Breakdown of Αυτή την εβδομάδα κάνουμε έρευνα για το πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας, και όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουμε στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο.
Questions & Answers about Αυτή την εβδομάδα κάνουμε έρευνα για το πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας, και όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουμε στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο.
Why is it αυτή την εβδομάδα and not αυτή η εβδομάδα?
Because αυτή την εβδομάδα is a time expression meaning this week in the sense of during this week. Greek often uses the accusative for expressions of time like this.
- Αυτή η εβδομάδα = this week as the subject of a sentence
- Αυτή την εβδομάδα = this week / during this week
So here, the sentence means during this week, we are doing a survey.
Why do we have both αυτή and την? Why not just one of them?
In Greek, a demonstrative like αυτή (this) is normally used together with the definite article.
So:
- αυτή την εβδομάδα = this week
- literally: this the week
That is completely normal Greek structure. English does not do this, but Greek usually does.
What does κάνουμε έρευνα mean literally, and is it natural Greek?
Literally, κάνουμε έρευνα means we do research or we carry out a survey/investigation. Yes, it is very natural Greek.
Greek often uses κάνω with nouns in places where English uses a single verb. So:
- κάνουμε έρευνα = we are doing/carrying out research
- ερευνούμε also exists, but it is often more formal or narrower in use
In this sentence, κάνουμε έρευνα sounds normal and everyday.
What is the difference between έρευνα and ερωτηματολόγιο?
They are related, but they are not the same thing.
- έρευνα = research, survey, investigation
- ερωτηματολόγιο = questionnaire
So in the sentence:
- κάνουμε έρευνα = we are conducting a survey/research
- να απαντήσουμε στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο = to answer the same questionnaire
The questionnaire is the tool, while the survey/research is the overall process.
What does για το πώς mean here?
για το πώς means something like about how.
So:
- για το πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας = about how our team works/functions
This structure is very common in Greek when a whole clause is treated like a thing or topic.
You do not need to translate it word for word. It is best understood as:
- για = about
- το πώς... = how...
Together: about how...
Why is there an article in το πώς? Why not just για πώς δουλεύει...?
The article το helps turn πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας into something like a noun phrase: the way our team works or how our team works as a topic.
So:
- για το πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας = about how our team works
Without το, the phrase would not sound right here in standard Greek. This is a common pattern with words like πώς, γιατί, and αν in certain structures.
Does δουλεύει mean works in the sense of has a job or functions?
Here it means functions, operates, or works in the sense of how the team works as a group.
Greek δουλεύω can be used for:
- people working
- machines working
- systems functioning
- organizations or teams operating
So πώς δουλεύει η ομάδα μας means how our team works/functions, not how our team is employed.
Why is it δουλεύει η ομάδα μας and not δουλεύουν η ομάδα μας?
Because η ομάδα is singular.
Even though a team contains many people, the noun ομάδα itself is singular, so the verb must also be singular:
- η ομάδα δουλεύει = the team works
This is similar to English the team works, although English sometimes treats collective nouns differently depending on dialect.
Why is it η ομάδα μας and not μας η ομάδα?
In standard Greek, the weak possessive form μου, σου, μας, σας, τους usually comes after the noun:
- η ομάδα μας = our team
That is the normal word order.
If you want extra emphasis, Greek often uses:
- η δική μας ομάδα = our team / our own team
But in a neutral sentence, η ομάδα μας is exactly what you expect.
Why does the sentence say όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουμε and not όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουν?
Because the speaker is included in όλοι.
- όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουμε = we all have to answer
- όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουν = they all have to answer
Even though όλοι is third person in form, the verb in the να clause matches the people meant by the speaker. Here, the meaning is all of us, so Greek uses first person plural:
- απαντήσουμε = we answer / we should answer
Why is it να απαντήσουμε and not να απαντάμε?
Because να απαντήσουμε is the aorist subjunctive, and here it expresses a single complete action: answering the questionnaire.
- να απαντήσουμε = to answer once, as a complete act
- να απαντάμε = to be answering / to answer regularly or repeatedly
Since the sentence is about filling in one questionnaire, the aorist form is the natural choice.
Why is it στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο?
Because the verb απαντώ normally takes σε when you answer a question, questionnaire, email, etc.
So:
- απαντώ σε κάτι = I answer something
- σε το becomes στο
That gives:
- στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο = to the same questionnaire
So the structure is:
- να απαντήσουμε στο ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο
not just το ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο by itself.
What does ίδιο mean here exactly?
Here ίδιο means same.
So:
- το ίδιο ερωτηματολόγιο = the same questionnaire
It agrees with ερωτηματολόγιο, which is:
- neuter
- singular
- accusative here after στο
That is why the form is ίδιο.
Is the comma before και necessary?
Not always strictly necessary, but it is very common and natural here because και links two full clauses:
- Αυτή την εβδομάδα κάνουμε έρευνα...
- όλοι πρέπει να απαντήσουμε...
The comma helps readability and marks a small pause. In modern Greek, writers sometimes include it and sometimes omit it before και, especially when the second part is a full clause.
Could Αυτή την εβδομάδα also mean this week in a general present-time sense, not only during this week?
Yes. In practice, Αυτή την εβδομάδα naturally means this week in the time frame relevant to the speaker. It can cover ideas like:
- during this week
- this week, as opposed to last week or next week
- at some point in the current week
So English this week is a very good match.
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