Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.

I don’t know what time it is now.

Breakdown of Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.

• είμαι: to be
• τώρα: now
• τι: what
• δεν: not
• ξέρω: to know
• η ώρα: the hour

Questions & Answers about Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.

Why is there no question mark at the end of Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα. even though it contains τι (what)?

Because this is not a direct question; it is a statement that contains an indirect question.

• Direct question:

  • Greek: Τι ώρα είναι;
  • Meaning: What time is it?
  • It ends with a question mark and is spoken with rising question intonation.

• Indirect question inside a statement:

  • Greek: Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.
  • Meaning: I don’t know what time it is now.
  • The main clause (Δεν ξέρω) is a statement, so the whole sentence ends with a period, even though there is a τι-clause inside it.

Greek punctuation follows the main clause type: if the main clause is declarative (a statement), you use a period, not a question mark.

What does Δεν mean, and how is negation formed in this kind of sentence?

Δεν is the usual negation word used before a verb in many Greek sentences. Here:

• Δεν ξέρω = I don’t know

Key points:

• Position: Δεν normally comes right before the verb:

  • Δεν ξέρω – I don’t know
  • Δεν θέλω – I don’t want
  • Δεν καταλαβαίνω – I don’t understand

• The -ν at the end can sometimes drop in fast/colloquial speech (you may hear δε ξέρω), but in writing it is usually kept as δεν before a consonant like ξ.

• There is also μη(ν), another negative word, mostly used:

  • with certain verb forms (e.g. the subjunctive)
  • in negative commands: Μη μιλάς! – Don’t talk!

  In this sentence, we are simply negating a present tense verb (ξέρω), so δεν is the correct negation word.

How is τι ώρα είναι different from Τι ώρα είναι;?

The words are the same, but the function and punctuation are different:

1. Τι ώρα είναι;

   • It is a direct question.
   • Meaning: What time is it?
   • It stands alone and ends with a Greek question mark (;).

2. … τι ώρα είναι … inside Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.

   • Here it is an indirect question (a subordinate clause).
   • English: … what time it is …
   • It is part of the larger statement Δεν ξέρω (I don’t know), so the whole sentence is a statement and ends with a period.

So:

• Τι ώρα είναι; → direct question: What time is it?
• Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι. → statement with indirect question: I don’t know what time it is.

Why is there no word for it in τι ώρα είναι when English says what time it is?

Greek often does not use an explicit subject pronoun when English uses it.

• In English, it is a “dummy” or expletive subject in expressions like:

  • It is late.
  • It is cold.
  • What time is it?

• In Greek, the verb form alone usually shows the person and number, and in these expressions there is no separate word for it:

  • Είναι αργά. – It is late.
  • Κάνει κρύο. – It’s cold. (κάνει is literally “does/makes”)
  • Τι ώρα είναι; – What time is it?

In τι ώρα είναι:

• είναι is 3rd person singular of είμαι (to be).
• The subject is understood from context (η ώρα – the time), so you don’t need a pronoun.

So τι ώρα είναι literally looks like what time is, but in English we naturally add it: what time it is.

Why is ώρα used for time here and not words like χρόνος or καιρός?

Greek has several words that can translate as time, but they are used in different contexts:

• ώρα

  • Means: clock time, hour, o’clock.
  • Used when you ask or tell the time:
    
    • Τι ώρα είναι; – What time is it?
    • Είναι τρεις η ώρα. – It’s three o’clock.
  • Also used for “lesson hour”, “appointment time”, etc.

• χρόνος

  • More general time as a measurable quantity, like duration or years:
    
    • Δεν έχω χρόνο. – I don’t have time.
    • Περνάει ο χρόνος. – Time passes.

• καιρός

  • Mainly weather:
    
    • Τι καιρό κάνει; – What’s the weather like?
  • Also used in fixed expressions like:
    
    • Ήρθε η ώρα / ήρθε ο καιρός. – The time has come.

In Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα, we are talking about the clock time, so ώρα is the correct word.

Can I say τι είναι η ώρα τώρα instead of τι ώρα είναι τώρα? Is the word order flexible?

