Learn Greek › A1 › σαν
σαν
like /ˈsan/
particleA1#35 most common
Also: as, as if (with να), such as
Example sentences
Είσαι σαν αδελφός μου.
You are like a brother to me.
Τρέχει σαν τον άνεμο.
He runs like the wind.
Μιλάει σαν να τα ξέρει όλα.
He talks as if he knows everything.
Νιώθω σαν να με ξέχασαν όλοι.
I feel as if everyone has forgotten me.
Σαν να μην έφταναν όλα αυτά, χάλασε και το αυτοκίνητο.
As if all that weren't enough, the car broke down too.
Σαν σήμερα, πριν από έναν αιώνα, ξέσπασε ο πόλεμος.
On a day like today, a century ago, the war broke out.
Word family
ωσάνas, like (more formal)
ωςas, in the capacity ofόπωςas, just like, the way thatκαθώςas, while, since
σαν ναas if, as though
Etymology
Modern Greek σαν developed from medieval ωσάν, a univerbation of the ancient adverb ὡς ('as, how') and the modal particle ἄν. Over time the unstressed first syllable was dropped, giving the everyday comparative word σαν, which supplements the more formal ως. It is now the ordinary spoken word for 'like' and 'as if' (with να).
Learn Greek the way that sticks.
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 1,406 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free
Every word here is a full Polylex card with native audio and spaced repetition, so 1,406 words actually move into long-term memory.
Start free