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Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση;

Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση;
Where does the question mark go in this sentence?
FromLesson 100inHardcore Greek

Questions & Answers about Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση;

Why does the sentence end with ; instead of ?

In Greek, the question mark is written as a semicolon: ;

So:

  • English: ?
  • Greek: ;

That means Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση; is correctly written as a question in Greek.

Be careful not to confuse it with the Greek άνω τελεία (·), which is a different punctuation mark.

What does Πού mean, and why does it have an accent?

Πού means where.

It has an accent because it is the question word. In Modern Greek, πού is accented when it means where?

Compare:

  • πού; = where?
  • που = often a relative word meaning that/which/where, depending on context

So the accent helps distinguish the interrogative πού from the unstressed που.

What does μπαίνει mean here?

Μπαίνει comes from μπαίνω, which literally means to enter or to go in.

But in everyday Greek, it is also used in a broader sense to mean:

  • goes
  • is placed
  • fits
  • belongs in a certain position

So here Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό; means something like:

  • Where does the question mark go?
  • Where is the question mark placed?

This is a very natural way to say it in Greek.

Why is it το ερωτηματικό?

Because ερωτηματικό is a neuter noun, so it takes the neuter singular article το.

So:

  • το ερωτηματικό = the question mark

A learner may expect just the noun by itself, but Greek uses the definite article very often, just like with many concrete nouns in English.

Why does Greek say αυτή την πρόταση with both αυτή and την?

This is very normal in Greek. When a demonstrative like this or that comes before a noun, Greek usually also keeps the definite article.

So:

  • αυτή η πρόταση = this sentence
  • αυτή την πρόταση = this sentence (in the accusative case)

English says this sentence, without the, but Greek typically says the equivalent of this the sentence.

That is standard Greek structure, not extra emphasis.

Why is it την πρόταση and not η πρόταση?

Because after the preposition σε (in/on/at), the noun goes in the accusative case.

The basic forms are:

  • η πρόταση = the sentence (nominative)
  • την πρόταση = the sentence (accusative)

Since the phrase is σε αυτή την πρόταση = in this sentence, Greek uses the accusative form.

Why is it σε αυτή την πρόταση and not στην πρόταση?

Both are possible in different structures, but they are not used in the same way.

  • στην πρόταση = in the sentence
  • σε αυτή την πρόταση = in this sentence

στην is a contraction of σε + την.
But when you insert the demonstrative αυτή, you no longer use that contraction in the same way. So you say:

  • σε αυτή την πρόταση
    not
  • στην αυτή την πρόταση

So the sentence is correct as written.

Is the word order important here?

The word order is natural and standard:

  • Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση;

Greek word order is more flexible than English, but this pattern is very common:

  • question word + verb + subject/object + other details

You could change the order in some contexts, but this version sounds straightforward and neutral.

Why does Greek use πρόταση here? Doesn’t that also mean proposal?

Yes, πρόταση can mean proposal in some contexts, but it also means sentence in grammar.

So depending on context:

  • κάνω μια πρόταση = I make a proposal
  • μια πρόταση με ρήμα = a sentence with a verb

Here it clearly means sentence, because the topic is punctuation.

How would a Greek speaker pronounce this sentence?

Roughly like this:

  • πού BEE-nee to e-ro-ti-ma-TI-ko se af-TI tin PRO-ta-si

A few helpful stress points:

  • Πού
  • μπαίνει
  • ερωτηματικό
  • αυτή
  • πρόταση

Also remember that even though the sentence ends in ;, you read it with question intonation, because in Greek that symbol functions as the question mark.

Could I leave out το and say Πού μπαίνει ερωτηματικό...?

In normal Greek, το ερωτηματικό sounds better and more complete.

Leaving out the article would sound less natural in this sentence. Greek uses articles more frequently than English, so learners often need to get used to keeping them.

So the natural version is:

  • Πού μπαίνει το ερωτηματικό σε αυτή την πρόταση;
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