The words πως and πώς.

The words πως and πώς.

Lesson 46.

            In the last lesson we talked about the difference between the words ότι and ό,τι

            and we learnt that we can use instead of the conjuction ότι the conjuction πως

            without accent mark. Today we learn the difference between the words πως

and πώς.

The word πως is an one syllable word and according to the rules we’ve learnt,

we don’t put accent mark to one syllable words, but the word πως is one of

the exceptions.

The word πως without accent mark is a conjuction introducing a dependent

clause. When the conjuction πως introduces a dependent clause, the verb of

the independent sentence is a verb of saying, knowing, perceiving, showing

(you can find the most popular of them in our last lesson).

For example:

Ο Δημήτρης είπε πως θα έρθει στο σπίτι μου απόψε (Dimitris said that he will

come to my home tonight).

Πιστεύω πως το φετινό καλοκαίρι θα είναι πολύ ζεστό (I believe that this

year’s summer will be very hot).

Θεωρώ πως πρέπει να είσαι πιο ευγενικός με τους πελάτες μας (I consider/

I think that you have to be more polite with our customers).

Ξέρεις πως δεν τρώω κρέας (You know that I don’t eat meat).

Also we can use the conjuction πως after an impersonal phrase:

Είναι γνωστό πως……./it is known that…..

Είναι σίγουρο πως……/it is sure that….

Είναι βέβαιο πως……./it is certain that….

Or after phrases like:

Έχω τη γνώμη πως…../I have the opinion that/ I think that….

Έχω την πληροφορία πως…./I have the information that…..

Είμαι σίγουρος/ σίγουρη πως…../I am sure that……

The word πώς with accent mark is a question word.

Πώς είσαι; / How are you?

Πώς θα μαγειρέψεις το κοτόπουλο;/ how will you cook the chicken?-with which way?

So, the word πώς    with accent mark is a question word introducing an independent interrogative sentence.

But the word πώς is not stressed only when we have a direct question. The word πώς introduces dependent clauses as well.

For example:

Πώς μπορώ να πάω στο βυζαντινό μουσείο;/ How can i go to the byzantine

museum?

Mια γυναίκα ρωτάει πώς μπορεί να πάει στο βυζαντινό μουσείο./A woman is

asking how she can go to the byzantine museum. Here the word πώς with

accent mark is an adverb introducing a dependent clause which is the object

of the independent sentence’s verb.

When the adverb πώς introduces a dependent clause the verb of the independent sentence is a verb like:

ρωτάω/ ρωτώ: I ask

απορώ: I wonder

λέω: I say

εξηγώ: I explain

δείχνω: I show

μαθαίνω: I learn/ I hear

μαντεύω: i guess

Η Μαρία μού είπε πώς να έρθω./Maria told me how to come.

Ο Κώστας μού εξήγησε πώς έγινε το ατύχημα./ Κostas explained to me how

the accident happened.

Έδειξα στην Αριάδνη πώς μαγειρεύεται ο μουσακάς./ Ι showed to Ariadni how mousakas is cooked.

Μάντεψε πώς λέγεται η κόρη της Μαρίας./ Guess how Maria’s daughter is called/which is her name.

Conclusion:

Μου είπε πως έγινε ένα ατύχημα./He/ She told me that an accident happened.

When we can replace the conjuction πως with the conjuction ότι without comma, then we have to write it without accent mark.

Μου είπε πως έγινε ένα ατύχημα/ Μου είπε ότι έγινε ένα ατύχημα.

Μου είπε πώς έγινε το ατύχημα/ He/ She told me how the accident happened.

We know that we have to write the word πώς with accent mark when we can take the dependent clause and make an independent interrogative sentence/ a direct question.

Μου είπε πώς έγινε το ατύχημα. / Πώς έγινε το ατύχημα;