Σβήνουμε το γκαζάκι πριν δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες.

Greek often uses the 1st person plural in instructions, warnings, and general procedures.

So Σβήνουμε το γκαζάκι literally means We switch off the little gas burner, but in context it functions like:

• Switch off the gas burner
• Let’s switch off the gas burner
• We switch off the gas burner as a general safety step

This style can sound a bit more neutral, inclusive, or instructional than a direct imperative.

Γκαζάκι usually means a small gas burner / portable gas stove / camping stove.

It comes from γκάζι meaning gas, with the diminutive ending -άκι, which often gives the sense of small or little.

So το γκαζάκι is literally something like the little gas stove/burner, though in natural English you would usually just say the gas burner or the camping stove, depending on context.

Yes — σβήνω has a broad range of meanings, including:

• put out / extinguish a fire, candle, cigarette, burner
• turn off a light or device
• erase something written

In this sentence, because the object is το γκαζάκι, the meaning is switch off / extinguish the gas burner.

So this is a very normal verb here.

Modern Greek normally does not use an infinitive the way English does.

English says:

• before giving first aid

Greek usually expresses this with a full clause:

• πριν δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες
• literally: before we give first aid

That is the natural Greek structure.

You can think of it as Greek preferring before we do X where English often prefers before doing X.

Δώσουμε comes from the verb δίνω, meaning to give.

This verb is irregular. Its aorist stem is δωσ-, so forms based on the aorist look different from the present:

• δίνω = I give
• δώσω = I give / I will give (aorist-based form, depending on context)
• δώσουμε = we give, in the aorist subjunctive type of form used here after πριν

So even though δίνω and δώσουμε look quite different, they belong to the same verb.

Because Greek is focusing on a single complete action: giving first aid as one whole event.

After πριν, Greek very often uses this kind of aorist subjunctive form when the action is seen as a complete step:

• πριν δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες = before we give first aid

If you used a present form, it would suggest a more ongoing or repeated sense, which is not what this sentence is aiming for.

So δώσουμε is the natural choice for before we carry out that action.

After πριν, Greek often uses the subjunctive-type verb form without να.

So both ideas are related, but the version without να is very common and natural:

• πριν δώσουμε
• sometimes also πριν να δώσουμε

In many everyday sentences, πριν + verb without να is the usual pattern.

In Greek, first aid is the fixed expression πρώτες βοήθειες, literally first aids / first helps.

It is simply the standard Greek idiom.

So learners should memorize:

• δίνω πρώτες βοήθειες = I give first aid
• χρειάζεται πρώτες βοήθειες = he/she needs first aid

Even though English uses a singular-looking noun, Greek uses a plural expression.

Because in this sentence the phrase is being used in a general, idiomatic way.

So:

• δίνουμε πρώτες βοήθειες = we give first aid

This sounds natural and general, like talking about the act itself.

You may also see τις πρώτες βοήθειες in some contexts, especially when the first aid is more specific or more clearly treated as a definite thing. But in a general instruction like this, leaving out the article is very normal.

Both are direct objects, so they are in the accusative.

• το γκαζάκι is accusative singular neuter
• πρώτες βοήθειες is accusative plural feminine

In this particular phrase, πρώτες βοήθειες looks the same as the nominative plural, which is common in Greek for many feminine plural forms.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible.

The original sentence:

• Σβήνουμε το γκαζάκι πριν δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες.

You could also say:

• Πριν δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες, σβήνουμε το γκαζάκι.

This version puts the before clause first and may sound slightly more emphatic about the sequence.

Both are natural. The original order is straightforward and clear.

Approximately:

• ZVEE-noo-me

A few useful points:

• σβ is pronounced like zv
• ή is stressed, so the stress falls on -βή-
• ου sounds like oo

So the whole word is roughly ZVEE-noo-me.

Yes, but that is completely normal.

Greek does not need to state to whom the first aid is given if the context already makes that clear.

So:

• δώσουμε πρώτες βοήθειες = give first aid

The sentence focuses on the safety order of actions, not on the injured person. The recipient is understood from context.