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- "Το νερό πίνεται."
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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.
Thank you, Hafizen for giving the full explanation of all the vocabulary involved in this issue. Finally, it's all clear for everyone.
Το νερό πίνεται translates as the water is drinkable but how do you say A drinkable water? Or edible fruit as opposed to The fruit is edible? And so on with some other words such as watchable, enjoyable, doable, etc. Thank you.
There are adjectives for that, το νερό πίνεται is just another way to say it. drinkable=πόσιμος, edible=φαγώσιμος, enjoyable=απολαυστικός, doable=εφικτός etc.
Unfortunately no, because there is also a verb in the English sentence, so the syntax is quite different.
- 313
As an english person i would never say drinkable unless i thought it might be undrinkable. i would always say 'drunk'
That would create sentences with different meanings. "The water is drinkable." means that we are able to drink it because it does not contain impurities. Whereas, the water is drunk means just what it says. We consume the water.
so, what could be a right answer in english to express the fact that someone is drinking water ? maybe only with the active voice ?
I think, yes, this would only be expressed using the active voice. "Is being drunk" would express the correct meaning but sounds rather odd. "Is drunk" could mean "is all drunk up," but anyone who hears it will interpret it as "is intoxicated."
"the water is drunk" is marked as wrong. The correct answer given is the contraction "the water's drunk" !!?
Why is the water is drunk wrong? the answer given is, as you say, the water's drunk which means exactly the same!
Sorry, that doesn't mean the same thing. It would have to be part of a sentence to understand what was meant. Just use what we have above.
- 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 ?
Yes, it is mysterious because it can have all the meanings you mention depending on the situation.
- 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?
isn't "drinkable" an adjective?
In English, yes.
How is this passive voice?
πίνεται is the passive voice of πίνω -- so it literally means "is (being) drunk".
In the sense of "can be drunk", it can also mean "is drinkable".
