Μάθημα έξι (Mathima Eksi)
Lesson 6
Negation
The simplest form of negation is that of saying "No" - όχι.
Είσαι κουρασμένος; (ise kurasmenos?) Are you tired?
Όχι (ohi) No.
If however you want to give a more complex answer such as "No, I'm not tired", this could be:
Όχι, δεν είμαι κουρασμένος (ohi, den ime kurasmenos).
In Greek there are 2 negative words that can be used with a verb: δε(ν) and μη(ν). Μη or μην is the Greek equivalent of the English "don't" (prohibition). In most other cases δε or δεν is appropriate.
Δε(ν) (den) is used in phrases such as:
Δεν καπνίζω (den kapnizo) I don't smoke (smoke = καπνίζω (kapnizo), smoke = καπνός (kapnos))
Δεν έχω αυτοκίνητο (den eho aftokinito) I don't have a car
Δεν είμαι ο Χρήστος (den ime o Hristos) I am not Chris
You will come across Μη(ν) (min) frequently on public notices.
Μην κόβετε τα λούλούδια (min kovete ta luludia) Don't cut the flowers (flower = λουλούδι {luludi})
Μην ανοίγετε την πόρτα (min anigete tin porta) Don't open the door (open = ανοίγω (anigo), door = πόρτα {porta})
Unlike English, Greek always uses the double negative; i.e. δε(ν) is used even when there is another negative word in the sentence. The following are a few useful negative words:
τίποτα (tipota) nothing (also: anything)
ποτέ (pote) never (also: ever)
πουθενά (puthena) nowhere (also: anywhere)
κανένας, καμιά, κανένα (kanenas, kamia, kanena) no one, none (also: anyone)
Some questions can be answered like this in the negative:
Τι θέλεις; (ti thelis?) What do you want? Δε θέλω τίποτα (den thelo tipota). I don't want anything.
Ποιόν θέλεις; (pion thelis?) Who do you want? Δε θέλω κανέναν (den thelo kanena). I don't want anyone. (want = θέλω)
Past tense
This is used to describe an action which occured and was completed in the past.
Verbs like γράφω (grafo) write
Present Imperfect Past
γράφ-ω (graf-o) έ-γρα-φα (e-gra-fa) έ-γρα-ψα (e-gra-psa)
γράφ-εις (graf-is) έ-γρα-φες (e-gra-fes) έ-γρα-ψες (e-gra-pses)
γράφ-ει (graf-i) έ-γρα-φε (e-gra-fe) έ-γρα-ψε (e-gra-pse)
γράφ-ουμε (graf-ume) (ε)-γράφ-αμε (e-gra-fame) (ε)-γράψ-αμε (e-gra-psame)
γράφ-ετε (graf-ete) (ε)-γράφ-ατε (e-gra-fate) (ε)-γράψ-ατε (e-gra-psate)
γράφ-ουν (graf-un) έ-γρα-φαν (e-gra-fan) έ-γρα-ψαν (e-gra-psan)
The past has similarities with the imperfect in that the endings are similar, the accent has moved and a prefix has been added. The only difference here is in the change from the letter φ to ψ (γράφω, έγραφα, έγραψα). Corresponding changes take a different form in other verbs.
Present Imperfect Past
σπρώχνω (sprohno) (I push) έσπρωχνα (esprohna) έσπρωξα (esproksa)
φεύγω (fevgo) (I leave) έφευγα (efevga) έφυγα (efiga)
κόβω (kovo) (I cut) έκοβα (ekova) έκοψα (ekopsa)
αγοράζω (agorazo) (I buy) αγόραζα (agoraza) αγόρασα (agorasa)
διαβάζω (diavazo) (I read) διάβαζα (diavaza) διάβασα (diavasa)
καπνίζω (kapnizo) (I smoke) κάπνιζα (kapniza) κάπνισα (kapnisa)
αρχίζω (arhizo) (I begin) άρχιζα (arhiza) άρχισα (arhisa)
αλλάζω (allazo) (I change) άλλαζα (allaza) άλλαξα (allaksa)
κοιτάζω (kitazo) (I look at) κοίταζα (kitaza) κοίταξα (kitaksa)
θυμώνω (thimono) (I get angry) θύμωνα (thimona) θύμωσα (thimosa)
The irregular verb πηγαίνω (pigeno) (I go)
Present Imperfect Past
πηγαίνω (pigeno) πήγαινα (pigena) πήγα (piga)
πηγαίνεις (pigenis) πήγαινες (pigenes) πήγες (piges)
πηγαίνει (pigeni) πήγαινε (pigene) πήγε (pige)
πηγαίνουμε (pigenume) πηγαίναμε (pigenume) πήγαμε (pigame)
πηγαίνετε (pigenete) πηγαίνατε (pigenate) πήγατε (pigate)
πηγαίνουν (pigenun) πήγαιναν (pigenan) πήγαν (pigan)
Verbs like αγαπώ (agapo)
A more uniform change takes place within these verbs.
Present Imperfect Past
αγαπ-ώ (agap-o) αγαπ-ούσα (agap-usa) αγάπ-ησα (agap-isa)
αγαπ-άς (agap-as) αγαπ-ούσες (agap-uses) αγάπ-ησες (agap-ises)
αγαπ-ά (agap-a) αγαπ-ούσε (agap-use) αγάπ-ησε (agap-ise)
αγαπ-ούμε (agap-ume) αγαπ-ούσαμε (agap-usame) αγαπ-ήσαμε (agap-isame)
αγαπ-άτε (agap-ate) αγαπ-ούσατε (agap-usate) αγαπ-ήσατε (agap-isate)
αγαπ-ούν (agap-un) αγαπ-ούσαν (agap-usan) αγάπ-ησαν (agap-isan)
The following verbs form their past tense like αγαπώ.
Present Imperfect Past
προχωρώ (prohoro) (I procced) προχωρούσα (prohorusa) προχώρησα (proxorisa)
προτιμώ (protimo) (I prefer) προτιμούσα (protimusa) προτίμησα (protimisa)
ζητώ (zito) (I ask for) ζητούσα (zitusa) ζήτησα (zitisa)
πουλώ (pulo) (I sell) πουλούσα (pulusa) πούλησα (pulisa)
Vocabulary
OK = εντάξει (entaksi)
name (noun) = το όνομα (to onoma)
to name (verb) = ονομάζω (onomazo)
passport = το διαβατήριο (to diavatirio)
character = ο χαρακτήρας (o haraktiras)
key = το κλειδί (to klidi) (as in "The key to the door")
key = βασικός (vasikos) (as in "He's a key character")
lock (noun) = η κλειδαριά (i klidaria)
to lock (verb) = κλειδώνω (klidono)
bathroom = το μπάνιο (to mpanio)
packet = το πακέτο (to paketo)
fortunately = ευτυχώς (eftixos)
unfortunately = δυστυχώς (distihos)
newspaper = η εφημερίδα (i efimerida)
grass = το γρασίδι (to grasidi)
book = το βιβλίο (to vivlio)
force = η δύναμη (i dinami)
TV = η τηλεόραση (i tileorasi)
voice = η φωνή (i foni)
radiophone = το ραδιόφωνο (to radiofono) (or just ράδιο {radio})
computer = ο υπολογιστής (o ipologistis)
mouse = το ποντίκι (to pontiki)
map = ο χάρτης (o hartis)
desk = το γραφείο (to grafio)
office = το γραφείο (to grafio)
