τράβηξαν
Wordform Details
Translation: pulldrawdrag
Part of Speech: verb
Inflection Type:
third-personpluralaoristactiveIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: τραβώ
Translation: to pull; to draw; to attract; to drag; to take (a photo); to head towards; to endure; to suffer (verb)
Etymology: From Medieval Greek τραβῶ (travô), from Latin trabo, from trabes (beam, timber). The semantic evolution went from 'to pull with a beam' to the general meaning of 'to pull'. The photographic meaning ('to take a photo') developed in the 20th century, similar to English 'to shoot a photo'.
Example Usage
Τράβηξε την καρέκλα για να καθίσει.
He pulled the chair to sit down.
Τράβηξε μια φωτογραφία του ηλιοβασιλέματος.
She took a photo of the sunset.
Το μαγαζί τραβάει πολλούς τουρίστες.
The shop attracts many tourists.
Τραβάμε για το χωριό αύριο.
We're heading to the village tomorrow.
Έχει τραβήξει πολλά στη ζωή του.
He has endured a lot in his life.
Τράβηξα μια φωτογραφία του ηλιοβασιλέματος.
I took a photo of the sunset.
Τραβάμε για το χωριό αύριο το πρωί.
We're heading to the village tomorrow morning.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'travel' - when you travel, you are 'pulled' toward a destination.
- For the photography meaning, imagine 'drawing' an image out of reality with your camera.
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Widely used in everyday speech with multiple meanings. The expression 'τραβάω τα μαλλιά μου' (literally 'I pull my hair') means 'I'm extremely frustrated'. In photography, 'τραβάω φωτογραφίες' is the standard way to say 'take photos'.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'τραβώ' means 'to pull' or 'to draw', 'τρέχω' means 'to run'. They sound somewhat similar but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The confusion usually happens with non-native speakers due to the similar initial sounds.
Mnemonic: 'Τραβώ' has the sound 'av' like 'travel' (moving something), while 'τρέχω' has the 'eh' sound like in 'trek' (moving yourself).
Explanation: 'Τραβώ' means 'to pull', while 'στραβώνω' means 'to bend' or 'to make crooked'. They look similar in writing but have different meanings.
Notes: The verb 'στραβώνω' is related to the adjective 'στραβός' (crooked, bent).
Mnemonic: 'Στραβώνω' has the extra 'σ' (s) at the beginning - think 's' for 'skew' or 'slant'.