The hinges of speech: όμως, ωστόσο, δηλαδή, λοιπόν
Words that mean little by themselves and hold the thought together. You cannot learn them from a dictionary one by one: what matters is where in the sentence they stand, and here Greek refuses to mimic English word order. For example: “Ήθελα να πάω, αλλά ακύρωσαν την πτήση” — I wanted to go, but the flight was cancelled. A rule from the Greek course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Words that mean little by themselves and hold the thought together. You cannot learn them from a dictionary one by one: what matters is where in the sentence they stand, and here Greek refuses to mimic English word order.
αλλά (alá) — "but", and it always opens the second clause: Ήθελα να πάω (íthela na páo), αλλά ακύρωσαν την πτήση (alá akírosan tin ptísi). όμως (ómos) means the same but stands inside the sentence or at its end: Ακύρωσαν όμως την πτήση (akírosan ómos tin ptísi). Putting όμως right at the front is possible, but it sounds bookish.
ωστόσο (ostóso) and παρ' όλα αυτά (óla aftá) — "however", "nevertheless": the same work in a written tone, for an article and an analysis, not for talk.
δηλαδή (diladí) — "that is": used to ask again and to correct oneself. Έρχομαι αύριο (érkhome ávrio), δηλαδή την Τρίτη (diladí tin Tríti). In conversation it is the most frequent filler of all, and you will hear it more often than you read it.
λοιπόν (lipón) — "so, well": it opens a conclusion or a new topic. Λοιπόν, τι κάνουμε (ti kánume); Beside it άρα (ára) — "therefore", strictly logical: Δεν απάντησε (den apándise), άρα δεν συμφωνεί (ára den simfoní).
And ενώ (enó) — "while": both for simultaneity and for contrast, the pivot English makes with "whereas". Εγώ πλήρωσα (egó plírosa), ενώ αυτός έφυγε (enó aftós éfiye).
Table
| the linker | what it does | where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| αλλά | but | at the start of the second clause |
| όμως | but, still | inside the sentence or at the end |
| ωστόσο | however | at the front, a written tone |
| δηλαδή | that is | before the clarification |
| λοιπόν | so, well | at the front, opens a conclusion |
| άρα | therefore | before the consequence |
By example
- Ήθελα να πάω, αλλά ακύρωσαν την πτήσηíthela na páo, alá akírosan tin ptísiI wanted to go, but the flight was cancelled
- Έρχομαι αύριο, δηλαδή την Τρίτηérkhome ávrio, diladí tin TrítiI'll come tomorrow, that is, on Tuesday
- Δεν απάντησε, άρα δεν συμφωνείden apándise, ára den simfoníHe didn't answer, which means he doesn't agree
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 hinges of speech: how does it work in Greek?
Words that mean little by themselves and hold the thought together. You cannot learn them from a dictionary one by one: what matters is where in the sentence they stand, and here Greek refuses to mimic English word order.
What does it look like in an example sentence Greek?
“Ήθελα να πάω, αλλά ακύρωσαν την πτήση” (íthela na páo, alá akírosan tin ptísi) — I wanted to go, but the flight was cancelled. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.