Πού πας;
Pou pas?
To ask "where are you going?" in Greek, say Πού πας.
Πού πας asks someone about their current destination. It is the informal everyday version.
Which one should you use?
Πού πηγαίνετε is a formal way to ask the same question. Πού πας ρε means "Where are you going, buddy?" and is very casual. Adding μωρέ to a question also makes it sound more casual.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use Πού πάτε instead of Πού πας when you address more than one person or use the formal "you" to show respect to one person.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced Pou pas?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse Πού πας (Where are you going?) with Πού είσαι (Where are you?).
Did you know?
- While asking 'Where are you going?' might feel like a personal intrusion in English, in Greece, it often serves as a polite conversational opener. Answering with even a vague destination is a way to acknowledge the speaker and maintain social harmony.
- The word πού shares a common ancestor with the English word 'where' through the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷos. This means the very foundation of how Greeks ask about location is a distant relative of English linguistic roots.
Examples in context
- Πού πας μωρέ;Where are you going, man?
Example conversation
Nikos sees Anastasia leaving the house.
- Νίκος NikosΠού πας;Pou pas;Where are you going?
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΠηγαίνω στο σούπερ μάρκετ.Pigaino sto souper market.I am going to the supermarket.
- Νίκος NikosΘέλεις κάτι από εκεί;Theleis kati apo ekei;Do you want something from there?
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΌχι, είμαι καλά.Ochi, eimai kala.No, I am fine.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries πού, CC BY-SA 4.0.
