Basic Prepositions in Greek

In Brief

The essential Greek prepositions are σε “in, at, to,” από “from,” με “with,” για “for, about,” and χωρίς “without.” They normally take the accusative (the form used here for the noun phrase after the preposition), and σε joins to a following definite article: σε + το → στο, σε + την → στην, σε + τον → στον.

Overview

Prepositions are short words that connect people, things, places, and events. They let you say where you are, where you are going, where you come from, who accompanies you, or what something is intended for. At A1, a small set covers a great deal of everyday Greek: στο σπίτι “at home,” από την Ελλάδα “from Greece,” and με φίλους “with friends.”

The main adjustment for an English-speaking learner is that the two languages do not divide meaning in the same way. English distinguishes “in,” “at,” and “to,” but Greek often uses σε for all three. Conversely, an English expression containing “for” does not automatically require για. Learn each preposition through complete phrases rather than as a single fixed translation.

These prepositions are normally followed by an accusative noun phrase. A noun phrase is a noun—such as “house” or “friend”—together with words attached to it, such as “the,” “my,” or an adjective. This matters because Greek articles and some noun forms change according to their grammatical role.

How It Works

The five core prepositions

Greek form	Core meanings	Greek example	English meaning
σε	in, at, to, on	σε ένα ξενοδοχείο	in a hotel
από	from, out of, since, by	από την Κρήτη	from Crete
με	with, by means of	με το λεωφορείο	by bus
για	for, about, intended for	ένα δώρο για τη Μαρία	a gift for Maria
χωρίς	without	καφές χωρίς ζάχαρη	coffee without sugar

All five usually take the accusative in standard Modern Greek. With many neuter nouns, the visible form does not change, so το σπίτι and στο σπίτι may make the rule seem invisible. Masculine forms make it clearer: ο φίλος “the friend” becomes με τον φίλο “with the friend.”

Σε: place, destination, and time

Use σε for a location or destination. Greek commonly uses the same construction where English chooses among “in,” “at,” “to,” or “on”:

• Μένω στην Αθήνα. — I live in Athens.
• Είμαι στο γραφείο. — I am at the office.
• Πάω στην αγορά. — I am going to the market.
• Τα κλειδιά είναι στο τραπέζι. — The keys are on the table.

The verb and context tell you whether the phrase describes a static location or movement toward it. Είμαι στο σχολείο means “I am at school,” while πάω στο σχολείο means “I am going to school.” There is no need to replace σε just because English changes “at” to “to.”

Σε also introduces clock times and some time periods: στις οκτώ “at eight,” τον Αύγουστο is commonly “in August” without a preposition, while σε μία ώρα means “in one hour” or “within an hour.” Time expressions therefore need to be learned as phrases rather than copied directly from English.

The mandatory σε + article contractions

When σε comes immediately before a definite article (“the”), the two forms are written as one word. This is not an optional conversational shortcut.

Accusative article	Combination	Result	Example	Meaning
τον	σε + τον	στον	στον κήπο	in the garden
την / τη	σε + την / τη	στην / στη	στην πόλη	in the city
το	σε + το	στο	στο σπίτι	in/at the house
τους	σε + τους	στους	στους φίλους	to the friends
τις	σε + τις	στις	στις οκτώ	at eight
τα	σε + τα	στα	στα νησιά	on the islands

Do not contract σε before an indefinite article (“a/an”) or a word with no article: σε ένα καφέ “in a café,” σε φίλους “to friends.” The contraction only happens with the definite article.

Από: source, starting point, and separation

Από answers “from where?” or indicates a starting point:

• Είμαι από την Ελλάδα. — I am from Greece.
• Έρχομαι από τη δουλειά. — I am coming from work.
• Από τη Δευτέρα — from Monday / starting Monday
• από τις εννέα μέχρι τις πέντε — from nine until five

It can also mark material, cause, or an agent in more advanced sentences: ένα τραπέζι από ξύλο “a table made of wood,” τρέμω από το κρύο “I am shivering from the cold,” γράφτηκε από τη Μαρία “it was written by Maria.”

Με: company, instrument, and manner

The basic meaning of με is “with”: με τον φίλο μου “with my friend.” It also introduces the means used to do something. English often uses “by” here:

• με το αυτοκίνητο — by car
• με το χέρι — by hand
• γράφω με μολύβι — I write with a pencil
• με χαρά — with pleasure / gladly

With transport, Greek normally says με + vehicle. Walking is a useful exception to memorize: με τα πόδια, literally “with the feet,” means “on foot.”

