πρόκειται
Lemma: πρόκειται
Translation: it is about; it concerns; it is going to; it is a matter of (verb)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek πρό (before, in front of) + κεῖμαι (to lie, be situated). The impersonal verb evolved from the literal meaning of 'to be laid before' to its modern usage of 'it concerns/it is about.' The prefix πρό shares roots with English 'pro-' as in 'proceed,' 'propose.'
Mnemonics
- Think 'pro-' (ahead) + 'keimai' (lie) = 'what lies ahead/before us' = 'what we're about to discuss'
- Remember 'pro' as in 'proceed' - it's about what's coming next
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Very commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in news and academic writing when introducing topics or explaining what something is about.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While both are impersonal verbs, πρόκειται means 'it concerns/is about to' while πρέπει means 'must/should'
This word:
Πρόκειται να βρέξει.
It's going to rain.
Confused word:
Πρέπει να βρέξει.
It must rain.
Notes: πρόκειται is about what's coming or what something is about, while πρέπει is about obligation or necessity
Mnemonic: πρόκειται = pro(forward) vs πρέπει = proper(must)