Όταν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει και συνεχίζω.

When I get tired, I remember that the work is worth it and I continue.

Breakdown of Όταν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει και συνεχίζω.

• και: and
• η δουλειά: the work
• ότι: that
• όταν: when
• θυμάμαι: to remember
• συνεχίζω: to continue
• αξίζω: to be worth
• κουράζομαι: to get tired

Questions & Answers about Όταν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει και συνεχίζω.

Why is κουράζομαι in the present tense here? Could Greek also use another tense?

Κουράζομαι is present tense, imperfective aspect, and here it expresses a general / habitual situation:

• Όταν κουράζομαι = When(ever) I get tired / when I am getting tired (in general, whenever this happens).

In Greek:

• Όταν + present → general, repeated situations.
• Όταν + subjunctive (κουραστώ) → a specific future event:
  
  • Όταν κουραστώ, θα σταματήσω. = When I (eventually) get tired, I will stop.

So Όταν κουράζομαι matches the English generic “When I get tired”, not one particular time in the future.

What does the ending -ομαι in κουράζομαι mean?

The ending -ομαι is the mediopassive ending in the present tense.

• Κουράζω = I tire (someone), I make someone tired.
• Κουράζομαι = I get tired (myself), I become tired.

So κουράζομαι is:

• 1st person singular, present tense, mediopassive,
• but in meaning it is intransitive / reflexive: I get tired.

Many Greek verbs have this pair:

• ντύνω = I dress (someone), ντύνομαι = I get dressed.
• πλένω = I wash (something), πλένομαι = I wash (myself) / I am washed.

Θυμάμαι also ends in -μαι. Is it the same kind of verb as κουράζομαι?

Formally they look similar, but their behavior is a bit different.

• Θυμάμαι is also in the mediopassive form, 1st person singular.
• However, there is no commonly used active form with a different meaning. It is what learners often call a “deponent verb”: passive in form, active in meaning.

So:

• Θυμάμαι = I remember.
• There is not a separate active stem you would normally use in everyday Greek.

Compare to κουράζω / κουράζομαι, where κουράζω and κουράζομαι both exist and have different meanings.

What is the difference between όταν, αν, and όποτε in this kind of sentence?

All three can translate as “when/if”, but their usage is different:

• Όταν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι...

  • όταν = when(ever), for real, expected situations in time.
  • It can be present, past, or future, depending on context.

• Αν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι...

  • αν = if. It introduces a condition, not just a time.
  • More like If I happen to be getting tired, I remember...

• Όποτε κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι...

  • όποτε = whenever / any time that.
  • Very close in meaning here to όταν, but with a stronger “whenever” feel.

In your sentence, όταν is natural because you’re describing what you typically do whenever you get tired.

What exactly does ότι mean here? How is it different from πως and from ό,τι?

In this sentence:

• Θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει = I remember that the work is worth it.

Here ότι:

• introduces a content clause (“that ...”),
• is roughly equivalent to English “that”.

Differences:

1. ότι vs πως

   • Both can mean “that” introducing a clause:
     
     • Θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει.
     • Θυμάμαι πως η δουλειά αξίζει.
   • In modern speech, πως is common and very similar in meaning.
   • In more careful / written language, many prefer ότι in this “that”-sense.

2. ότι vs ό,τι

   • ότι (no comma) = that (conjunction).
   • ό,τι (with a comma, and often stressed as two parts) = whatever / anything that:
     • Θυμάμαι ό,τι μου λες. = I remember whatever you tell me.
   • In your sentence, it must be ότι (conjunction), not ό,τι.

Also, ότι does not mean “because”; for “because” you use επειδή or γιατί.

What does η δουλειά mean here, and why do we need the article η?

Η δουλειά is a feminine noun meaning work or job.

• δουλειά alone = “work”, “a job”, “tasks”.
• With article: η δουλειά = the work / the job (a specific one in context, or “this line of work”).

In this sentence:

• η δουλειά αξίζει ≈ the work is worth it / this work is worth it.

Greek tends to use the definite article more often than English, even in somewhat generic statements. The article here suggests “this particular work I’m doing” or “my job / my work” rather than “work in general” in an abstract sense.

What exactly does αξίζει mean? Why is there no object like “it” (as in “worth it”)?

Αξίζει is:

• 3rd person singular, present tense of αξίζω.

Its core meaning: to be worth it / to be worthwhile / to deserve.

In your sentence:

• η δουλειά αξίζει = the work is worth it / the job is worthwhile.

Why no separate “it”?

• Greek doesn’t need a second pronoun.
• English says “It is worth it” (two “it”s), but in Greek the subject η δουλειά plus the verb αξίζει already cover that meaning.

You can add an explicit object if you like:

• Η δουλειά αξίζει τον κόπο. = The work is worth the effort.
• Η δουλειά αξίζει τα λεφτά. = The work is worth the money.

But in your sentence, η δουλειά αξίζει on its own is complete and natural.

Why is there no subject pronoun “I” written with κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι, and συνεχίζω?

Greek is a “pro-drop” language: the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending already shows the person and number.

• κουράζομαι = I get tired.
• θυμάμαι = I remember.
• συνεχίζω = I continue / I keep going.

You would only add εγώ for emphasis or contrast:

• Όταν κουράζομαι, εγώ θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει και συνεχίζω.
  → “When I get tired, I (as opposed to others) remember that the work is worth it and keep going.”

Why is there a comma after Όταν κουράζομαι?

In Greek punctuation, when a subordinate clause (like an όταν-clause) comes before the main clause, it is usually followed by a comma:

• Όταν κουράζομαι, θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει και συνεχίζω.

If the order is reversed, the comma is often not used:

• Θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει όταν κουράζομαι.

So the comma reflects the typical Greek rule:
[Subordinate clause first], [main clause] → comma between them.

What does συνεχίζω mean here, and why doesn’t it say what I continue?

Συνεχίζω means I continue / I carry on / I keep going.

In context:

• The implied object is “my work / what I am doing”.

Greek often leaves out obvious objects when they are clear from context:

• Συνεχίζω. = I continue (doing what we were talking about).
• Συνεχίζω τη δουλειά μου. = I continue my work. (more explicit)

In your sentence, because we just mentioned η δουλειά, it’s clear that:

• ...και συνεχίζω. = ...and I keep going / keep working.

Could I change the word order of θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει? For example, θυμάμαι ότι αξίζει η δουλειά?

Yes, Greek word order is flexible, and both versions are grammatically correct:

1. Θυμάμαι ότι η δουλειά αξίζει.

   • Neutral preference: subject (η δουλειά) + verb (αξίζει).
   • “I remember that the work is worth it.”

2. Θυμάμαι ότι αξίζει η δουλειά.

   • Subject moves after the verb, which can add slight emphasis to η δουλειά (“it’s the work that is worth it”).
   • The meaning is essentially the same, but the focus can shift a bit.

The version in your sentence is the most neutral and common word order.

What is the difference between saying Όταν κουράζομαι and Όταν είμαι κουρασμένος?

Both involve tiredness, but they focus on different things:

• Όταν κουράζομαι

  • Literally: “When I get tired / when I am getting tired.”
  • Focuses on the process / event of becoming tired, or the condition of being tired in general time.

• Όταν είμαι κουρασμένος

  • “When I am tired.”
  • Uses είμαι + adjective κουρασμένος, focusing on the state of being tired.

In your motivational sentence, Όταν κουράζομαι sounds very natural:

• It describes every time I experience tiredness while working, I counter it by remembering something and then continuing.