# θα τα πούμε σύντομα - see you soon



## larshgf

θα τα πούμε σύντομα - see you soon
- can somebody explain the use of τα in the above expression?


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## Perseas

"τα" is the weak form of the pronoun "αυτά". This weak form must precede the verbal form, that's why it's "τα πούμε".
"θα τα πούμε" is usually used as a fixed expression to mean "see you", without a specific reference to something (i.e. τα).


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## larshgf

Perseas said:


> "τα" is the weak form of the pronoun "αυτά". This weak form must precede the verbal form, that's why it's "τα πούμε".
> "θα τα πούμε" is usually used as a fixed expression to mean "see you", without a specific reference to something (i.e. τα).


Can you give me a few examples using the weak pronoun *τα* (plural - neutrum) and where *τα* is refering to something?


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## Tr05

larshgf said:


> and where *τα* is refering to something?


An example from my part:

-Είναι δικά σου _αυτά τα παπούτσια_; (=Are these shoes yours?)
-Ναι, _τα_ είδες; (=Yes, did you see them?)


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## larshgf

Tr05 said:


> -Είναι δικά σου _αυτά τα παπούτσια_; (=Are these shoes yours?)


is this a general rule using the weak pronoun after the strong pronoun?


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## Helleno File

larshgf said:


> is this a general rule using the weak pronoun after the strong pronoun?


Hi Larshgf 

The "αυτά" in Perseas' example above is the demonstrative pronoun and the "τα" is the definite article -> "these shoes" - which I'm sure you know is the standard formation.  Just to confuse us learners the "αυτά" is identical to the strong personal pronoun.  Same form but does a different job. 

Your original post about the weak object plus verb often having an idiomatic meaning came up a little while ago. They seem to be very common in speech and I think some verbs can have a different object out of το/την/τα giving different meanings e.g. σκάω.  Sometimes the object pronoun refers to something, often not. I've decided not to think about them too much - we just have to learn them!


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## larshgf

Helleno File said:


> Sometimes the object pronoun refers to something, often not. I've decided not to think about them too much - we just have to learn them!


I agree.   
Thank you all for answering.


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## Tr05

True, poor example selection there, my bad


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## larshgf

Tr05 said:


> True, poor example selection there, my bad


Your reply has contributed to my understanding of the greek pronouns etc. So thank you!  
This forum has helped me soooo many times!


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## Perseas

larshgf said:


> is this a general rule using the weak pronoun after the strong pronoun?



_αυτά τα παπούτσια_ is a noun phrase. A noun phrase (NP) consists of a noun (the head of the NP), which may be accompanied/modified by a demonstrative pronoun, an article, an adjective or other elements. The simplest structure of a NP is ARTICLE + NOUN (e.g. το σπίτι). In _αυτά τα παπούτσια _the structure is DEMON.  PRONOUN + DEFINITE ARTICLE + NOUN. A more complex structure is DEMON.  PRONOUN + DEFINITE ARTICLE + ADJECTIVE + NOUN (αυτά τα ωραία παπούτσια).
You can't change the word order of the structures above, that is you can't use NOUN + ARTICLE (*σπίτι το) or NOUN + DEMON.  PRONOUN + DEFINITE ARTICLE (*παπούτσια αυτά τα).

As for the weak forms of the personal pronouns (or clitic pronouns =κλιτικές αντωνυμίες or just clitics=κλιτικά), they appear in two cases: in accusative when they are direct objects or in genitive when they are indirect objects. (The third person has forms also in the nominative case but they are used relatively seldom).

First person
Sg ................... Pl
Acc. με ............μας
Gen. μου .........μας

Second person
Sg ..................Pl
Acc. σε ...........σας
Gen. σου ........ σας

Third person
...........................Sg................................................................. Pl.........................
Μasc. .............Fem. ...........Νeut....................Masc...................Fem................Νeut.
Acc.τον .......... τη(ν)...........το.......................τους ...................τις/τες ............τα
Gen.του ......... της .............του.....................τους ...................τους ...............τους

Ex. *Το *έδωσα στον Μιχάλη (I gave *it* to Michalis). Here the clitic pronoun *Το* is the direct object.
*Μου* έδωσε το γράμμα (He gave *me *the letter). Here the clitic pronoun *Μου* is the indirect object and the noun phrase το γράμμα (ARTICLE + NOUN) is the direct object.

The clitic pronouns appear before the verb. Exception: when there are imperative forms or active present participles, the clitic pronouns appear after the verb. E.g. Πες *το*! ( Say *it*!), Δώσε *μου* την εφημερίδα! (Give *me* the newspaper!), βλέποντάς *το* (seeing *it*??).


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## larshgf




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## Αγγελος

Strictly speaking, θα τα πούμε means "we'll talk" -- it need not imply a personal encounter, but could refer to, say, a phone call. We also say τα λέμε, usually implying "see you some time", though it can also be meant quite literally as a present tense:
= Τα λέμε συχνά, γιατί παίρνουμε το ίδιο τρένο κάθε πρωί. (= We often chat, because...)
-- Έχεις δει τον Πέτρο; -- Εδώ είναι και τα λέμε. (= He is here right now, we are having a chat.)
Th expression can be used in all tenses: Τα λέγαμε, Τα είπαμε, Τα ΄χαμε πει...


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## Αγγελος

Cf. also the (less frequent) expressions τα μιλήσαμε, meaning "we talked it over", and τα κανονίσαμε, meaning "we settled the matter at issue, we have made final arrangements".


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