The everyday verb κάνω corresponds to English do and make, but several of its highest-frequency expressions cannot be understood by choosing between those two translations. This page isolates five other patterns: ambient weather, pretence, social acceptability, a greeting, and control. The familiar noun collocations are already listed on the κάνω reference card, while their productive structure belongs to light verbs.
A map of the five patterns
| Frame | Function | Typical register |
|---|---|---|
| κάνει κρύο / ζέστη | ambient weather | neutral |
| κάνω πως + clause | pretend that / pretend to | neutral |
| δεν κάνει να + verb | say that conduct is improper | neutral, often gently corrective |
| τι κάνεις; | ask how someone is | neutral familiar singular |
| κάνω κουμάντο | manage or call the shots | informal |
The common thread is that κάνω supplies a grammatical frame while the rest of the expression determines what kind of event or judgment is being presented. That does not make all five light-verb constructions: weather κάνει is impersonal, and κάνω πως selects a clause rather than a noun.
Impersonal weather: κάνει κρύο and κάνει ζέστη
Greek describes ambient cold and heat with third-person singular κάνει plus a bare weather noun. There is no referential subject corresponding to English it; the verb simply stays singular.
Το βράδυ κάνει πολύ κρύο δίπλα στη θάλασσα, πάρε ζακέτα.
to vrádhi káni polí krío dhípla sti thálasa, páre zakéta.
At night it's very cold by the sea; take a cardigan.
Σήμερα κάνει τέτοια ζέστη που άνοιξαν νωρίς τα κλιματιστικά.
símera káni tétia zésti pu ániksan norís ta klimatistiká.
Today it's so hot that they turned the air conditioning on early.
This differs from είμαι + adjective, which assigns a property to a particular thing. English “it's cold” can describe either the weather or an object; Greek normally makes the referent explicit in the second reading.
Έξω κάνει κρύο, αλλά το δωμάτιο είναι ζεστό.
ékso káni krío, alá to dhomátio íne zestó.
It's cold outside, but the room is warm.
The wider inventory of rain, wind, sunshine, and temperature belongs on weather expressions; the structural point here is the impersonal κάνει + bare noun frame.
Pretending with κάνω πως
Κάνω πως + finite clause means “pretend that / pretend to.” Unaccented πως is the complementizer “that,” and the following verb carries its own tense and person. Greek does not insert να in this frame.
Κάνει πως διαβάζει κάθε φορά που περνάει ο πατέρας του από το δωμάτιο.
káni pos dhiavázi káthe forá pu pernái o patéras tu apó to dhomátio.
He pretends to be studying whenever his father walks past the room.
Έκανα πως δεν άκουσα την ερώτηση για να μην τον φέρω σε δύσκολη θέση.
ékana pos dhen ákusa tin erótisi ya na min ton féro se dhískoli thési.
I pretended not to hear the question so I wouldn't embarrass him.
The aspect of κάνω is not visibly contrasted: έκανα can describe one bounded act of pretence or an ongoing past performance. The subordinate verb still makes its ordinary tense and viewpoint choices. For the complete form inventory, use the reference card rather than deriving a special “pretend” conjugation.
Social norms with δεν κάνει
Impersonal δεν κάνει να + verb means “it isn't proper / one shouldn't.” It evaluates conduct against a social or practical norm. It is usually milder than a direct ban, but a parent, teacher, or host can use it as a real correction.
Δεν κάνει να διακόπτεις τον άλλον πριν ολοκληρώσει τη σκέψη του.
dhen káni na dhiakóptis ton álon prin oloklirósi ti sképsi tu.
It isn't proper to interrupt someone before they finish their thought.
Δεν κάνει να αφήνουμε σκουπίδια στην παραλία, ακόμη κι αν δεν υπάρχει κάδος.
dhen káni na afínume skupídhia stin paralía, akómi ki an dhen ipárchi kádhos.
We shouldn't leave rubbish on the beach, even if there is no bin.
This is not the same as inability. Δεν μπορώ να μπω says that I cannot enter; δεν κάνει να μπω says that entering would be improper or inadvisable. Context supplies whose norm is at issue, so the phrase can sound caring, conventional, or moralizing.
