Breakdown of Ζητώ συγγνώμη για την αργοπορία, είχε πολλή κίνηση στον δρόμο.
έχω
to have
για
for
σε
on
ο δρόμος
the road
Questions & Answers about Ζητώ συγγνώμη για την αργοπορία, είχε πολλή κίνηση στον δρόμο.
What does ζητώ mean here, and is it the same as ζητάω?
Yes. Ζητώ means I ask / I request, and in this sentence it gives the fixed expression ζητώ συγγνώμη = I apologize / I ask for forgiveness.
Ζητώ and ζητάω are two forms of the same verb. Both are common in Modern Greek:
- ζητώ
- ζητάω
So Ζητώ συγγνώμη and Ζητάω συγγνώμη both mean I’m sorry / I apologize, though ζητώ can sound a bit more formal or polished.
Why does Greek say ζητώ συγγνώμη instead of just one verb meaning I apologize?
Greek often expresses this idea with the noun συγγνώμη rather than a single everyday verb.
Literally:
- ζητώ = I ask for
- συγγνώμη = forgiveness / pardon
So the phrase literally means I ask for forgiveness, but naturally it means I’m sorry or I apologize.
There is also the verb απολογούμαι, but in everyday speech ζητώ συγγνώμη is much more common.
What exactly is συγγνώμη here? Is it a noun or just an expression?