Για: beneficiary, purpose, destination, and topic

Use για for the person who benefits, the intended recipient, or the purpose of something:

• Αυτό είναι για σένα. — This is for you.
• Ένα εισιτήριο για τη Θεσσαλονίκη. — A ticket to Thessaloniki.
• Γυαλιά για τον ήλιο. — Sunglasses / glasses for the sun.

Για can also mean “about”: Μιλάμε για τη δουλειά. “We are talking about work.” With a time span, για δύο μέρες means “for two days,” often emphasizing the planned or relevant duration.

Χωρίς: absence

Χωρίς indicates that someone or something is absent:

• χωρίς γάλα — without milk
• χωρίς τον αδελφό μου — without my brother
• χωρίς πρόβλημα — without a problem / no problem

English speakers should notice the spelling: χωρίς has its written accent on the second syllable. Like the other prepositions here, it is followed by an accusative phrase.

Pronouns after prepositions

After a preposition, Greek uses a stressed pronoun—a full form used after words such as “for” and “with”—rather than a short object form such as μου or σου.

Person	Stressed form	Example	Translation
me	εμένα / μένα	για μένα	for me
you (singular)	εσένα / σένα	με σένα	with you
him	αυτόν	από αυτόν	from him
her	αυτήν / αυτή	για αυτήν	for her
us	εμάς	χωρίς εμάς	without us
you (plural)	εσάς	σε εσάς	to you
them	αυτούς / αυτές / αυτά	με αυτούς	with them

The shorter alternatives μένα and σένα are extremely common. Forms such as για μένα and για σένα are best memorized whole.

Examples in Context

Greek	English	Note
Μένουμε σε ένα μικρό ξενοδοχείο.	We are staying in a small hotel.	σε before the indefinite article
Η Άννα είναι στο σπίτι.	Anna is at home.	location; σε + το
Αύριο πάμε στην παραλία.	Tomorrow we are going to the beach.	destination; σε + την
Το μάθημα αρχίζει στις δέκα.	The lesson starts at ten.	clock time; σε + τις
Είμαι από την Ελλάδα.	I am from Greece.	origin
Έρχεται από το αεροδρόμιο.	He/She is coming from the airport.	starting point
Πηγαίνω στη δουλειά με το λεωφορείο.	I go to work by bus.	destination plus means of transport
Τρώμε με τους φίλους μας απόψε.	We are eating with our friends tonight.	company
Γράψε το όνομά σου με μολύβι.	Write your name in pencil.	instrument
Αυτό το βιβλίο είναι για σένα.	This book is for you.	intended recipient
Μιλάμε για το ταξίδι μας.	We are talking about our trip.	topic
Θέλω ένα εισιτήριο για την Πάτρα.	I want a ticket to Patras.	destination printed or intended on a ticket
Έναν καφέ χωρίς ζάχαρη, παρακαλώ.	A coffee without sugar, please.	absence; useful ordering phrase
Δεν μπορώ να το κάνω χωρίς εσένα.	I cannot do it without you.	stressed pronoun

Common Mistakes

Keeping σε and the definite article separate

• Wrong: σε το σπίτι
• Right: στο σπίτι
• Why: Σε must join directly to a following definite article: σε + το → στο. The same rule produces στον, στην, στους, στις, στα.

Translating “in,” “at,” and “to” one by one

• Wrong: looking for three different Greek prepositions in I am at school, I study in Athens, and I go to work
• Right: Είμαι στο σχολείο. Σπουδάζω στην Αθήνα. Πάω στη δουλειά.
• Why: Greek σε covers location and destination. The surrounding verb supplies the difference that English often places in the preposition.

Using the nominative article after a preposition

• Wrong: με ο φίλος μου
• Right: με τον φίλο μου
• Why: The prepositions in this lesson normally require the accusative. Ο φίλος is the nominative form, used typically for the subject (the person doing the action); after με, use τον φίλο.

Using a short pronoun after a preposition

• Wrong: για σου
• Right: για σένα
• Why: A preposition needs a stressed pronoun. Σου has other jobs, as in το βιβλίο σου “your book,” but it cannot replace σένα here.

Assuming με always means English “with”

• Wrong interpretation: Πάω με το τρένο = “I go with the train.”
• Natural translation: “I go by train.”
• Why: Με marks both company and means. Translate the whole relationship, not the word in isolation.

