be more common?