Τι κάνεις; as a greeting
With one familiar addressee, Τι κάνεις; usually means “How are you?” rather than “What are you doing?” Polite or plural address uses Τι κάνετε;. A routine greeting invites a short state report such as καλά, while a literal activity question invites an action.
—Γεια σου, Ελένη, τι κάνεις; —Καλά είμαι, εσύ πώς πας;
—ya su, Eléni, ti kánis; —kalá íme, esí pos pas;
—Hi, Eleni, how are you? —I'm well; how are things with you?
Τι κάνετε, κύριε Αντωνίου; Έχετε καιρό να περάσετε από εδώ.
ti kánete, kírie Andoníu; échete keró na perásete apó edhó.
How are you, Mr Antoniou? You haven't been by in a while. (polite)
In a context where someone is visibly handling tools, Τι κάνεις; can still be literal “What are you doing?” Intonation and the surrounding situation decide; the words alone are genuinely ambiguous.
Κάνω κουμάντο: managing and calling the shots
Κάνω κουμάντο means manage, be in charge, or call the shots. It is (informal). A domain can follow with σε + accusative, and a person who rejects another's authority often uses the phrase confrontationally.
Στην κουζίνα κάνει κουμάντο η γιαγιά και όλοι ακολουθούν τις οδηγίες της.
stin kuzína káni kumándo i yayá ke óli akoluthún tis odhiyíes tis.
Grandma runs the kitchen, and everyone follows her instructions. (informal)
Μη μου κάνεις κουμάντο στο ίδιο μου το γραφείο.
mi mu kánis kumándo sto ídhio mu to ghrafío.
Don't boss me around in my own office. (informal, confrontational)
With finances, household affairs, or a team, the expression may mean practical management rather than domination. Tone and the named domain distinguish competent organization from bossiness.
Common Mistakes
Making weather agree with the noun
The weather construction is impersonal: ×κάνουν κρύο becomes singular κάνει κρύο.
Στα ορεινά χωριά κάνει κρύο ακόμη και τα βράδια του Ιουνίου.
sta oriná choriá káni krío akómi ke ta vrádhia tu Iuníu.
In the mountain villages it is cold even on June evenings.
Adding να after κάνω πως
Pretence takes a finite πως-clause: ×κάνει πως να κοιμάται → κάνει πως κοιμάται.
Το παιδί κάνει πως κοιμάται για να ακούσει τη συζήτησή μας.
to pedhí káni pos kimáte ya na akúsi ti sizítisí mas.
The child pretends to be asleep so as to hear our conversation.
Translating δεν κάνει as physical inability
The phrase normally judges what is proper. Use δεν μπορώ for inability.
Δεν μπορώ να σηκώσω μόνος μου αυτή τη βαλίτσα.
dhen boró na sikóso mónos mu aftí ti valítsa.
I can't lift this suitcase by myself.
Assuming τι κάνεις; is always literal
At the start of an encounter, answer the social question unless the context clearly concerns an activity.
—Τι κάνεις, Μαρία; —Μια χαρά, μόλις γύρισα από διακοπές.
—ti kánis, María; —mia chará, mólis yírisa apó dhiakopés.
—How are you, Maria? —Great; I've just come back from holiday.
Key Takeaways
- Weather uses impersonal singular κάνει with bare κρύο / ζέστη.
- Κάνω πως selects a finite clause and presents its content as pretence.
- Δεν κάνει να evaluates conduct as improper or inadvisable, not physically impossible.
- Τι κάνεις; / Τι κάνετε; is usually a greeting at the start of an encounter but remains literally ambiguous.
- Κάνω κουμάντο is informal and ranges from practical management to bossiness.
Related Topics
- Light Verbs: κάνω, δίνω, παίρνω, βάζωB2 — Understand how broad Greek verbs combine with event-denoting nouns, where the event meaning lives, and why each noun still selects a conventional partner.
- κάνω (to do/make)A1 — The verb whose aspect contrast collapsed — present, imperfect, aorist and dependent are all κάνω/έκανα — plus its life as Greek's biggest light verb, the frames it appears in (weather, price, pretence, duration) and the passive it borrows from γίνομαι.
- Expressions With έχωB1 — Organize high-frequency έχω expressions by appetite, mood, intention, ability, and evaluation instead of memorizing an unrelated list.