Learn Hardcore Greek: Της λέω ότι αυτή η ζήλια δεν είναι καλή, αλλά με βοηθάει να διαβάζω περισσότερο. - I tell her that this jealousy is not good, but it helps me study more.

You can say λέω σε αυτήν for “I tell her” with extra emphasis on her, but the most natural everyday way is with the clitic in front of the verb: Της λέω.

Why does της here mean “to her” and not “her” as in “her jealousy”?

The form της can do two main jobs in Greek:

Indirect object pronoun (to her)
- Της λέω. = I tell her / I say to her
- Της γράφω ένα γράμμα. = I write her a letter.
This is the use in Της λέω ότι….
Possessive (her)
- το βιβλίο της = her book
- η ζήλια της = her jealousy

So in your sentence:

Της λέω = I tell her (indirect object)
If it were η ζήλια της, that would be her jealousy (possessive).

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

In this sentence, ότι is a conjunction meaning “that”, introducing a clause:

Της λέω ότι αυτή η ζήλια δεν είναι καλή…
= I tell her that this jealousy is not good…

Key distinctions:

ότι (without comma)
- Means “that” (introduces a statement / reported speech)
- Often interchangeable with πως in this use:
  - Της λέω ότι… = Της λέω πως…
πως
- Also often means “that” in everyday Greek:
  - Νομίζω πως έχεις δίκιο. = I think (that) you’re right.
ό,τι (with a comma!)
- Means “whatever / anything that”:
  - Κάνε ό,τι θέλεις. = Do whatever you want.
- Very different meaning from ότι.

In your sentence it must be ότι (or πως), not ό,τι.

Why is it αυτή η ζήλια and not just αυτή ζήλια?

Greek usually needs the definite article with a demonstrative (“this/that”) before a noun.

Pattern:

αυτή η ζήλια = this jealousy
(literally: this the jealousy)

General pattern:

αυτό το βιβλίο = this book
εκείνος ο άνθρωπος = that man

You cannot normally say αυτή ζήλια for “this jealousy” in standard Greek. The article η is required with the noun when you use αυτή as a demonstrative.

Why is it αυτή η ζήλια and not αυτήν τη ζήλια?

Both structures are correct, but they’re in different cases:

αυτή η ζήλια = this jealousy as subject (nominative)
αυτήν τη ζήλια = this jealousy as object (accusative)

In your sentence, η ζήλια is the subject of είναι (“is”):

αυτή η ζήλια δεν είναι καλή
= this jealousy is not good

If you made it an object, you would use the accusative:

Δεν αντέχω αυτήν τη ζήλια. = I can’t stand this jealousy.

Why is the adjective καλή and not καλός or καλό?

Adjectives in Greek agree with the noun in:

gender
number
case

Here:

η ζήλια = feminine, singular, nominative
So the adjective must also be: feminine, singular, nominative
→ καλή

If the noun were masculine or neuter, it would change:

ο φίλος δεν είναι καλός = the (male) friend is not good
το βιβλίο δεν είναι καλό = the book is not good

Can I move της after the verb and say λέω της ότι…?

In standard modern Greek, unstressed object pronouns (clitics) almost always go before the verb in main clauses:

Της λέω ότι… ✅
Λέω ότι… της ❌ (sounds wrong)
Λέω της ότι… ❌ (sounds wrong in modern standard Greek)

They go after the verb mainly with:

Positive imperative:
- Πες της! = Tell her!
Some fixed or older expressions.

So in your sentence, Της λέω ότι… is the normal word order.

Why is it με βοηθάει and not βοηθάει με?

Same clitic rule as with της:

με = “me” (direct object pronoun, unstressed)
It normally goes before the verb:
- Με βοηθάει. = It helps me. ✅
- Βοηθάει με. ❌ (unnatural)

For emphasis you’d switch to a stressed form or a prepositional phrase, not just move the clitic:

Βοηθάει εμένα. = It helps me (not someone else).
Βοηθάει σε μένα. (less common, more “helps in my case”).

What’s the difference between βοηθάει and βοηθά?

They are both 3rd person singular present of the verb βοηθάω / βοηθώ (“to help”).

βοηθάει and βοηθά are both correct.
βοηθάει is slightly more colloquial/spoken.
βοηθά is a bit shorter and can feel slightly more formal or written.

In everyday speech you’ll hear both:

Με βοηθάει πολύ.
Με βοηθά πολύ.

Meaning is the same: “It helps me a lot.”

Why is it να διαβάζω and not να διαβάσω?

Greek has two aspects in the subjunctive:

να διαβάζω – imperfective aspect
→ ongoing, repeated, or habitual action
→ here: “to read/study more (in general, as a habit / overall)”
να διαβάσω – perfective aspect
→ one complete event, or a specific amount
→ “to read/study (once / finish studying)”

In your sentence:

με βοηθάει να διαβάζω περισσότερο
= it helps me (to) read/study more (overall, regularly)

If you said:

με βοηθάει να διαβάσω περισσότερο

it would sound more like “it helps me to get more studying done (this time / in total)”—focused on completing a certain amount, not on the ongoing habit.

Does διαβάζω mean “to read” or “to study”?

Both, depending on context.

To read (a text, book, etc.)
- Διαβάζω ένα βιβλίο. = I’m reading a book.
To study (for school, exams, etc.)
- Πρέπει να διαβάσω για τις εξετάσεις.
  = I have to study for the exams.

In your sentence:

με βοηθάει να διαβάζω περισσότερο

Given the topic is “jealousy” motivating you, it can be understood as:

“…it helps me study more” (most natural reading),
but literally it’s still the same verb διαβάζω.

What does περισσότερο mean here, and how is it different from πιο πολύ?

περισσότερο is the comparative form of πολύ (“much / a lot”) used as an adverb:

διαβάζω περισσότερο = I read/study more

You’ll also hear:

διαβάζω πιο πολύ = I read/study more

Differences:

περισσότερο – a bit more neutral/standard, often in writing too.
πιο πολύ – very common in speech; slightly more informal feel.

In most everyday contexts, περισσότερο and πιο πολύ are interchangeable:

Με βοηθάει να διαβάζω περισσότερο.
Με βοηθάει να διαβάζω πιο πολύ.
Both mean: “It helps me to study more.”