# ώσπου να - όταν



## qnk

Have the same meaning these two sentences?
_
Ώστπου να ετοιμαστεί το βραδινό, εγώ είχα ήδη κοιμηθεί.
Όταν ετοίμασε το βραδινό, εγώ είχα ήδη κοιμηθεί.

_As *Ώσπου  *means *until, *would it be a good translation 
_Until supper is prepared, I was already asleep? _I don't think so.
I do not understand very well the use of *ώσπου να.
*
Βοήθεια, παρακαλώ.


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## artion

"Until" is a good translation.


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## qnk

Thank you Artion.
Still I'd like to know if both sentences in Greek mean exactly the same or is there any difference between them.
Thank you again.


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## artion

qnk said:


> Have the same meaning these two sentences?
> _
> Ώστπου να ετοιμαστεί το βραδινό, εγώ είχα ήδη κοιμηθεί.
> Όταν ετοίμασε το βραδινό, εγώ είχα ήδη κοιμηθεί.
> _



They mean about the same. The first might put a slight emphasis on the fact that either the supper was prepared too late or you were too sleepy. The latter phrase sounds more like a neutral and accurate description of the facts.


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## qnk

Excellent, Artion. Now I see the nuances between both expressions. Thank you very much.


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## ireney

A good translation for "ώσπου να" is "by the time".


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## Akritas

I agree with ireney. Ώσπου tends to imply 'from now until...' whereas όταν refers mostly to the actual event (ignoring the elapsed time).


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## qnk

Now this is quite clear to me! "By the time..." in Spanish we would say "para  cuando..."
Ώσπου implies duration of time, while όταν focus on the result.
Thank you Ireney and Akritas


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