Breakdown of Το παιδί κάθεται πάντα στο ίδιο καρεκλάκι όταν τρώει ή ζωγραφίζει.
ή
or
τρώω
to eat
πάντα
always
το παιδί
the child
Questions & Answers about Το παιδί κάθεται πάντα στο ίδιο καρεκλάκι όταν τρώει ή ζωγραφίζει.
Why is there no word for he/she/it before κάθεται, τρώει, and ζωγραφίζει?
Greek often leaves subject pronouns out because the verb ending already shows the person and number.
- κάθεται = he/she/it sits / is sitting
- τρώει = he/she/it eats / is eating
- ζωγραφίζει = he/she/it draws / is drawing
Since the sentence already begins with Το παιδί (the child), Greek does not need to repeat it or the child again in the later verbs.
What exactly does κάθεται mean here?
Κάθεται means sits or is sitting.
It comes from the verb κάθομαι, which is the normal Modern Greek verb for sit. Even though its form looks like a middle/passive-type verb, here it is not passive in meaning. It simply means:
- Το παιδί κάθεται = The child sits / is sitting
In this sentence, because πάντα is also present, the meaning is habitual: the child always sits...
Why is Το παιδί used instead of just παιδί?