There and here: πάω, έρχομαι, προς τα πάνω
πάω and έρχομαι differ not by direction in general but by where the speaker stands. πάω is away from me, έρχομαι towards me. English splits "go" and "come" the same way, and the wrong one still slips out. For example: “Έρχομαι αμέσως, περίμενε” — I'm coming, wait. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
πάω (páo) and έρχομαι (érkhome) differ not by direction in general but by where the speaker stands. πάω is away from me, έρχομαι towards me. English splits "go" and "come" the same way, and the wrong one still slips out.
A quick test. Called over by somebody, English says "I'm coming", and Greek says Έρχομαι, because the movement is towards them. Πάω would mean "I'm off", which is a different answer.
Direction is added with προς (pros), or with an adverb after προς τα (pros ta). προς τα πάνω (up), προς τα κάτω (down), προς τα μέσα (inward), προς τα πίσω (back).
In many verbs of movement the prefix carries the direction, and the prefixes come in pairs. μπαίνω (go in) — βγαίνω (go out). ανεβαίνω (go up) — κατεβαίνω (go down).
Table
| the pair | away from the speaker | toward the speaker |
|---|---|---|
| to go | πάω | έρχομαι |
| exit and enter | βγαίνω | μπαίνω |
| up and down | ανεβαίνω | κατεβαίνω |
| closer and further | απομακρύνομαι | πλησιάζω |
By example
- Έρχομαι αμέσως, περίμενεérkhome amésos, perímeneI'm coming, wait
- Ανεβαίνει η σκόνη προς τα πάνωanevéni i skóni pros ta pánoThe dust rises upward
- Πλησίασε λίγο, δεν σε ακούωplisíase lígo, den se akúoCome closer, I can't hear you
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
There and here: how does it work in Greek?
πάω and έρχομαι differ not by direction in general but by where the speaker stands. πάω is away from me, έρχομαι towards me. English splits "go" and "come" the same way, and the wrong one still slips out.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Έρχομαι αμέσως, περίμενε” (érkhome amésos, perímene) — I'm coming, wait. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.