LingoflyBegin, keep on, give up: αρχίζω να, σταματάω να
Verbs of starting and stopping hook the next action on with να (na). The shape after να (na) is chosen as usual: αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάζω (diavázo). A beginning asks for the ongoing shape, so αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάσω is not said. For example: “Μόλις (mólis) ξεκίνησα τη (ti) δουλειά” (duliá) — I just got down to work. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Verbs of starting and stopping hook the next action on with να (na). The shape after να (na) is chosen as usual: αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάζω (diavázo) (arkhízo na diavázo). A beginning asks for the ongoing shape, so αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάσω (arkhízo na diaváso) is not said.
The row runs: αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) (begin), συνεχίζω (sinekhízo) να (na) (keep on), σταματάω (stamatáo) να (na) (stop), τελειώνω (telióno) (finish — this one with no να (na)).
More often the same shades come from adverbs. μόλις (mólis) is "just now" or "as soon as": Μόλις (mólis) τελείωσα (telíosa) (mólis telíosa). ακόμα (akóma) is "still": Ακόμα (akóma) δουλεύω (dulévo) (akóma dulévo). πια (pia) is "no longer", with a negation: Δεν (den) δουλεύω (dulévo) πια (den dulévo pia).
"Not any more" is exactly that πια, never περισσότερο (perisótero). And two turns from live speech: βάζω χέρι (vázo khéri) (get down to it), τα παρατάω (ta paratáo) (give up on it).
Table
| the turn | what it means | example |
|---|---|---|
| αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) | to begin | άρχισε (árkhise) να (na) βρέχει (vrékhi) |
| συνεχίζω (sinekhízo) να (na) | to continue | συνεχίζω (sinekhízo) να (na) δουλεύω (dulévo) |
| σταματάω (stamatáo) να (na) | to stop | σταμάτησε (stamátise) να (na) μιλάει (milái) |
| μόλις (mólis) | just, as soon as | μόλις (mólis) ήρθα (írtha) |
| ακόμα (akóma) | still | ακόμα (akóma) περιμένω (periméno) |
| δεν (den) … πια | no longer | δεν (den) δουλεύω (dulévo) πια |
By example
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Begin, keep on, give up: how does it work in Greek?
Verbs of starting and stopping hook the next action on with να (na). The shape after να (na) is chosen as usual: αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάζω (diavázo). A beginning asks for the ongoing shape, so αρχίζω (arkhízo) να (na) διαβάσω is not said.
What does it look like in a Greek example sentence?
“Μόλις (mólis) ξεκίνησα τη (ti) δουλειά” (duliá) (mólis ksekínisa ti duliá) — I just got down to work. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.