Learn GreekC1 › απορώ

απορώ

to wonder, to be puzzled /a.po.ˈro/

verbC1#3289 most common

Also: to be at a loss, to be astonished (by), to not understand how/why

Example sentences

Απορώ πώς το έκανες αυτό.
I wonder how you did that.
Απορώ γιατί δεν ήρθες χθες στο πάρτι.
I wonder why you didn't come to the party yesterday.
Απορούσα τι εννοούσε με αυτά τα λόγια.
I was puzzled about what he meant by those words.
Απορώ με την υπομονή που δείχνεις σε τέτοιες καταστάσεις.
I'm amazed at the patience you show in situations like this.
Θα απορήσεις όταν μάθεις την αλήθεια.
You will be astonished when you learn the truth.
Απορεί κανείς πώς κατάφεραν να κρατήσουν το μυστικό τόσα χρόνια.
One wonders how they managed to keep the secret for so many years.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgαπορώαπόρησαθα απορήσω
2sgαπορείςαπόρησεςθα απορήσεις
3sgαπορείαπόρησεθα απορήσει
1plαπορούμεαπορήσαμεθα απορήσουμε
2plαπορείτεαπορήσατεθα απορήσετε
3plαπορούναπόρησανθα απορήσουν

Word family

απορίαpuzzlement, doubt; also colloquially 'a question'
άποροςwithout means, poor (literally without resources)
απορητικόςquestioning, skeptical in manner
διαπορώto be in deep doubt or perplexity (more literary)

Etymology

Απορώ comes from ancient Greek ἀπορέω, built on the adjective ἄπορος, meaning without a way through. That adjective joins the privative prefix ἀ- (not, without) to πόρος, meaning passage, path, or resource. To be ἄπορος was literally to have no way forward, and the verb came to mean to be at a loss or to be puzzled. English keeps the noun form directly as aporia, a state of genuine puzzlement or unresolvable doubt.

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