Unreal Wishes and Regrets

Level 5Sounds Like na

An independent να-clause with past morphology can express an unreal wish or regret.

How It Works

An independent να-clause with past morphology can express an unreal wish or regret.

Past morphology need not mean past time: να ήμουν and να το ήξερα can concern an unreal present situation, while να είχα φύγει concerns an unreal past event. Μακάρι can make the wish explicit.

GreekMeaning
Μακάρι να ήμουν εκεί.I wish I were there.
Να είχα φύγει νωρίτερα!If only I had left earlier!
Μακάρι να το ήξερα.I wish I knew it.

Examples (3)

  1. Μακάρι να ήμουν εκεί.

    I wish I were there.

  2. Να είχα φύγει νωρίτερα!

    If only I had left earlier!

  3. Μακάρι να το ήξερα.

    I wish I knew it.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Unreal Wishes and RegretsLevel 5

Learn This First

Recognize a wish introduced by να before using a past form for an unreal or regretted situation.

Words in This Pattern

μακάρι