Personal Pronouns
Subject pronouns and when to use/omit them
Can use personal pronouns correctly and know when to omit them
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Μιλάω ελληνικά.
I speak Greek.
Εγώ πληρώνω, εσύ τρως!
I pay, you eat!
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Personal Pronouns
εγώ/εσύ/αυτός-ή-ό / εμείς/εσείς/αυτοί-ές-ά. Greek is pro-drop: pronouns are usually omitted. Use them for emphasis only.
English requires subjects. In Greek, verb endings show the person — 'Μιλάω' already means 'I speak'. Overusing pronouns sounds unnatural.
Μιλάω ελληνικά.
I speak Greek.
No εγώ needed — the -ω ending shows 1st person singular.
Εγώ πληρώνω, εσύ τρως!
I pay, you eat!
Pronouns used for emphasis/contrast: I (not you) pay, YOU (not I) eat.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises