Breakdown of Αν δεν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση, το σώμα σου θα πονάει.
Questions & Answers about Αν δεν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση, το σώμα σου θα πονάει.
Αν means if. It introduces a condition.
Αν and εάν:
- εάν is a more formal or careful version of αν.
- In everyday speech and writing, people almost always just use αν.
- In this sentence, Αν δεν πάρεις… and Εάν δεν πάρεις… mean the same thing.
Αν vs όταν:
- αν = if (it may or may not happen):
- Αν δεν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση… = If you don’t get some rest…
- όταν = when (it is expected to happen at some point):
- Όταν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση… = When you get some rest…
- αν = if (it may or may not happen):
So αν is correct here because it’s talking about a possibility/condition, not something certain.
Πάρεις is the subjunctive form of the verb παίρνω (to take / to get).
- παίρνεις = present indicative, you take / you are taking
- πάρεις = aorist subjunctive, you (should) take / you (will) take (once)
After αν (if), Greek normally uses the subjunctive to talk about a future possibility:
- Αν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση…
Literally: If you (should) take some rest… → If you get some rest…
Using αν παίρνεις would sound odd here; it would suggest a repeated or ongoing action, and it’s not the standard conditional structure in Modern Greek. The natural pattern is:
- Αν
- subjunctive (here, πάρεις) for future conditions.
Πάρεις comes from the verb παίρνω (to take / to get). Some key forms:
- Present:
- παίρνω – I take
- παίρνεις – you take
- Simple past (aorist indicative):
- πήρα – I took
- πήρες – you took
- Aorist subjunctive:
- πάρω – (that) I take
- πάρεις – (that) you take
You’ll see πάρεις after words that trigger the subjunctive, like:
- αν πάρεις – if you take
- να πάρεις – (for you) to take
- πρέπει να πάρεις – you must take
In this sentence, Αν δεν πάρεις = If you don’t take / don’t get.
Λίγη ξεκούραση literally means “a bit of rest / some rest”.
Greek usually omits the article with an indefinite, partial amount when you have a quantifier like:
- λίγη ξεκούραση – some rest / a bit of rest
- πολύ νερό – a lot of water
- λίγο φαγητό – a little food
Using την ξεκούραση or τη λίγη ξεκούραση would point to some specific known rest and would sound strange in this context. You just want an undefined, general amount: some rest.
So the natural phrase is λίγη ξεκούραση (without an article).
Because ξεκούραση is a feminine noun.
- The basic adjective is λίγος (little / a bit of):
- masculine: λίγος
- feminine: λίγη
- neuter: λίγο
Ξεκούραση (rest) is feminine, so the adjective has to agree:
- λίγη ξεκούραση – correct (feminine adjective + feminine noun)
- λίγο ξεκούραση – incorrect (neuter adjective + feminine noun)
Case-wise, it’s accusative, because it’s the direct object of πάρεις:
(να πάρεις) λίγη ξεκούραση.
Greek almost always uses the definite article with body parts, especially when they’re possessed:
- το σώμα σου – your body
- τα χέρια μου – my hands
- το κεφάλι του – his head
Saying just σώμα σου sounds incomplete or poetic/unusual in normal speech.
The pattern [article] + [noun] + [possessive pronoun] is the usual way to say “your X” for body parts, clothes, etc.:
- το σώμα σου – your body
- η καρδιά σου – your heart
So το σώμα σου is the standard, natural form here.
Σου here is a weak (clitic) possessive pronoun, and the usual order with body parts is:
- [article] + [noun] + [clitic pronoun]
So:
- το σώμα σου – your body
- το πόδι σου – your leg
- τα μάτια μου – my eyes
Putting σου before, e.g. σου το σώμα, is not grammatically normal in this neutral statement and would sound archaic or poetic at best. The neutral, everyday pattern is exactly what you see: το σώμα σου.
Both are future forms of πονάω (to hurt / to ache), but they show different aspect:
- θα πονάει – it will be hurting / it will ache (ongoing, repeated)
- Future continuous (imperfective aspect)
- Suggests pain that continues or is a general state.
- θα πονέσει – it will hurt (once, at some point)
- Future simple (aorist aspect)
- Suggests a more limited, one-time event.
In this sentence, το σώμα σου θα πονάει implies your body will be in pain generally / will ache (as a condition), which fits the idea of not getting enough rest.
You’re seeing a common pattern:
With να (subjunctive marker), you usually negate with μη(ν):
- να μην πάρεις – not to take / don’t take
With αν (if), negation is normally δεν:
- Αν δεν πάρεις – if you don’t take
So even though πάρεις is a subjunctive form, the combination αν + [subjunctive] takes δεν, not μην.
Compare:
- Αν δεν πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση… – If you don’t get some rest…
- Να μην πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση. – Don’t get any rest. (a prohibition / instruction)
Different structures, different negative particles.
Yes, you can say:
- Αν δεν ξεκουραστείς λίγο, το σώμα σου θα πονάει.
This is also natural Greek. The difference:
- πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση – literally “take some rest”; uses the noun ξεκούραση.
- ξεκουραστείς λίγο – “rest a little”; uses the verb ξεκουράζομαι (here in aorist subjunctive: ξεκουραστείς).
Meaning-wise, they both express the same idea: if you don’t rest a bit.
The original with πάρεις λίγη ξεκούραση is a bit more idiomatic, but both are fine.
Yes, both orders are grammatically correct:
- το σώμα σου θα πονάει
- θα πονάει το σώμα σου
They mean the same thing. The difference is a small nuance of focus:
- Το σώμα σου θα πονάει – slightly more neutral, subject first.
- Θα πονάει το σώμα σου – can put a bit more emphasis on the fact of hurting (the verb) or sound slightly more expressive.
In everyday speech, both versions can be used interchangeably.