The 4 Must-Know Contracted Verbs in Greek!

In today’s lesson we’re studying the 4 contracted verbs in Greek (τρώω – I eat λέω – I say πάω – I go and ακούω – I listen) .

These verbs are different but super important, so stick around to master them!

Let’s get started!

The 4 Contracted Verbs

First off, what are contracted verbs?
In Greek, these are verbs where their endings are shorter than you might expect, they have been contracted.
Don’t worry—it’s easier than it sounds! Today, we’ll focus on:
I eat – τρώω
I say – λέω
I go – πάω
I listen – ακούω

Contracted Verb Τρώω (To Eat)

Τρώω means I eat. It’s a contracted verb. Here’s the conjugation in the present tense.

I eat
You eat
He/She/It eats
We eat
You (pl.) eat
They eat

τρώω
τρως
τρώει
τρώμε
τρώτε
τρώνε

Let’s see a few examples.
Τρώω πρωινό κάθε μέρα.
Τρως πίτσα;
Το κορίτσι τρώει μπισκότα.
Τρώμε μαζί κάθε βράδυ.
Αυτοί τρώνε βραδινό.

Contracted Verb Λέω (To Say)

Next up is λέω , which means I say.
Let’s look at the conjugation:

I say
You say
He/She/It says
We say
You (pl.) say
They say

λέω
λες
λέει
λέμε
λέτε
λένε

Λέω is often used in everyday life. Let’s see a few examples.
Λέω πάντα την αλήθεια.
Τι λες ;
Η Μαρία λέει ένα τραγούδι.
Λέμε ιστορίες στο σπίτι.
Οι γονείς μου λένε να διαβάσω.

Contracted Verb Πάω (To Go)

Πάω means I go. Πάω is used all the time and its forms are short and sweet!
Here’s how we conjugate it:

I go
You go
He/She/It goes
We go
You (pl.) go
They go

πάω
πας
πάει
πάμε
πάτε
πάνε

Let’s see a few examples.
Πάω στην παραλία.
Πού πας ;
Ο Νίκος πάει στο γυμναστήριο.
Πάμε βόλτα στο πάρκο.
Τα παιδιά πάνε στο σχολείο κάθε μέρα.

Contracted Verb Ακούω (To listen)

The last verb is ακούω , which means I hear or I listen.
Let’s check it out:

I hear
You hear
He/She/It hears
We hear
You (pl.) hear
They hear

ακούω
ακούς
ακούει
ακούμε
ακούτε
ακούνε

Here are some examples:
Ακούω μουσική κάθε μέρα
Με ακούς ;
Η Μαρίνα ακούει την αγαπημένη της μπάντα.
Ακούμε τις οδηγίες προσεκτικά.
Ακούνε την θάλασσα από το σπίτι.

Using the 4 Contracted Verbs: Example

Η μέρα μου
Το πρωί ξυπνάω στις 7 και τρώω πρωινό. Μετά πάω στην δουλειά και ακούω μουσική στο αυτοκίνητο. Το απόγευμα πίνω καφέ και λέω αστείες ιστορίες με τους φίλους μου.

Now that you know these verbs, try practicing by using your own examples and share your sentences in the comments below!
The key is to practice regularly and pay attention to how native speakers use these verbs.

Practice Activity #1

Time for more practice!
In this exercise we’ll complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb.
1. Εγώ ______ στο σινεμά. (πάω)
2. Τι ______; Δεν σε ακούω! (λέω)
3. Αυτή ______ παγωτό σοκολάτα. (τρώω)
4. ______ μουσική, Κώστα; (Ακούω)
5. Οι φίλοι μου ______ βόλτα στο βουνό. (πάω)

Practice Activity #2

In this exercise try to translate the following sentences into Greek. The sentences are.
1. I am going to school.
2. Are you listening to music?
3. She is eating dinner.
4. What are they saying?

Conclusion

That’s all for today’s lesson!
Contracted verbs like τρώω, λέω, πάω, and ακούω are everywhere in Greek, so mastering them will take your fluency to the next level.
And remember, practice makes perfect.

Τα λέμε,
Θανάσης

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