The future: one word, θα
The future is the easiest corner of Greek grammar. The particle θα goes in front of the verb, and that is all: θα πάω — I'll go, θα δούμε — we'll see. For example: “Αύριο θα πάω στην αγορά” — Tomorrow I'll go to the market. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The future is the easiest corner of Greek grammar. The particle θα (tha) goes in front of the verb, and that is all: θα πάω (tha páo) — I'll go, θα δούμε (tha dúme) — we'll see.
The particle grew out of θέλω να (thélo na) — "I want that"; English "will" walked the same road from an old word for "to want".
The verb form after θα is chosen by meaning, and the choice is the one English makes between "I'll be drinking" (in general, regularly) and "I'll drink a glass" (once, down to the end): θα πίνω (tha píno) against θα πιω (tha pio).
Table
| the verb | once | again and again | in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| πηγαίνω | θα πάω | θα πηγαίνω | I'll go — I'll be going |
| πίνω | θα πιω | θα πίνω | I'll drink (a cup) — I'll be drinking |
| τρώω | θα φάω | θα τρώω | I'll eat — I'll be eating |
| βλέπω | θα δω | θα βλέπω | I'll see it — I'll be watching |
| γράφω | θα γράψω | θα γράφω | I'll write it — I'll be writing |
By example
- Αύριο θα πάω στην αγοράávrio tha páo stin agoráTomorrow I'll go to the market
- Θα σε δω το βράδυtha se do to vrádiWe'll see each other in the evening
- Δεν θα δουλέψω αύριοden tha dulépso ávrioI won't be working tomorrow
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
The future: how does it work in Greek?
The future is the easiest corner of Greek grammar. The particle θα goes in front of the verb, and that is all: θα πάω — I'll go, θα δούμε — we'll see.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Αύριο θα πάω στην αγορά” (ávrio tha páo stin agorá) — Tomorrow I'll go to the market. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.