Help Anastasios learn modern Greek

[Anastasios]

Hello everyone.  I am finally spending some time learning modern Greek formally.  I figured I'd make a thread where I can post questions I have from my textbook and other things.  The textbook I use is Greek Today and it's pretty good but sometimes they have the habit of not translating idioms so when I look up the words individually they make sense but together they do not.

The first such instance is:

(a taxi driver discussing how the rate is calculated): Ένα λεπτό να πάρω κι αυτόν τον κύριο.

Thanks for your help.

In Christ,

Anastasios

[ozgeorge]

Ένα λεπτό         ÃŽÂ½ÃŽÂ± πάρω          κι    αυτόν τον κύριο.
One minute    for me to take    and   this gentleman.

"Just a minute, I will also take this gentleman (to his destination)."

If you asked the taxi driver how much the fare is, he is telling you that he will be taking another passenger, therefore you will be splitting the fare with him, which will be cheaper for you.

[SamB]

Hmm...if we put the context of discussion of fares aside, could it not also mean something close to 'one minute so that I/so I may take also this gentleman over to his destination'?  Nα has eluded me in its meanings more than once, and in this case the word sounds similar in meaning to 'la/ta' as we would say in Arabic; the context of cabs taking more than one passenger (serveeses, as we call them) -- something we have ourselves -- the things that might be said in such situations, as well as the syntax and general manner of expression in the Greek above resembling the Arabic vernacular make it seem that this may also be meant.  Can someone confirm that?

[ozgeorge]

Hmm...if we put the context of discussion of fares aside, could it not also mean something close to 'one minute so that I/so I may take also this gentleman over to his destination'?  Nα has eluded me in its meanings more than once, and in this case the word sounds similar in meaning to 'la/ta' as we would say in Arabic; the context of cabs taking more than one passenger (serveeses, as we call them) -- something we have ourselves -- the things that might be said in such situations, as well as the syntax and general manner of expression in the Greek above resembling the Arabic vernacular make it seem that this may also be meant.  Can someone confirm that?

"Nα" differs in meaning depending on the context. It can mean "in order that..." or "so that..." (which is the meaning in this case). It can also mean "May it..." or "let it..." as in the case when monastics reply to an instruction to do something with: "να είναι ευλογημένο" ("Let it be blessed".)

[TomS]

... he is telling you that he will be taking another passenger, therefore you will be splitting the fare with him, which will be cheaper for you.

Well, at least it is SUPPOSED to be chaeaper. This IS Greece, ya know!

[Schultz]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I LOVE the new pic, Tom!

[SamB]

"Nα" differs in meaning depending on the context. It can mean "in order that..." or "so that..." (which is the meaning in this case).

I thought as much (so then, it is the same as the Arabic word I mentioned).  So would the sentence as a whole mean what I suggested before?

Also, can Nα with a conjugated verb following function as an infinitive in English would when for example taking the role of a direct object?  To illustrate, 'I want to eat': Thelo na trowo, is it?

[Apostolos]

Να is a participle (we call it molecule-μόριο, in modern greek grammar) that usually suggests the subjunctive mood (Να+indicative mood=subjunctive mood)

Also, can Nα with a conjugated verb following function as an infinitive in English would when for example taking the role of a direct object?  To illustrate, 'I want to eat': Thelo na trowo, is it?

Pretty much, yes (in ancient Greek "Thelw na faw-Θέλω να φάω", would have been "Thelw fagein-Θέλω Φαγείν" or "Thelw Esthiein-Θέλω Eσθίειν, which is a more poetic expression. This verb-εσθίω-plus the negative participle ne-νη, forms the word νη+εσθίω=νηστεία (fast) 

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