Πρώτα προσανατολιζόμαστε, μετά στήνουμε και αργότερα ξεστήνουμε τη σκηνή.

First we navigate, then pitch, and later strike the tent.

Breakdown of Πρώτα προσανατολιζόμαστε, μετά στήνουμε και αργότερα ξεστήνουμε τη σκηνή.

• και: and
• μετά: later
• πρώτα: first
• αργότερα: later

Questions & Answers about Πρώτα προσανατολιζόμαστε, μετά στήνουμε και αργότερα ξεστήνουμε τη σκηνή.

Why does προσανατολιζόμαστε end in -όμαστε? Is it passive?

Yes, -όμαστε is a present-tense 1st person plural ending from the middle/passive set of verb endings.

So grammatically, προσανατολιζόμαστε looks like a middle/passive form. But in actual usage, προσανατολίζομαι often has an active/reflexive meaning in English, such as I orient myself or I get my bearings.

Compare:

• προσανατολίζουμε = we orient something/someone
• προσανατολιζόμαστε = we orient ourselves / we get oriented

So here the idea is not that someone else is orienting us, but that we ourselves are getting oriented.

Why is there no word for we in the sentence?

Because Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

Here, the verb endings already show we:

• προσανατολιζόμαστε = we get oriented
• στήνουμε = we set up
• ξεστήνουμε = we take down

Greek only adds εμείς (we) when it wants emphasis, contrast, or extra clarity.

What is the difference between πρώτα, μετά, and ?