English - Modern Greek

This preposition is a one of the basic prepositions in MG

In the Greek spoken language «από» - of, from, since, etc. is often abbreviated to «απ'» before a definite article, or before a noun beginning with «α» or «ο». In more exalted styles the final vowel is retained before the definite article.

Like «σε» «από» denotes a movement and uses adverbs to avoid indistinctnesses.

Whilst «σε» indicates a direction to a location and a spot somewhere inside or on top, which is located at least in the nearness of the relevant noun or personal pronoun, «από» denotes the direction from (origin) a location or spot.

The versatile usage of «από» can be divided into two categories:

A. Visible

B. Abstract

1. The movement from a location, the origin of someone or something and the distance to someone or something.

N.B.

• The sentences 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are indicating the movement from a location somewhere.
• The sentences 6, 7 and 8 are denoting the origin of someone or something.
• Sentence 9 denotes the distance to a location.
• In sentence 10 «από» is followed by 2nd case (genitive) because the starting point Nico's bar has a possesive nature. Modern Greek is not looking at the movement from a location in this case. The same occurs with the preposition «σε».

2. A passing move (by, along, via, beyond or across)

N.B.

• «από» is often used in phrases denoting a passage. The association with the verb «περνώ» - to pass, to come across, to go by regularly occurs. (sent. 1, 2 and 3)
• Phrases of other verbs with a moving sense as to come, to enter and to go are used too. (sent. 4, 5, 6 and 7)
• When «από» is not preceded by an adverb, as in the above sentences, a movement of the subject and the relation of the indicated position by the prepositional phrase (by, along, via, beyond or across) is not specified, it is generally left to the listener or reader to draw the right conclusion. In such cases «από» usually means through, along, accross and via.
• On the first part of sentence 8 «από» is preceded an interrogative pronoun and in the second part an adverb, as well as in sentence 9.
• Sentence 10 has a moving meaning with the verb «ταξιδεύω» and in that sense «από» is used. However in combination with the preposition «αντί» a contrast is expressed.

3. In an adverbial clause or together with an adverb:

Next some examples using the abovementioned adverbials:

4. Items grouped together:

N.B.

• «από» is often used to express parts of which a group consists and is an informal alternative to the more formal genitive. Depending on the role which the preposition has in the sentence subsequently the above sentences in the 2nd case are:

• (sent. 1) Της έδωσε ένα μάτσο των σαράντα τριαντάφυλλων για τα γενέθλιά της.
• (sent. 2) Ένα κοπάδι είναι μια μεγάλη ομάδα των ζώων.
• (sent. 3) Ένα πλήθος των γυναικών είχα συλλεγεί.
• (sent. 4) Μια ομάδα των είκοσι παιδιών περίμενε μπροστά από το σχολείο.
• (sent. 6) Ένα σύνολο δώδεκα πρόσωπων ή πραγμάτων λέμε μια δωδεκάδα.
• (sent. 7) Φύτεψε ολόισιες σειρές ντοματών και αγγουριών.

• In spoken laguage «από» + the 4th case (accusative) is often used as an alternative for the 2nd case (genitive). In particular the possessive genitive, the genitive of type, the genitive of content or the partitive genitive. In fact it's more preferred to use «από» + the 4th case, firstly because some nouns lack a normal genitive plural form and secondly often a stress shift takes place in de 2nd case plural, as in sentence 7 with «ντοματών» and «αγγουριών».
• Especially for female nouns ending on «-α» in which one part of the sentence has a possessive function the procedure «από» + the 4th case is favoured over the usage of the genitive. In these cases trisyllabic words with the stress on the first syllable will have a stress shift even to the final syllable.
• In sentences 5 + 8 «αποτελούμαι από» means made of or consist of.

5. The time, as the start of an event:

N.B.

• In sentences with a time «από» is to a large extent the opposite of «σε». In fact it specifies the periode which elapses from a certain point in time. Nevertheless confusion regarding the meaning, may occur by the usage of other prepositions such as «σε», «μέχρι» and «ως»:

1. In expressions with a possessive character:

 N.B.

• As indicated above, «από» is often used in the common language as an alternative to the genitive (2nd case), especially in the possessive form, and in the 2nd case plural of this form:

• Τα πόδια των καρεκλών.
• Η ουρά του αλόγου.
• Τα ονόματά αυτών των ανθρώπων είναι στη σειρά.
• H υποστήριξη της οικογένειάς του.
• Οι καταγγελίες των πελατών.

2. «από» in ablative (6th case) use: liberating, robbing, taking away or hiding something from someone etc.:

N.B.

• The ablative is one of the eight cases of the Indo-European languages, which ceased to exist in Modern Greek. Its function was adopted by the genitive. Originally, verbs that express an ablation such as such leaving, going away and dissapearing were indicated.
• In the above phrases «από» is used with the meaning of to take away, to steal, to withdraw and to hide something from somebody, as well as the adjectives robbed and liberated .
• In stead of the genitive an expression with a preposition is often used because some words don't have a 2nd case in plural at all and because less educated speakers avoid the 2nd case, in particular, the plural of it. When we use 2nd case of a noun without the related pronoun ambiguity might arise. Information and explanations about the genitive can be found on this page.

3. «από» expressing the agent, cause and reason (by)

N.B.

• The agent is the person or thing that execute the action, but grammatically not the subject of the verb. This construction is applied with passive verbs (sent. 1 + 2).
• Sentence 3 however indicates that the agent may be expressed by means of «από» even when the verb is active, whilst sentence 4 shows the agent behind a non-verbial pronoun.
• The cause is the question why or by what something happens, as in the sentences 5, 6 and 7.
  («γίνομαι παπί» in sent. 6 literal means: to become a little duck.
• In the sentences 8, 9 and 10 it's clear that «από» can express a reason when the clause, denoting it, shows some emotion.

4. By the material out of which something is made or the content of something:

 N.B.

• The sentences 1, 2 and 3 express the material of things and objects.
• The sentences 4, 5 and 6 denote the content of something

5. «από» in partitive constructions (parts of one whole):

 N.B.

• The sentences 1, 2, 3 and 4 denote parts of a whole group.
• The sentences 5, 6, 7 and 8 denote a certain part of something.

6. «από» in comparative construction, and in combination with a number:

 N.B.

• «από» is used in the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs, (sent. 1, 2, 3 and 4)
• Sentence 5 is a comparison nobody else than
• «από» + a figure is equal to the figure + the word each, as in the sentence 6 and 7.
• The literal translation of sentence 8 is: from one of the gifts.

7. Various other uses with «από», such as coming from a location, a house or a bar, in standard expressions of time or manner and in concepts and contrasts:

 N.B.

• In sentence 1 the possessive pronoun is used together with «από» (απ΄το σπίτι του θείου μου).
• The sentences 2 and 3 are standard expressions like from the beginning and from the heart.
• In sentence 4 a concept is expressed by the clause from an artistic perspective.
• In sentence 5 is a contraposition, because the sentence can be complemented with «κι αφετέρου από....» - and on the other hand....
• In the sentences 6 and 7, the opposing relation of two contrasting phrases is clarified.

At some standard expressions, orginated from the katharevousa, «από» is abbreviated till «αφ'». This way the words «αφενός»..., «αφετέρου» have been originated by combining «αφ + ενός» and «αφ + ετέρου», which means together: on the one hand..., on the other hand... or firstly..., secondly....

«από'τη μια μεριά... από την άλλη...» also means on the one hand..., on the other hand....