ότι, να or που: what joins what
English "that" hides three different links, and Greek keeps them apart. What picks the link is not the meaning of the sentence but the verb in front of it. So the lists are the thing to learn. For example: “Νομίζω ότι θα με προσλάβουν” — I think they will hire me. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English "that" hides three different links, and Greek keeps them apart. What picks the link is not the meaning of the sentence but the verb in front of it. So the lists are the thing to learn.
ότι (or πως (pos)) — after verbs of knowing and saying: λέω (léo), νομίζω (nomízo), ξέρω (kséro), ακούω (akúo), πιστεύω (pistévo). Νομίζω ότι θα με προσλάβουν (nomízo óti tha me prozlávun).
να (na) — after verbs of wanting, being able, having to: θέλω (thélo), μπορώ (boró), πρέπει (prépi), προσπαθώ (prospathó), ελπίζω (elpízo). Θέλω να δουλέψω εδώ (thélo na dulépso edó). English would say "to work" here; Greek has no such form, and να takes its place.
που (pu) — after verbs of feeling, when the fact itself is settled: Χαίρομαι που σε βλέπω (khérome pu se vlépo). One verb changes link and sense together. Ξέρω ότι οδηγεί (kséro óti odiyí) — I know he drives. Ξέρω να οδηγώ (kséro na odigó) — I know how to drive.
Table
| after what | the conjunction | example |
|---|---|---|
| λέω, νομίζω, ξέρω, ακούω | ότι, πως | είπε ότι υπέγραψε |
| θέλω, μπορώ, πρέπει, ελπίζω | να | πρέπει να υπογράψω |
| χαίρομαι, λυπάμαι, βλέπω | που | χαίρομαι που υπέγραψες |
| ξέρω in the sense "know how" | να | ξέρω να οδηγώ |
By example
- Νομίζω ότι θα με προσλάβουνnomízo óti tha me prozlávunI think they will hire me
- Θέλω να δουλέψω σε αυτή τη θέσηthélo na dulépso se aftí ti thésiI want to work in this position
- Χαίρομαι που πέρασα τη συνέντευξηkhérome pu pérasa ti sinéndefksiI am glad I passed the interview
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
Ότι, να or που: which that to use?
English "that" hides three different links, and Greek keeps them apart. What picks the link is not the meaning of the sentence but the verb in front of it. So the lists are the thing to learn.
Ότι vs που in Greek?
ότι (or πως) — after verbs of knowing and saying: λέω, νομίζω, ξέρω, ακούω, πιστεύω. Νομίζω ότι θα με προσλάβουν.
Why θέλω να and not θέλω ότι?
να — after verbs of wanting, being able, having to: θέλω, μπορώ, πρέπει, προσπαθώ, ελπίζω. Θέλω να δουλέψω εδώ. English would say "to work" here; Greek has no such form, and να takes its place.
Ξέρω ότι or ξέρω να?
που — after verbs of feeling, when the fact itself is settled: Χαίρομαι που σε βλέπω. One verb changes link and sense together. Ξέρω ότι οδηγεί — I know he drives. Ξέρω να οδηγώ — I know how to drive.
After which Greek verbs που is used?
που — after verbs of feeling, when the fact itself is settled: Χαίρομαι που σε βλέπω. One verb changes link and sense together. Ξέρω ότι οδηγεί — I know he drives. Ξέρω να οδηγώ — I know how to drive.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Νομίζω ότι θα με προσλάβουν” (nomízo óti tha me prozlávun) — I think they will hire me. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.