Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

In some small shops it is not allowed to use a card, only cash.

Breakdown of Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

• δεν: not
• να: to
• μικρός: small
• σε: in
• το μαγαζί: the shop
• μόνο: only
• χρησιμοποιώ: to use
• μερικός: some
• η κάρτα: the card
• τα μετρητά: the cash
• επιτρέπομαι: to be allowed

Questions & Answers about Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

In Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά, what case is μαγαζιά in, and how does the preposition σε work here?

μαγαζιά is in the accusative plural neuter.

In Modern Greek, the preposition σε (in, at, to) is almost always followed by the accusative case. So:

• σε + μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά = in some small shops

Historically Greek had a dative case for locations, but in Modern Greek σε + accusative has taken over that function.

You’ll also see σε contracting with the definite article, e.g.:

• στα μαγαζιά = σε + τα μαγαζιά = in the shops

In this sentence there is no article because it’s indefinite: in some small shops rather than in the small shops.

What is the difference between μερικά and λίγα, and why is μερικά used here?

Both can be translated as some or a few, but the nuance is different:

• μερικά = some, several (neutral, just an unspecified number)
• λίγα = few (often with a sense of not many, only a small number)

So:

• μερικά μαγαζιά = some shops (just describing reality)
• λίγα μαγαζιά = few shops (implicitly: that’s not a lot, maybe less than expected)

In Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά…, the speaker just wants to say that in some shops this is the case, without implying it’s disappointingly few. That’s why μερικά is more natural here.

Why does the phrase have two adjectives, μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά? Is that word order fixed?

The phrase μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά literally means some small shops.

• μερικά – quantity/indefinite adjective (some)
• μικρά – descriptive adjective (small)
• μαγαζιά – noun (shops)

In Greek, the typical order with no article is:

[quantity / indefinite] + [descriptive adjective] + [noun]
μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά

That’s the most natural order here. Other orders like μικρά μερικά μαγαζιά are either ungrammatical or sound very strange. If you add an article, you’d usually get:

• τα μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά (but this is unusual and context-dependent; normally μερικά doesn’t go with a definite article)

So yes, for this meaning, μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά is the normal word order.

Why is it δεν επιτρέπεται and not something like δεν επιτρέπω?

δεν επιτρέπεται is an impersonal passive construction. It literally means it is not allowed/permitted.

• επιτρέπω = I allow
• επιτρέπεται = it is allowed / is permitted

Greek often uses this impersonal passive form to express rules, laws, and general permissions/prohibitions:

• Εδώ δεν επιτρέπεται το κάπνισμα. = Smoking is not allowed here.
• Δεν επιτρέπεται να μπεις. = You are not allowed to enter.

Using δεν επιτρέπω (I don’t allow) would need an explicit subject and object, e.g.:

• Δεν επιτρέπω στους πελάτες να χρησιμοποιούν κάρτα.
  I don’t allow customers to use a card.

In a general statement about what is or isn’t allowed, (δεν) επιτρέπεται is the standard form.

Why is it να χρησιμοποιήσεις and not να χρησιμοποιείς after δεν επιτρέπεται?

Both are subjunctive forms of χρησιμοποιώ (to use), but with different aspects:

• χρησιμοποιήσεις = aorist subjunctive (whole, completed action, to use once / at all)
• χρησιμοποιείς = present subjunctive (ongoing/repeated action, to be using, to keep using)

After expressions like επιτρέπεται / δεν επιτρέπεται, πρέπει, μπορώ, etc., Greek usually chooses:

• aorist subjunctive when we talk about the action as a single, complete event
• present subjunctive when we stress duration or repetition

Here, the rule is about using a card at all:

• δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα
  → you are not allowed to use a card (even once, as a payment method)

Compare:

• Δεν επιτρέπεται να καπνίζεις εδώ.
  You’re not allowed to (be) smoking here (no ongoing smoking).

• Δεν επιτρέπεται να καπνίσεις εδώ.
  You’re not allowed to have a smoke here (even once).

So να χρησιμοποιήσεις (aorist) is the natural choice because we’re talking about the simple act of using a card as payment.

