Breakdown of Κρατάω δυνατά το χέρι της κόρης μου όταν περνάμε τον δρόμο.
μου
my
όταν
when
περνάω
to cross
ο δρόμος
the road
Questions & Answers about Κρατάω δυνατά το χέρι της κόρης μου όταν περνάμε τον δρόμο.
Why is κρατάω used here, and what form is it?
Κρατάω means I hold / I am holding here. It is the 1st person singular present tense of κρατάω (also commonly seen as κρατώ).
So:
- κρατάω = I hold
- κρατάς = you hold
- κρατάει / κρατά = he/she/it holds
In everyday Modern Greek, κρατάω is very common and natural.
Is there a difference between κρατάω and κρατώ?
Usually, not a big difference in meaning. They are two common forms of the same verb.
- κρατάω is very common in everyday speech.
- κρατώ can sound a bit shorter, sometimes slightly more formal or literary depending on context, but it is also perfectly normal Greek.
A learner should recognize both as meaning hold / keep.
Why does δυνατά mean tightly/firmly here? Doesn’t it also mean loudly?