A short instruction tells you what action to take. This A2-oriented activity uses an invented reception-desk exchange. Learn the expressions with their situation: adding παρακαλώ can soften a request, but the relationship, tone and context still matter.
Read the exchange
Υπάλληλος: Περιμένετε λίγο, παρακαλώ.
Επισκέπτρια: Εντάξει.
Υπάλληλος: Περάστε. Γράψτε το όνομά σας εδώ.
Επισκέπτρια: Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε, παρακαλώ;
Υπάλληλος: Γράψτε το όνομά σας σε αυτή τη γραμμή.
Connect the phrase to the action
- Περιμένετε λίγο, παρακαλώ. — Please wait a moment.
- Περάστε. — Come in / go ahead, in this reception context.
- Γράψτε το όνομά σας εδώ. — Write your name here.
- Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε, παρακαλώ; — Could you repeat that, please?
The visitor is asked first to wait and then to come forward and write a name. Εδώ points to a place: “here”. Σε αυτή τη γραμμή makes the location more precise: “on this line”. The visitor asks for repetition rather than pretending to understand.
Choose how to address someone
Compare γράψε το όνομά σου, addressed to one person familiarly, with γράψτε το όνομά σας, which can address several people or one person politely. The dialogue has one visitor; a plural-address form does not prove that a group is present. These examples are useful phrases, not a rule that every Greek imperative has the same ending.
Check your understanding
- What should the visitor do after Περιμένετε λίγο?
- What information should she write?
- Does the plural-address form prove there are several visitors?
- Which phrase asks the employee to repeat the instruction?
Answers and reasons
1. Wait a little. 2. Her name, on the indicated line. 3. No: the employee can use polite plural address with one visitor. 4. Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε, παρακαλώ;
Make a request clear
You can ask for help with Μπορείτε να…; followed by the appropriate verb form. In this dialogue Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε; asks someone else to repeat something. Do not confuse it with Μπορώ να…;, which asks about what you yourself can do. A request may receive a refusal or a request for clarification; the wording does not guarantee agreement.
Practise two roles
Read the employee’s first line and respond as the visitor. Then hide the model and ask for repetition. Change roles and give the instruction to write a name. Finally, rewrite Γράψτε το όνομά σας εδώ for one familiar person. Check both the verb and the possessive: Γράψε το όνομά σου εδώ. Try the full phrase rather than changing only one word.
Continue with related practice
The imperative lesson explains more forms. The repetition guide gives more ways to repair a conversation when you miss a word or need a slower reply.