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- "Αυτή τρέχει σαν σκύλος."
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Is that a real Greek expression? If so, is it good or bad? In English it is bad.
The indefinite article is actually omitted because the meaning of this sentence is a general one. She runs like a dog would in general, like any dog would. For more info about the article omission, check the Indefinite Article Omission that's under the tips and notes here https://www.duolingo.com/skill/el/Basics-2
For some reason, the Ancient Greek conjunction from where it comes, ὡσάν ('as if it were') usually omits the article too when it refers to person, so probably the usage has extended in Modern Greek.
I don't know if I'm correct, but I think after σαν you should use accusative, so αυτή τρέχει σαν σκύλο
Yes; they are a different part of speech.
σαν is a preposition, so it stands before a noun or noun phrase ("like a bird", "like you"), while όπως is a conjunction, so it stands before a clause that can include a verb ("as you know", "as she told me").
Αυτή τρέχει σαν σκύλος include a verb ''τρέχει''. Αυτή τρέχει όπως ένα σκύλος it is also correct? Κίτρινο όπως ένα λεμόνι doesn't include any verb ... So Κίτρινο σαν ένα λεμόνι it's correct also? ...or is it something i still don't understand!
I don't think that Αυτή τρέχει όπως ένα σκύλος is correct because there is no verb.
Αυτή τρέχει όπως τρέχει ένας σκύλος could work, though.
My greek friends just told me that this is wrong. You can say Αυτή τρέχει όπως ένα σκύλος. And your second sentence sounds weird.
As a native speaker, I must say I agree with Mizinamo.
Όπως is translated to as, like, such as or however, but it is more commnly used with a verb.
Κάν'το όπως θέλεις. - Do it however you like.
Όπως...; - Such as?
Όπως βλέπεις, είναι πολύ μικρό - As you see, it's very small.
Even when it is not used with a verb, it is usually followed by something that makes the subject distinct rather than general (like the one with ένας σκύλος, where it could be any dog).
Κάν'το όπως αυτός - Do it like him.
Κάν'το όπως η δασκάλα - Do it like the teacher.
Even in this case
Don't behave the way he does - Μην συμπεριφέρεσαι όπως συμπεριφέρεται αυτός.
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Could also the difference be in that σαν compares the quality of the entities being compared, while όπως compares the quantity?
I mean, in the example Κίτρινο όπως ένα λεμονη you might mean that something is yellow but to a degree (quantity) similar to that of a lemon. Or maybe Το αγόρι είναι κόκκινο όπως μία ντομάτα to mean that the boy is almost (quantity) as red as a tomato (after he ran or he is embarrassed, maybe).
Meanwhile, I could say Αυτή τρέχει σαν ένα άλογο/μία χελώνα to mean that she runs like a horse (fast) or like a turtle (slow), indicating quality.
Perhaps even both? Αυτός τρώει όπως/σαν ένας σκύλος to mean that he eats as much as a dog eats (quantity) or in the way a dog eats (quality).
I really would like to hear some feedback haha since in Spanish we can make those kinds of comparisons but with the same preposition, but I don't know if it's the same in Greek
It's better to use "σαν" with in similes. (+This sentence is rather some sort of expression). "Όπως" would make the sentence sound more "rational", namely her momevent mechanism would resemble that of a dog.
learned in greek lesson that σαν + αιτιατική & όπως + ονοματική, so should it not be σαν σκύλο?
