Αντωνυμίες άμεσου αντικειμένου (DOP)

Direct object pronouns (DOPs) are words used to replace direct objects in a sentence. They help avoid repetition in conversation or prose.

For example, if someone asks ‘Do you see Kostas?’ or ‘Do you see Eleni?’, you might answer ‘yes, I see him/her,’ rather than the repetitious ‘Yes, I see Kostas/Eleni’.

Or, if someone asks ‘Did you see the article in the newspaper about Greece?’, you might answer, ‘yes, I saw it,’ rather than the very long (and similarly repetitious) ‘Yes, I saw the article in the newspaper about Greece’.

The words for him, her, and it in Greek should look very familiar now that you know the accusative articles:

* Note that they/them has been used as a singular gender neutral pronoun since at least the 14th century.

Things and people

Notice how all three words τον, την, το can be translated as ‘it’.

In English, only people (and sometimes animals) have gendered pronouns.

But in Greek, masculine things like λογαριασμός are replaced with by the masculine DOP τον.
Feminine things like εφημερίδα are replaced by the feminine DOP την.
Only neuter things like βιβλίο are replaced by the neuter DOP το:

Βλέπεις τον Κώστα; → Ναι, τον βλέπω.

(Do you see Kostas? → Yes, I see him)

Βλέπεις τον λογαριασμό; → Ναι, τον βλέπω.

(Do you see the bill? → Yes, I see it)

Notice how in Greek, the article τον is used before not only things like the bill, but before names as well. This actually makes determining the DOP to use super simple. Just get rid of the name or noun, and use the article instead: τον Κώστα → τον.

Βλέπεις την Ελένη; → Ναι, την βλέπω.

(Do you see Eleni? → Yes, I see her)

Βλέπεις την εφημερίδα; → Ναι, την βλέπω.

(Do you see the newspaper? → Yes, I see it)

The same is of course true for the feminine article/DOP την. Simply remove the name or name: την Ελένη → την.

Βλέπεις το παιδί; → Ναι, το βλέπω.

(Do you see the child? → Yes, I see them*)

Βλέπεις το βιβλίο; → Ναι, το βλέπω.

(Do you see the book? → Yes, I see it)

And the same for the neuter article/DOP το . Simply remove the name or name: το βιβλίο → το.

Word order

As articles, τον/την/το appear directly before the noun: Βλέπεις το βιβλίο;

As direct object pronouns, τον/την/το appear directly before the verb: Ναι, το βλέπω.

Watch Sara’s My Greek Diary video on using the direct object pronoun with verbs meaning ‘search’ (ψάχνω) and ‘find’ (βρίσκω). Pay particular attention to where the DOP appears with respect to the negative δεν.

Both ψάχνω and βρίσκω are Group A verbs that behave in the same way as other Group A verbs you are familiar with, like μένω, έχω, δουλεύω etc. but you don’t need to memorise them at this stage.

Negative sentences

Did you notice how τον/την/το appear after δεν but before the verb in negative sentences?

Δεν το βρίσκω. (I don’t find it)

Δεν την περιμένω. (I don’t wait for her)

Δεν τον βλέπω. (I don’t see him)

So, to answer the question Βλέπεις τον Κώστα; you could answer either

• Ναι, τον βλέπω, or
• Όχι, δεν τον βλέπω.

Whether the sentence is positive or negative, direct object pronouns appear directly before the verb.

Take a careful look at the examples on page 61 of Ελληνικά Τώρα 1+1 and then complete the exercises.