Signification
Accidentally letting an object fall.
Contexte culturel
Greeks often use 'Μου έπεσε' to avoid taking full responsibility for an accident. It's a way of saying 'it wasn't me, it was gravity'. The concept of 'Το Μάτι' (The Evil Eye) is often invoked when someone drops a phone. If it happens, someone might say 'Φτου φτου, μάτι ήταν!' In Cyprus, you might hear 'Έπεσεν μου το κινητό', which is the same structure but with the verb coming before the pronoun. In Greece, 'dropped phone' stories are a staple of social media, often used to complain about the high cost of repairs in the country.
The 'Oops' Rule
Whenever you drop something accidentally, always start with 'Μου'. It makes you sound more like a native and less like a textbook.
Don't use 'I fell'
Never say 'Έπεσα το κινητό'. In Greek, you can only 'fall' yourself (e.g., I fell on the street). Objects 'fall to you'.
Signification
Accidentally letting an object fall.
The 'Oops' Rule
Whenever you drop something accidentally, always start with 'Μου'. It makes you sound more like a native and less like a textbook.
Don't use 'I fell'
Never say 'Έπεσα το κινητό'. In Greek, you can only 'fall' yourself (e.g., I fell on the street). Objects 'fall to you'.
Plural Objects
If you drop your keys, remember to change the verb to plural: 'Μου έπεσαν τα κλειδιά'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct pronoun clitic for 'I dropped my phone'.
____ έπεσε το κινητό.
We use the weak genitive pronoun 'μου' to indicate the person the accident happened to.
Which sentence sounds most natural for an accidental drop?
How do you say 'I dropped my phone' naturally?
'Μου έπεσε' is the standard way to describe an unintentional accident.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Γιατί δεν απαντούσες; B: Συγγνώμη, ____ το κινητό στην τουαλέτα!
The speaker is talking about their own phone, so 'μου' is correct.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You see your friend holding their phone very loosely while walking over a bridge.
'Θα σου πέσει' is the future tense warning: 'It's going to fall to you'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercices____ έπεσε το κινητό.
We use the weak genitive pronoun 'μου' to indicate the person the accident happened to.
How do you say 'I dropped my phone' naturally?
'Μου έπεσε' is the standard way to describe an unintentional accident.
A: Γιατί δεν απαντούσες; B: Συγγνώμη, ____ το κινητό στην τουαλέτα!
The speaker is talking about their own phone, so 'μου' is correct.
You see your friend holding their phone very loosely while walking over a bridge.
'Θα σου πέσει' is the future tense warning: 'It's going to fall to you'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsYes! You can use it for anything: 'Μου έπεσε το πιρούνι' (I dropped the fork), 'Μου έπεσαν τα γυαλιά' (I dropped my glasses).
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends or with a technician at a store.
'Μου' is the weak pronoun used in everyday speech. 'Εμένα μου έπεσε' would be used for emphasis (e.g., *I* was the one who dropped it, not him).
Then you should say 'Το έριξα' (I dropped/threw it).
Not necessarily, it just means it fell. You usually add 'και έσπασε' if it broke.
Expressions liées
Μου έπεσε η πίεση
similarMy blood pressure dropped.
Μου έφυγε το κινητό
synonymThe phone slipped/left my hand.
Το έριξα
contrastI dropped/threw it.
Μου έπεσε το λαχείο
figurativeI won the lottery (literally: the lottery fell to me).
