# δίνω μια



## OssianX

I'm wondering if this is an idiom.  The sentence is, "Γι' αυτό κι ο πιανίστας έδωσε μια κ' έριξε το ποτήρι που είταν στο πιάνο."  I can't find any feminine noun here or in the previous sentence for μια to agree with.


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## Cynastros

[ a ] punch, slap, header, pads, etc.


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## orthophron

Hi. "δινω μια" means to give a bash or to thump [on something].


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## OssianX

Thanks, Cynastros and orthophron.  You guys are invaluable.

In the sentence I gave ("Γι' αυτό κι ο πιανίστας έδωσε μια κ' έριξε το ποτήρι που είταν στο πιάνο."), do you have any idea what the pianist could be giving a punch or bash to, or thumping on?  The piano?  Well, maybe this isn't a language question.  In any case, as always, great thanks.


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## orthophron

He probably thumped his fist on the piano or maybe dropped the glass with a jerky movement.


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## OssianX

I think that makes sense.  Thanks!


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## Δημήτρης

And, as you may already know, the negative version of this, "δεν δίνω μια (για)", means "I don't give a damn". The latter version is an idiom, but I believe "δίνω μια (σε κάτι)" is just an elliptic sentence.


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## elliest_5

orthophron said:


> Hi. "δινω μια" means to give a bash or to thump [on something].





OssianX said:


> Thanks, Cynastros and orthophron.  You guys are invaluable.
> 
> In the sentence I gave ("Γι' αυτό κι ο πιανίστας έδωσε μια κ' έριξε το ποτήρι που είταν στο πιάνο."), do you have any idea what the pianist could be giving a punch or bash to, or thumping on?  The piano?  Well, maybe this isn't a language question.  In any case, as always, great thanks.



I don't think that "δίνω μια" necessarily refers to an actual (physical) blow or strike. When there is no clear object (like in your example) it is used in a more general/vague sense, meaning more something like "with one (sudden) move"

Ηere are some similar examples from googling the phrase:

_[...] δίνει μια και_ πηδάει και από τον γκρεμό : with one (sudden/unexpected) move, he jumps off of the cliff.

_[...]δινει μια και_ τους τα χαλαει: with one action, he messes up everything for them

[...] Και _δίνει μια και_ πηδάει πάνω του να τον κατασπαράξει: and with one move he jumps over him in order to devour him.

Note that it usually precedes violent/sudden and "intense" kind of movement.

On the other hand, when you have an object, like in "δινει μια στο ποτήρι και το ρίχνει κάτω" , then indeed you get the more concrete picture of an actual strike.


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## OssianX

Great!  Thanks, elliest_5.  Δημήτρε (if I'm doing the vocative correctly!), I take your point.  Sometimes the line between idiom and (mere) ellipsis gets very thin.  Some of elliest_5's  examples seem to push "δίνω μια και" over the line.  But either way, I couldn't make sense of it, and with all this help, now I can.  Thanks to all.


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## Δημήτρης

Yep, I think elliest_5 summed up everything perfectly.



> if I'm doing the vocative correctly!


Δημητρ*έ* would be correct in Cypriot Greek, but in Standard Greek it's Δημήτρη. (more on that matter here)


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## OssianX

Ah, so I got it half right either way!  The story of my relation to Greek … so far …


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## orthophron

All that elliest_5 mentioned is right. "δίνω μια" can also imply γροθιά, σφαλιάρα, κλοτσιά or ώθηση [στον εαυτό μου] as in 1st example of elliest_5 and generally can mean "κάνω μια [μάλλον απότομη] κίνηση"

By the way, surprisingly enough, the dictionary says "get/give one" can imply bunch punch (edited! thanks!) as in Greek. Do you confirm?


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## OssianX

orthophron said:


> All that elliest_5 mentioned is right. "δίνω μια" can also imply γροθιά, σφαλιάρα, κλοτσιά or ώθηση [στον εαυτό μου] as in 1st example of elliest_5 and generally can mean "κάνω μια [μάλλον απότομη] κίνηση"
> 
> By the way, surprisingly enough, the dictionary says "get/give one" can imply bunch (as in Greek). Do you confirm?



Did you mean "punch"?  I suppose so, in some contexts:  "He irritated me and finally turned around and gave him one" -- we'd understand "gave him a blow."


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## orthophron

Well, the dictionary has the following example: I got one in my* the eye.
*_Edited after OssianX's remark. Ας μην αδικώ τα λεξικά!_


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## OssianX

As long as there was a context of physical violence, I think that would be clear.  Many speakers would say "the eye" rather than "my eye."


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## orthophron

Yes, once again thanks. It was my mistake; it says actually "I got one in the eye".


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