Must, can, must not: πρέπει, μπορώ, απαγορεύεται
Obligation in Greek is built impersonally: πρέπει να never changes, and who must is shown by the verb after να. Πρέπει να φύγω — I must go, Πρέπει να φύγεις — you must go. There is no "I" in either sentence. For example: “Πρέπει να βράσει δέκα λεπτά” — This must boil for ten minutes. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Obligation in Greek is built impersonally: πρέπει να (prépi na) never changes, and who must is shown by the verb after να (na). Πρέπει να φύγω (prépi na fígo) — I must go, Πρέπει να φύγεις (prépi na fíyis) — you must go. There is no "I" in either sentence.
Its past is its own and likewise shared by all: έπρεπε να (éprepe na) — had to.
μπορώ (boró), by contrast, conjugates like an ordinary verb: μπορώ, μπορείς (borís), μπορεί (borí). And here sits the trap everyone stumbles on: μπορώ να (boró na) — "I can", while μπορεί να (borí na) without a subject means "maybe". Μπορεί να βρέξει (borí na vréksi) does not mean "he knows how to summon rain" but "it may rain".
Prohibition on signs is written in a passive form: απαγορεύεται (it is forbidden) or δεν επιτρέπεται (it is not permitted). In speech the same is said more plainly — δεν γίνεται (den yínete), "it can't be done".
And beside it stands χρειάζεται (khriázete) — "it is needed", about things and about deeds: Χρειάζεται αλάτι (khriázete aláti), Χρειάζεται να το βράσεις δέκα λεπτά.
Table
| construction | what it means | example |
|---|---|---|
| πρέπει να | must, have to | πρέπει να φύγω |
| έπρεπε να | had to | έπρεπε να φύγω |
| μπορώ να | I can | μπορώ να φύγω |
| μπορεί να | maybe, it might | μπορεί να φύγει |
| απαγορεύεται | it is forbidden | απαγορεύεται η είσοδος |
By example
- Πρέπει να βράσει δέκα λεπτάprépi na vrási déka leptáThis must boil for ten minutes
- Μπορώ να δω τον κατάλογο;boró na do ton katálogo?May we see the menu?
- Απαγορεύεται το κάπνισμαapagorévete to kápnizmaSmoking is forbidden
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
Must, can, must not: how does it work in Greek?
Obligation in Greek is built impersonally: πρέπει να never changes, and who must is shown by the verb after να. Πρέπει να φύγω — I must go, Πρέπει να φύγεις — you must go. There is no "I" in either sentence.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Πρέπει να βράσει δέκα λεπτά” (prépi na vrási déka leptá) — This must boil for ten minutes. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.