Subordinate Clauses
Καλώς ήρθατε στο blog μας! (Welcome to our blog!) Today, we’re diving deep into the heart of Greek syntax, exploring the magic of subordinate clauses.
What are Subordinate Clauses?
In the Greek language, subordinate clauses (περιφραστικές προτάσεις) are dependent clauses that can’t stand alone as sentences because they don’t express a complete thought. They provide additional information to the main clause (κύρια πρόταση).
For instance, consider the sentence:
Ο Νίκος φεύγει επειδή κουράστηκε. (Nikos is leaving because he is tired.)
Note
Here, "Ο Νίκος φεύγει" is the main clause, while "επειδή κουράστηκε" is the subordinate clause.
Common Greek Subordinators
Όταν (when): Όταν πάω στην Ελλάδα, τρώω πολλά σουβλάκια. (When I go to Greece, I eat a lot of souvlakia.)
Εάν (if): Εάν βρέξει, θα μείνω σπίτι. (If it rains, I will stay home.)
Επειδή (because): Δεν πήγα στη δουλειά επειδή ήμουν άρρωστος. (I didn't go to work because I was sick.)
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Position and Punctuation:
Επειδή ήταν αργά, αποφασίσαμε να μείνουμε. (Because it was late, we decided to stay.)
Note
Greek subordinate clauses can appear before or after the main clause. When the subordinate clause comes first, it’s common to separate the two with a comma:
Mastering the use of subordinate clauses will allow you to express more complex thoughts and relationships between ideas, making your Greek richer and more nuanced.
Συνεχίστε την καλή δουλειά! (Keep up the good work!)