Why is χρησιμοποιήσεις in the second person singular? Is this talking to one specific person?

Grammatically, χρησιμοποιήσεις is 2nd person singular (“you use”).

In Greek, it’s very common to use 2nd person singular in signs, rules, and general statements, even when addressing people in general, not one specific person. It matches how English often uses an informal you for general instructions:

• English: You can’t use a card here, only cash.
• Greek: Δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

Other more neutral/impersonal options exist, for example:

• Δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιεί κανείς κάρτα.
  One is not allowed to use a card.

• Δεν επιτρέπεται η χρήση κάρτας.
  The use of a card is not allowed.

But in everyday speech, using 2nd person singular like in the original sentence is very normal.

Why is there no article before κάρτα and μετρητά? Shouldn’t it be μια κάρτα or τα μετρητά?

Articles in Greek are not used in exactly the same way as in English.

1. κάρτα

   • να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα literally = to use card
     This is a very typical way to talk about a payment method in general: use card vs use cash.

   You could say:

   • να χρησιμοποιήσεις μια κάρτα (use a card), but here it sounds less like “payment by card” as a method and more like a single, concrete card.

   In this context (rules about payment methods), the bare noun κάρτα without an article is more natural.

2. μετρητά

   • μετρητά is a plural noun meaning cash.
   • μόνο μετρητά = cash only / only cash.

   Again, no article is necessary because we’re talking about the payment method in general, not specific, identifiable cash. Τα μετρητά would usually refer to particular cash already in the context (the cash).

So the pattern να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά functions like English “use card, only cash”, i.e. contrasting two payment methods.

What does μόνο μετρητά do grammatically at the end? Is something left out?

Yes, something is understood but not said explicitly. The full idea is:

• Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, (επιτρέπονται) μόνο μετρητά.

The second part can be thought of as:

• (Επιτρέπονται) μόνο μετρητά.
  (Only cash is allowed.)

Greek often omits repeated verbs when they’re obvious from context. The comma separates the two contrasted parts:

1. δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα – you’re not allowed to use a card
2. μόνο μετρητά – only cash (is allowed)

So μόνο works as only / just, focusing μετρητά.

Could we replace δεν επιτρέπεται with απαγορεύεται? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say:

• Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά απαγορεύεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

Both are correct, but there is a nuance:

• δεν επιτρέπεται = is not allowed / is not permitted
  More neutral, “this is not within the rules”.

• απαγορεύεται = is forbidden / prohibited
  Often sounds stronger, more like an explicit ban.

In practice, for everyday rules and signs, απαγορεύεται is very common too:

• Απαγορεύεται το κάπνισμα. = Smoking is prohibited.

In this specific sentence, δεν επιτρέπεται sounds slightly more neutral/polite; απαγορεύεται gives a stronger, more strict tone.

Could we say Σε κάποια μικρά μαγαζιά instead of Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά? Is there a difference?

Yes, both are possible:

• Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά…
• Σε κάποια μικρά μαγαζιά…

Nuance:

• μερικά – some, several (neutral, simple statement)
• κάποια – some, certain (often hints that we mean certain specific ones, even if we’re not saying which)

So:

• Σε μερικά μικρά μαγαζιά…
  = In some small shops (in general, just a fact about how things work).

• Σε κάποια μικρά μαγαζιά…
  = In some (certain) small shops… (could sound a bit more like “in some particular small shops, not others”).

In many contexts they overlap, but μερικά is the more straightforward choice for an impersonal general statement like this.

What is the difference between μαγαζιά and καταστήματα? Could we say Σε μερικά μικρά καταστήματα?

Both mean shops / stores:

• μαγαζιά – more colloquial, very frequent in everyday speech.
• καταστήματα – more formal, used in written language, official contexts, business, etc.

You can say:

• Σε μερικά μικρά καταστήματα δεν επιτρέπεται να χρησιμοποιήσεις κάρτα, μόνο μετρητά.

Grammatically this is fine. Stylistically:

• μαγαζιά fits perfectly with spoken, everyday Greek.
• καταστήματα makes the sentence sound a bit more formal or “official”.

So the original with μαγαζιά matches an informal, natural spoken style.