Using για for every English “for”

• Wrong: Μένω στην Αθήνα για τρία χρόνια when you mean “I have been living in Athens for three years and still do.”
• Right: Μένω στην Αθήνα εδώ και τρία χρόνια.
• Why: English “for” covers several time relationships. Για τρία χρόνια can describe an intended or bounded duration; ongoing time up to now commonly uses εδώ και. This distinction belongs beyond the first A1 rule, but it prevents literal translation.

Usage Notes

Articles with place names

Greek often uses a definite article with city and country names: στην Αθήνα, από την Ελλάδα, στη Γαλλία. English usually omits “the,” so do not let the English translation make you remove the Greek article. Some names and fixed expressions behave differently, so learn common destinations as chunks.

την/τη and στην/στη

You will see both την and τη, and therefore both στην and στη. The final -ν is kept or dropped according to sound and spelling conventions; it is normally kept before a vowel and before certain consonants, and speakers vary somewhat in everyday usage. At beginner level, recognize both forms and copy the spelling used in reliable examples. Never drop the ν from masculine τον/στον, because it helps distinguish the masculine form.

No article versus the definite article

The presence of an article can change the meaning. Με φίλους means “with friends” in general, while με τους φίλους μου means “with my friends,” a specific group. Σε ένα σχολείο is “in a school”; στο σχολείο is “at/in the school” and can also function as the normal phrase “at school.”

Natural English translations

A good translation need not preserve the visible preposition. Στο σπίτι may be “at home,” με τα πόδια is “on foot,” and ένα εισιτήριο για την Πάτρα is “a ticket to Patras.” The Greek phrase is the pattern to remember; the English version should express its meaning naturally.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to produce all of the following at A1, but these patterns explain forms you will soon encounter.

Preposition + clause

A preposition can introduce not only a noun but also a clause—a group of words containing a verb. Modern Greek commonly uses να + verb where English uses an infinitive (“to do,” “to go”):

• για να μάθω ελληνικά — in order to learn Greek
• χωρίς να μιλήσει — without speaking

In για να, για expresses purpose. In χωρίς να, the action does not happen. The verb after να belongs to the Greek subjunctive system (verb forms used after να for intended, possible, or dependent actions), which is studied separately at a later level.

Compound prepositions

The basic words become parts of longer expressions: μαζί με “together with,” κοντά σε “near,” μπροστά σε “in front of,” πίσω από “behind,” and εκτός από “except for/apart from.” When the second part is σε, contraction still applies: μπροστά στο σπίτι, not μπροστά σε το σπίτι.

Meanings created by the verb

Many verbs select a particular preposition, and the result may not match English:

• μιλάω με κάποιον — speak with someone
• μιλάω για κάτι — talk about something
• ζητάω κάτι από κάποιον — ask someone for something
• περιμένω κάποιον — wait for someone (no για)

This is called verb–preposition selection: the verb determines which preposition, if any, follows. At higher levels, treating the verb and its usual complement as one vocabulary item is more reliable than translating the English preposition.

Από and με in “by” phrases

English “by” has several Greek equivalents. Με usually marks the method or instrument: με email “by email.” Από can identify the creator or agent, especially in passive constructions: ένα βιβλίο γραμμένο από τη Μαρία “a book written by Maria.” This contrast is useful even before you formally study the passive voice.

Practice Tips

1. Build phrase families. Take one place and say where you are, where you are going, and where you are coming from: είμαι στο γραφείο, πάω στο γραφείο, έρχομαι από το γραφείο. This makes the contrast between σε and από automatic.
2. Drill the six contractions aloud. Pair each form with a real noun: στον κήπο, στην πόλη, στο σπίτι, στους φίλους, στις οκτώ, στα μαγαζιά. Saying meaningful phrases is more effective than reciting στον, στην, στο alone.
3. Record useful chunks, not isolated translations. Save με τα πόδια, για σένα, χωρίς ζάχαρη, and από τη δουλειά as whole flashcard prompts. When listening to Greek, underline the complete phrase around each preposition.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Definite Articles — review the accusative article forms used after these prepositions.
• Next step: Preposition σε + Article Contractions — focused practice with στον, στην, στο, στους, στις, στα.
• Later expansion: Complex Prepositions — learn combinations such as μαζί με, μπροστά σε, and εκτός από.