The most natural and standard way to say what time it is now is:

• τι ώρα είναι τώρα

This keeps the pattern:

• τι (what) + ώρα (time) + είναι (is)

About your alternative:

• τι είναι η ώρα τώρα is grammatical Greek, but it sounds unusual or marked in this context. Literally it is more like:
  • what is the time now with emphasis on what is the time (as a thing) rather than what time it is.

General guidelines:

• In simple “what time is it” questions and indirect questions, use:

  • Τι ώρα είναι; – What time is it?
  • Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι. – I don’t know what time it is.

• Greek word order is quite flexible, but word orders that sound very natural and common are preferred.
  Τι ώρα είναι τώρα is the standard, idiomatic order.

Where can τώρα go in the sentence, and does its position change the meaning?

Τώρα means now and is an adverb of time. In this sentence it can move around somewhat, with small differences in emphasis, not in basic meaning.

Common positions:

1. Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.

   • Very natural and common.
   • Neutral focus: I don’t know what time it is now.

2. Τώρα δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι.

   • Emphasis on now as the time when you don’t know.
   • Implies a contrast: maybe you knew earlier, or you will know later.
   • Roughly: Right now I don’t know what time it is.

3. Δεν ξέρω τώρα τι ώρα είναι.

   • Also possible, with τώρα somewhat emphasised.
   • Slight nuance: I don’t know now what time it is (as opposed to another moment).

All of them are understandable; position mainly affects which part of the sentence is being highlighted, not the core message.

What tense and person is ξέρω, and are there other common verbs meaning to know?

Ξέρω is:

• Present tense
• 1st person singular
• Of the verb ξέρω = to know (a fact, information, how to do something).

So Δεν ξέρω = I don’t know.

Other common verbs related to knowing:

• γνωρίζω

  • Also means to know, often in the sense of to be acquainted with / be familiar with.
  • Used for people and facts, a bit more formal or “careful”:
    • Γνωρίζω τον Γιάννη. – I know John.
    • Δεν γνωρίζω την απάντηση. – I do not know the answer.

• μαθαίνω

  • Means to learn / to find out, not “to know” as a state:
    • Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. – I am learning Greek.
    • Θα μάθω τι ώρα είναι. – I will find out what time it is.

In everyday speech, ξέρω is by far the most common for I know / I don’t know.

How is είναι used here, and does it agree with η ώρα?

Είναι is the present tense of the verb είμαι (to be) in:

• 3rd person singular and
• 3rd person plural (the same form for both).

In τι ώρα είναι, the understood subject is η ώρα (the time), which is 3rd person singular feminine.

So:

• Verb: είναι (3rd person)
• Subject: η ώρα (3rd person singular)

They agree in person and number, but Greek does not change the form of είναι between 3rd singular and 3rd plural, so you see the same είναι for:

• Η ώρα είναι τρεις. – The time is three.
• Οι ώρες είναι λίγες. – The hours are few.

In Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα, είναι is just the normal “is” of the what time it is clause.

How do you pronounce Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα and where are the main stresses?

Stressed syllables in Greek are marked by the accent on the vowel. In this sentence:

• Δεν – den (one syllable, no accent mark because it’s a short unstressed word)
• ξέρω – ξέ‑ρω (stress on ξέ)
• τι – ti (no accent, short unstressed word)
• ώρα – ώ‑ρα (stress on ώ)
• είναι – εί‑ναι (stress on εί)
• τώρα – τό‑ρα (stress on τό)

Approximate pronunciation (using English-like sounds):

• Δεν – den (like “then” with a d)
• ξέρω – KSEH-roh
  
  • ξ is like ks in books
• τι – tee
• ώρα – OH-ra
  
  • ω is like a long o in more
• είναι – EE-neh
• τώρα – TOH-ra

Altogether:

• Δεν ξέρω τι ώρα είναι τώρα.
  → Den KSEH-roh tee OH-ra EE-neh TOH-ra.

Natural speech will blend words slightly, but the main stresses stay on ξέ‑, ώ‑, εί‑, and τό‑.