Breakdown of Αν δεν έχεις βίζα, δεν μπορείς να περάσεις τα σύνορα.
έχω
to have
δεν
not
μπορώ
to be able
να
to
Questions & Answers about Αν δεν έχεις βίζα, δεν μπορείς να περάσεις τα σύνορα.
Why is there no word for “you” in the Greek sentence?
Greek is a “pro‑drop” language: subject pronouns (like εσύ = you) are often left out because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
- έχεις = you have (2nd person singular)
- μπορείς = you can (2nd person singular)
- περάσεις = (that) you cross (2nd person singular, subjunctive)
So εσύ is understood from the verb forms. You would only add εσύ for emphasis, e.g. Αν εσύ δεν έχεις βίζα… = If you (in particular) don’t have a visa…
Why is there no word like “a” before βίζα? Why not μία βίζα?
Greek has an indefinite article (ένας / μία / ένα), but it is often omitted, especially when the noun is unspecified and countable in a general way, as in:
- Αν δεν έχεις βίζα ≈ If you don’t have (any) visa / If you have no visa.
Saying Αν δεν έχεις μία βίζα is grammatically possible, but it sounds either:
- unusually specific (as if you are counting one visa), or
- slightly unnatural in this common phrase.
In practice, for this kind of sentence, native speakers normally say Αν δεν έχεις βίζα without μία.
Why do we see δεν twice? Is this a double negative?