Learn Hardcore Greek: Προσπαθώ να μην χάνω τόσο χρόνο στο ίντερνετ. - I try not to waste so much time on the internet.

It’s the 1st person singular, present tense, active voice of the verb προσπαθώ (“to try, to make an effort”).
In Greek, the simple present often covers both English “I try” and “I am trying”, so context decides which feels more natural in English.

Why do we use να after προσπαθώ?

Modern Greek no longer uses an infinitive the way English does (“to do,” “to go”). Instead, it uses να + verb.

After verbs like προσπαθώ (I try), θέλω (I want), μπορώ (I can), πρέπει (I must), you usually get a να‑clause:
- Προσπαθώ να διαβάζω. – I try to study.
- Θέλω να φύγω. – I want to leave.

So προσπαθώ να μην χάνω… literally is “I try that I not lose…” but idiomatically “I try not to lose…”

What is να μην χάνω grammatically? Is it some kind of subjunctive?

Yes. Να + verb is the usual way Modern Greek expresses the subjunctive (or “dependent” mood).

να marks the subjunctive.
χάνω here is in the present (imperfective) subjunctive, 1st person singular.

So να μην χάνω = “(that) I not be losing / that I don’t (habitually) lose.”

This is the standard structure after προσπαθώ:

Προσπαθώ να μην χάνω… – I try not to lose…

Why is it μην and not δεν before χάνω?

Greek uses two common negative particles:

δεν for indicative verbs (statements of fact):
- Δεν χάνω χρόνο. – I don’t lose time.
μη(ν) for subjunctive / imperative / non‑indicative forms:
- Θέλω να μην χάνω χρόνο. – I want not to lose time.
- Μην χάνεις χρόνο! – Don’t waste time!

Since να χάνω is a subjunctive form, it must take μην, not δεν.

What’s the difference between μη and μην? Could I say να μη χάνω?

Both μη and μην are the same word; ν is added or dropped for euphony (sound).

Before consonants, you typically see μη:
- να μη χάνω
Before vowels (especially α, ε, ο), you usually see μην:
- να μην αργώ

In practice, both να μη χάνω and να μην χάνω are acceptable, and speakers vary. Here να μην χάνω is slightly more common and feels smoother in speaking.

Why is it χάνω (present) instead of χάσω (aorist)? What’s the difference?

Greek aspect matters a lot:

να μην χάνω → imperfective aspect (ongoing / habitual)
- “I try not to be losing / not to waste (in general, habitually).”
- Emphasizes repeated or continuous action: in general, you don’t want to waste time on the internet.
να μην χάσω → aorist aspect (single, complete event)
- “I try not to lose (time) [on one specific occasion].”
- You’d use this for a particular situation:
  - Προσπαθώ να μην χάσω χρόνο μέχρι να φύγουμε.
    I’m trying not to waste time until we leave.

In your sentence, it’s about habitual behavior (in general), so να μην χάνω is the natural choice.

What does χάνω literally mean, and why is it used for “wasting” time?

Χάνω literally means “I lose” (e.g., lose an object, lose a game, lose time).

Χάνω τα κλειδιά μου. – I lose my keys.
Χάνω το παιχνίδι. – I lose the game.
Χάνω χρόνο. – I lose time.

In Greek, “losing time” (χάνω χρόνο) is the usual way to express “wasting time.”
So να μην χάνω τόσο χρόνο = “not to lose so much time” → idiomatically “not to waste so much time.”

Why is it τόσο χρόνο and not something like πολύ χρόνο?

Both are correct, but they’re slightly different:

τόσο χρόνο = “so much time”
- Often implies “more than I should / more than is good”.
- It’s often connected to a specific idea of excess: “this much time I’m currently wasting.”
πολύ χρόνο = “a lot of time / much time”
- More neutral; simply indicates quantity.

Here, τόσο χρόνο matches the idea of excessive time:
“I try not to waste so much time on the internet.”

What case is χρόνο in, and why is there no article?

Χρόνο is accusative singular of ο χρόνος (time).
There is no article because Greek often drops the article with abstract or mass nouns in certain expressions, especially with verbs like χάνω, έχω, χρειάζομαι etc.

Compare:

Χάνω χρόνο. – I’m wasting time.
Δεν έχω χρόνο. – I don’t have (any) time.
Έχουμε χρόνο; – Do we have time?

If you said τον χρόνο, it would sound more like “the time (period)” rather than time in general.

What exactly does στο ίντερνετ mean? How is στο formed?

στο = σε + το (preposition “in/on/at” + definite article “the,” neuter singular).

σε by itself means roughly “in / at / on / to,” depending on context.
Combined with το, it contracts to στο.

στο ίντερνετ literally = “on the internet” (same as English).

So:

στο σπίτι – at home / in the house
στο σχολείο – at school
στο ίντερνετ – on the internet

Why is there an article (το) before ίντερνετ in Greek, when in English we say “on the internet” but sometimes treat “internet” like a name?

In Greek, ίντερνετ is generally treated as a neuter noun and very often takes the article, especially in everyday speech:

στο ίντερνετ – on the internet
το ίντερνετ δεν πιάνει εδώ. – the internet doesn’t work here.

You may occasionally see it without the article (e.g., μέσω ίντερνετ – via internet), but στο ίντερνετ with the article is the standard and most idiomatic form.

Is ίντερνετ the only way to say “internet,” and how is it pronounced?

Common options:

ίντερνετ – the most usual, borrowed from English, written phonetically in Greek.
διαδίκτυο – a more formal or “Greek” word for “internet.”

Pronunciation of ίντερνετ:

Stressed on the first syllable: Ín‑ter‑net
IPA (approx.): [ˈin.deɾ.net]

Your sentence with στο ίντερνετ is fully natural and colloquial.

Could I say Προσπαθώ να μη σπαταλάω τόσο χρόνο στο ίντερνετ instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, that’s also correct:

σπαταλάω / σπαταλώ = “I squander / I waste (in a careless way).”

Προσπαθώ να μη σπαταλάω τόσο χρόνο στο ίντερνετ
= I try not to waste so much time on the internet.

Differences in tone:

χάνω χρόνο is very common and neutral, literally “lose time” → “waste time.”
σπαταλάω χρόνο emphasizes careless, excessive wasting a bit more strongly.

Your original χάνω version is very idiomatic and slightly milder in tone.