 | Μια στιγμή περιμένετε να δω...(help with this phrase) |
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Μια στιγμή περιμένετε να δω... I'm really stumped on this sentence. I haven't learned much yet about Modern Greek verbs besides the present tense and simple past, but I'm trying to learn. I know that περιμένετε appears to be the imperative and together with μια στιγμή should mean "wait a moment". But the να δω is where I'm stuck. After digging through my grammar book and reading some verb info online, am I correct in saying that this is the perfective past that refers to a complete action (of the verb βλέπω - to see)? If so, what am I not putting together here to understand the meaning? Ευχαριστώ, Μάικλ |
 | Re: Μια στιγμή περιμένετε να δω...(help with this phrase) |
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It's not the perfective past (more commonly called aorist, or as you said simple past - they are all one and the same thing) of βλέπω (that's είδα). It's the perfective subjunctive, preceded by να, which is a conjunction of subordination (meaning something like "that" or "so that"). Περιμένετε να δω means "wait (so) that I see" or in more correct English "wait for me to see". Greek doesn't have an infinitive, so many constructions which in English use infinitives use να + subjunctive in Greek. For instance: - θέλω να δω: I want to see. - μπορώ να δω: I can see. - πρέπει να δω: I must see. If you follow the lessons on this website, you will naturally come across the subjunctive forms once you're ready to absorb them (actually, you'll first get introduced to them when you learn how to form the perfective future tense, as this tense uses the same forms as the perfective subjunctive). Don't try to jump ahead while you're not ready, as you will only end up getting confused. But if you follow the lessons in order, it will all end up making sense, I can assure you! |
