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- "Το νερό πίνεται."
22 Comments
541
This sentence creates the same problem in translation from Spanish. Most English speakers aren’t used to hearing that “water is drunk”. We forget how we teach young children to express certain ideas. For example, if a small child comes asking “I want to eat water” (Θέλω να τρώω νερό), we usually respond with a glass of water and the correction: “Water is drunk, not eaten” (Το νερό πίνεται και δεν τρώγεται).
Later, when children go to school, we teach them that some water is potable, or drinkable, as they are synonyms. We might say for example: “The water from the sea is not potable (drinkable). Το νερό από τη θάλασσα δεν είναι πόσιμο.
In sum, water is drunk only when it’s potable. (Otherwise, you risk very adverse health conditions.) I believe a longer version of this sentence may be needed to avoid the confusion of the learners seen on this thread. Also, drunk and potable are not synonymous just as eaten and edible are not as well.
Edit:
There were no comments in the thread for “The wine is drunk with the food”, «Το κρασί πίνεται με το φαγητό». That sentence resonates with English speakers better than the one above.
313
As an english person i would never say drinkable unless i thought it might be undrinkable. i would always say 'drunk'
278
Even after reading the comments I am not totally sure if this sentence means "you can drink the water" as if you wouldn't get sick afterwards or if it means "water is drunk" like if I drank it and now it's gone. Could someone enlight this mysterious sentence ?
154
I don't think I understand... I'm not an ace in grammar or POS but isn't "drinkable" an adjective? How is this passive voice?