Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

I don't exercise when I am tired.

Breakdown of Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

• είμαι: to be
• δεν: not
• όταν: when
• κουρασμένος: tired
• κάνω άσκηση: to exercise

Questions & Answers about Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

Why is there no word for “I” in Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος?

In Greek, subject pronouns (like εγώ = I) are usually dropped because the verb ending already shows the person:

• κάνω = I do / I make
• κάνεις = you do
• κάνει = he/she/it does

So Δεν κάνω άσκηση is clearly I don’t exercise, and εγώ would be added only for emphasis:
Εγώ δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος. = I (as opposed to others) don’t exercise when I’m tired.

Why do we use δεν and not μην for the negative?

Greek has two main negative particles:

• δεν is used with the indicative mood (normal statements of fact):

  • Δεν κάνω άσκηση. = I don’t exercise.
  • Δεν είμαι κουρασμένος. = I am not tired.

• μην is used with:

  • the subjunctive (with να, ας, θα sometimes),
  • the negative imperative,
  • and some fixed expressions.
    Examples:
  • Να μην κάνεις άσκηση. = Don’t exercise.
  • Μην κάνεις άσκηση τώρα. = Don’t exercise now.

In your sentence both verbs (κάνω, είμαι) are simple, factual statements in the indicative, so δεν is correct.

Why is it Δεν κάνω άσκηση and not a single verb meaning “I exercise”?

Greek does have verbs like:

• γυμνάζομαι = I work out / I exercise
• ασκούμαι = I exercise (more formal, often mental/skill practice)

But κάνω άσκηση (literally I do exercise / I do a workout) is very natural and common in everyday speech, especially for physical exercise.

You could also say:

• Δεν γυμνάζομαι όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.
• Δεν κάνω γυμναστική όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

All are understandable; κάνω άσκηση / κάνω γυμναστική sounds very everyday and neutral.

Why is άσκηση in the singular and with no article? Why not ασκήσεις or την άσκηση?

Here άσκηση is used in a general / uncountable sense, like English exercise (not an exercise):

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση. ≈ I don’t (do) exercise.
  (general physical activity, not one specific exercise)

Greek often uses no article when talking about activities in a general sense:

• Κάνω άσκηση. = I exercise.
• Κάνω γιόγκα. = I do yoga.
• Κάνω δουλειά. = I (do) work.

If you wanted specific, countable exercises, you’d use plural and often an article:

• Κάνω ασκήσεις. = I do exercises (several specific ones).
• Κάνω τις ασκήσεις. = I do the exercises (the particular ones we know about).

Can I change the word order to Όταν είμαι κουρασμένος, δεν κάνω άσκηση?

Yes, that order is very natural and actually quite common:

• Όταν είμαι κουρασμένος, δεν κάνω άσκηση.
• Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

Both are correct and mean the same thing. Greek word order is fairly flexible; moving the όταν-clause to the front is often slightly more emphatic on the condition (when I’m tired).

Why do we use the present tense είμαι and κάνω for a general rule? Isn’t that “I don’t exercise when I am tired (right now)”?

Greek uses the present tense not only for actions happening right now, but also for:

• general truths / habits / rules

So:

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.
  = I don’t exercise when I am tired (in general, as a rule).

This is parallel to English “I don’t drive when I’m drunk.” It also uses the present to express a general rule.

If you wanted to talk about a specific future time, you would normally add θα:

• Δεν θα κάνω άσκηση όταν θα είμαι κουρασμένος.
  (Possible, but usually you’d just say όταν είμαι κουρασμένος; Greek doesn’t like θα in both clauses.)

Why is it κουρασμένος and not something like κουραστικό or κουρασμένοςς?

Κουρασμένος is an adjective meaning tired, and it agrees in gender, number and case with the subject:

• masculine: κουρασμένος
• feminine: κουρασμένη
• neuter: κουρασμένο

Forms like κουραστικό mean tiring (describing something that causes tiredness), not tired:

• Η δουλειά είναι κουραστική. = The work is tiring.
• Είμαι κουρασμένος. = I am tired.

So κουρασμένος matches the (understood) masculine εγώ in your sentence.

What changes if the speaker is a woman? Do we still say κουρασμένος?

If the speaker is a woman, the adjective must be in the feminine form:

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένη.

Greek adjectives always agree with the gender of the subject:

• Man: Είμαι κουρασμένος.
• Woman: Είμαι κουρασμένη.
• Something neuter: Είναι κουρασμένο.

What exactly is όταν here? How is it different from αν?

Όταν introduces a time clause: when.

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.
  = I don’t exercise when I am tired.

Αν introduces a condition: if.

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση αν είμαι κουρασμένος.
  = I don’t exercise if I am tired.

Often the difference is small, and in casual speech people may choose either, but:

• όταν suggests a time that actually occurs (whenever that situation happens).
• αν focuses on the condition, whether it happens or not.

Where does δεν go in the sentence? Can it move?

Δεν normally stands right before the verb it negates:

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση… (negating κάνω)
• …όταν δεν είμαι κουρασμένος. (would negate είμαι)

So you could say:

• Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.
• Κάνω άσκηση όταν δεν είμαι κουρασμένος. = I exercise when I’m not tired.

You cannot move δεν far away from its verb; it has to precede it directly (except for clitics in some structures, which is more advanced).

Is άσκηση stress and pronunciation important here?

Yes. Stress in Greek changes meaning, so it’s important:

• άσκηση is stressed on the first syllable: Á-ski-si → [ˈa.sci.si]
• κάνω is KÁ-no → [ˈka.no]
• κουρασμένος is kou-ras-MÉ-nos → [ku.rasˈme.nos]

Also, δεν κάνω is pronounced smoothly, with ν often sounding like [ŋ] before κ (like n in “ink”):

• δεν κάνω ≈ [ðeŋ ˈka.no] in normal speech.

Could I say Δεν ασκούμαι όταν είμαι κουρασμένος instead?

You can, and it is grammatically correct:

• Δεν ασκούμαι όταν είμαι κουρασμένος.

However:

• ασκούμαι is more formal or used for practising a skill (e.g. ασκούμαι στη μουσική = I practise music).
• For everyday physical exercise, γυμνάζομαι, κάνω άσκηση, or κάνω γυμναστική are more natural.

So in casual speech, Δεν κάνω άσκηση όταν είμαι κουρασμένος or Δεν γυμνάζομαι όταν είμαι κουρασμένος will sound more typical.