Questions That Express a Stance

Level 5

A question can express surprise, challenge or an implied conclusion instead of requesting information.

How It Works

A question can express surprise, challenge or an implied conclusion instead of requesting information.

There is no single inflection for this use: intonation, context and particles guide the reading. A negative question does not always reveal the answer the speaker expects.

GreekMeaning
Ποιος δεν θέλει φίλους;Who does not want friends?
Τι να πω;What can I say?
Δεν σου το είπα;Didn't I tell you?

Examples (3)

  1. Ποιος δεν θέλει φίλους;

    Who does not want friends?

  2. Τι να πω;

    What can I say?

  3. Δεν σου το είπα;

    Didn't I tell you?

How It Connects

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

Questions That Express a StanceLevel 5

Learn This First

Recognize ordinary questions before interpreting a question as surprise, challenge or an implied conclusion.