Other people's words: είπε ότι, ρώτησε αν, μου είπε να
Reporting what somebody said is easy in Greek: the tense does not shift. You repeat the words as they were said. For example: “Μου είπε ότι είναι άρρωστος” — He told me he is ill. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Reporting what somebody said is easy in Greek: the tense does not shift. You repeat the words as they were said.
Είναι άρρωστος (íne árostos) → Μου είπε ότι είναι άρρωστος (mu ípe óti íne árostos). Saying "μου είπε ότι ήταν (mu ípe óti ítan)" changes the meaning: he was ill then, and is not now.
A statement comes in with ότι (óti) or πως (pos) — either will do, πως is the more casual. A question comes in with αν (an): Με ρώτησε αν έχω ασφάλεια (me rótise an ékho asfália). An order or a plea comes in with να (na): Ο γιατρός μού είπε να παίρνω τα χάπια (o yatrós mu ípe na pérno ta khápia).
Mind the look-alikes. πως without the dash is "that"; πώς (pos) with it is "how". Μου είπε πως ήρθε (mu ípe pos írthe) — he told me he came. Μου είπε πώς ήρθε (mu ípe pos írthe) — he told me how he got here.
Table
| what is reported | introduced by | example |
|---|---|---|
| a statement | ότι, πως | είπε ότι έχει πυρετό |
| a yes/no question | αν | ρώτησε αν πονάει |
| a question with a word | the same word | ρώτησε πού πονάει |
| an order, a request | να | είπε να μείνω σπίτι |
By example
- Μου είπε ότι είναι άρρωστοςmu ípe óti íne árostosHe told me he is ill
- Με ρώτησε αν έχω ασφάλειαme rótise an ékho asfáliaHe asked whether I have insurance
- Ο γιατρός μού είπε να παίρνω τα χάπιαo yatrós mu ípe na pérno ta khápiaThe doctor told me to take the pills
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
Other people's words: how does it work in Greek?
Reporting what somebody said is easy in Greek: the tense does not shift. You repeat the words as they were said.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Μου είπε ότι είναι άρρωστος” (mu ípe óti íne árostos) — He told me he is ill. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.