Breakdown of Λαδώνω το γρανάζι και τον άξονα και ελέγχω τη μανέτα.
και
and
ελέγχω
to check
το γρανάζι
cog; gear
η μανέτα
brake lever
Questions & Answers about Λαδώνω το γρανάζι και τον άξονα και ελέγχω τη μανέτα.
What form are Λαδώνω and ελέγχω?
Both are 1st person singular present tense verb forms. That means the speaker is saying I oil / I am oiling and I check / I am checking. In Greek, the present tense often covers both the English simple present and present continuous, so context tells you which one is meant.
Why is there no separate word for I in the sentence?
Greek often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you who the subject is. The ending -ω here shows I. You could add εγώ for emphasis, but it is not necessary: Εγώ λαδώνω... would sound more like I’m the one who oils...
Why are there three different words for the: το, τον, and τη?
Greek articles change to match the noun’s gender, number, and case. Here, all three nouns are singular direct objects, so they are in the accusative singular, but each noun has a different gender:
- το γρανάζι = neuter
- τον άξονα = masculine
- τη μανέτα = feminine
So the article changes because the noun changes.
Why is it and not ?