Breakdown of Σήμερα είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα και δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου.
Questions & Answers about Σήμερα είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα και δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου.
In Greek, the verb ending already shows who the subject is, so the subject pronoun is usually dropped.
- είμαι = I am (1st person singular) Because είμαι already tells us “I”, saying εγώ είμαι is not necessary.
You would add εγώ mainly for emphasis, for example:
- Σήμερα εγώ είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος…
Today *I am very focused… (implying “unlike others”).*
Greek often uses “to be” + adjective where English might use a verb:
- είμαι συγκεντρωμένος = I am concentrated / I am focused
There is a verb συγκεντρώνομαι (I concentrate), but:
- Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα
emphasizes the state you are in (you are in a focused state). - Συγκεντρώνομαι στο μάθημα
emphasizes the action/process of concentrating.
Both are correct, but the adjective συγκεντρωμένος sounds very natural for “I’m very focused (right now).”
συγκεντρωμένος is an adjective and must agree with the subject in gender, number, and case.
- συγκεντρωμένος = masculine singular
- συγκεντρωμένη = feminine singular
- συγκεντρωμένο = neuter singular
The sentence assumes the speaker is male:
- Male speaker: Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος.
- Female speaker: Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένη.
So the ending changes depending on who is speaking.
πολύ means “very” (or “a lot”) and here it intensifies the adjective:
- είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος = I am very focused.
Word order:
- The normal place is before the adjective:
είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος ✅ - είμαι συγκεντρωμένος πολύ is possible in special contexts (often with a different emphasis) but sounds unusual here.
You can also reinforce it:
- είμαι πάρα πολύ συγκεντρωμένος = I am extremely / really very focused.
στο is a contraction of the preposition σε + the neuter article το:
- σε + το = στο
So:
- στο μάθημα = in the lesson / in class / during the lesson
Literally: “in the lesson”.
This στο is used very often with places, situations, and activities:
- στο σπίτι = at home
- στο γραφείο = at the office
- στο πανεπιστήμιο = at the university
Yes, you could, but the meaning shifts slightly:
- στο μάθημα
Focuses on the lesson as an activity (the teaching/learning event). - στην τάξη (στη(ν) + τάξη, “in the classroom”)
Focuses more on the physical classroom/room.
So:
- Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα.
I’m really focused on the lesson. - Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στην τάξη.
I’m really focused in the classroom (more about the location).
Both are understandable; which you choose depends on the nuance you want.
Modern Greek doesn’t have a separate present continuous form like English.
The present simple in Greek covers both:
- δεν κοιτάω can mean:
- I do not look (at all / as a habit)
- I am not looking (right now)
The context here (σήμερα είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος) makes it clear that we mean “I’m not looking at all (today / right now).”
Both involve seeing, but they’re used differently:
βλέπω = I see / I watch
Neutral seeing; also used for “watching”:- Βλέπω την τηλεόραση. = I watch TV.
- Βλέπω ένα αυτοκίνητο. = I see a car.
κοιτάω (or κοιτάζω) = I look (at)
More active, intentional:- Κοιτάω το κινητό μου. = I’m looking at my phone.
- Μη με κοιτάς έτσι. = Don’t look at me like that.
In this sentence, δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου emphasizes the deliberate action of not looking at the phone.
In everyday Modern Greek, κοιτάω and κοιτάζω are very close in meaning and often interchangeable.
- κοιτάω is very common in speech.
- κοιτάζω may sound slightly more formal or neutral, but both are standard.
You could say:
- δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου ✅
- δεν κοιτάζω καθόλου το κινητό μου ✅
No practical difference here.
καθόλου literally started as “at all / not at all”.
In negative sentences, it reinforces the negation:
- δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου
= I don’t look at my phone at all / not even a little.
Pattern:
- δεν + verb + καθόλου = not … at all
In positive sentences, καθόλου can mean “at all / whatsoever”, but usually after a negative context:
- Μου αρέσει καθόλου; = Do I like it at all? (sounds a bit marked)
So here it’s a strong “not at all” with δεν.
Greek uses weak (clitic) possessive pronouns that normally come after the noun:
- το κινητό μου = my phone (literally “the phone my”)
- το βιβλίο σου = your book
- ο φίλος της = her friend
English: my phone
Greek: το κινητό μου
You can also use strong forms for emphasis, usually before the noun:
- το δικό μου κινητό = my own phone / my phone (not someone else’s)
But in neutral, everyday speech, το κινητό μου is the standard order.
σήμερα means “today” and is an adverb of time, not a noun. Adverbs don’t take articles.
- Σήμερα είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος…
= Today I am very focused…
Compare:
- Χτες = yesterday
- Αύριο = tomorrow
None of these take an article:
- Χτες διάβασα πολύ. = I studied a lot yesterday.
- Αύριο θα δουλέψω. = I will work tomorrow.
Greek word order is relatively flexible. You can move adverbs like σήμερα for emphasis or style, though some options sound more natural than others.
Original:
- Σήμερα είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα και δεν κοιτάω καθόλου το κινητό μου.
Possible variations:
- Είμαι σήμερα πολύ συγκεντρωμένος στο μάθημα… (emphasizes “today” a bit differently)
- Είμαι πολύ συγκεντρωμένος σήμερα στο μάθημα… (puts “today” closer to “focused”)
All are understandable, but the original feels the most straightforward and natural. The key is to keep the small, “stuck-on” words (like δεν, μου) close to the words they modify.