Learn Hardcore Greek: Προσπαθώ να αποφεύγω τη ζήλια και τα παράπονα, γιατί δεν μου κάνουν καλό. - I try to avoid jealousy and complaints, because they are not good for me.

In the sentence, the speaker is talking about a general life attitude: trying, in general, to avoid jealousy and complaints. That’s why the continuous/imperfective form να αποφεύγω is used.

Examples:

Προσπαθώ να αποφεύγω τα γλυκά. = I try to avoid sweets (as a habit).
Προσπάθησα να αποφύγω τον καυγά. = I tried to avoid the fight (this one time).

Why do we say τη ζήλια but τα παράπονα?

Two reasons: gender and number.

ζήλια is feminine and singular:
- η ζήλια (nom.), τη ζήλια (acc.)
  Here it is a singular abstract noun: jealousy.
παράπονα is neuter and plural:
- το παράπονο (sing.), τα παράπονα (pl.)
  It means complaints, moaning, whining in plural.

So we get:

τη ζήλια = the jealousy (accusative feminine singular)
τα παράπονα = the complaints (accusative neuter plural)

The articles must match the gender, number, and case of the noun.

Why is the definite article used with ζήλια and παράπονα, when in English we would say “jealousy and complaints” without the?

Greek uses the definite article with abstract nouns much more often than English does, especially when they are the object of verbs like αποφεύγω (avoid).

So:

αποφεύγω τη ζήλια = literally: I avoid the jealousy
αποφεύγω τα παράπονα = I avoid the complaints

In natural English, you’d drop the, but in Greek the article feels normal and often necessary. Leaving it out (αποφεύγω ζήλια και παράπονα) sounds more like a headline or slogan, not normal sentence style.

Why is it δεν μου κάνουν καλό and not δεν κάνουν καλό σε μένα?

Both are possible, but δεν μου κάνουν καλό is the natural, everyday way.

μου is an unstressed (clitic) pronoun meaning to me.
σε μένα is the stressed/prepositional form: to me (more emphatic).

Compare:

Δεν μου κάνουν καλό. = They’re not good for me. (neutral)
Δεν κάνουν καλό σε μένα. = They’re not good for me (as opposed to someone else; more contrast/emphasis).

The clitic μου before the verb is the default pattern:
δεν + μου + κάνουν + καλό.

What does the expression κάνουν καλό literally mean, and why not just είναι καλά?

κάνω καλό (σε κάποιον) literally means to do good (to someone), and idiomatically to be good for someone / be beneficial.

Δεν μου κάνουν καλό. = They are not good for me / They don’t do me good.

Using είναι καλά would be:

Δεν είναι καλά. = They are not good / They’re not okay.

That says something about the jealousy and complaints themselves (their quality), not about their effect on you. The Greek sentence is about their negative effect on the speaker, so μου κάνουν καλό / δεν μου κάνουν καλό is the correct idiom.

Why is the word order δεν μου κάνουν καλό and not δεν κάνουν μου καλό?

Unstressed pronouns like μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους normally go right after the negative δεν and before the verb:

δεν μου κάνουν
δεν σου λέω
δεν της γράφω

So the fixed pattern is:

δεν + clitic pronoun + verb (+ other elements)

Δεν κάνουν μου καλό is ungrammatical in standard Greek; the pronoun can’t just float after the verb in that way.

Why is it γιατί here and not επειδή?

Both γιατί and επειδή can mean because, but they are used slightly differently.

γιατί can mean why or because. It is very common in everyday speech for because.
επειδή only means because and is slightly more formal or explicit as a conjunction.

In this sentence:

..., γιατί δεν μου κάνουν καλό. = ..., because they are not good for me.

You could also say:

..., επειδή δεν μου κάνουν καλό.

It would still be correct; γιατί is just the more neutral, conversational choice here.

What tense is προσπαθώ, and what does it tell us?

Προσπαθώ is present tense, 1st person singular: I try / I am trying.

In Greek, the present tense with an imperfective verb like προσπαθώ usually implies a repeated, ongoing or general action:

Προσπαθώ να αποφεύγω… = I try (as a general habit) to avoid…

If you said Προσπάθησα να αποφεύγω…, that would be past tense (I tried), referring to a period in the past.

What case are τη ζήλια and τα παράπονα in, and why?

They are in the accusative case, because they are direct objects of the verb αποφεύγω (I avoid).

αποφεύγω ποιο πράγμα; → τη ζήλια
αποφεύγω τι; → τα παράπονα

So:

η ζήλια (nominative) → τη ζήλια (accusative)
τα παράπονα (nominative = accusative in neuter plural form stays the same)

Greek marks objects of most verbs with the accusative case.

What exactly does παράπονα mean? Is it the same as “complaints”?

Παράπονο (singular) / παράπονα (plural) can be translated as complaint(s), but it also strongly carries the idea of whining, grumbling, moaning.

Έχει πολλά παράπονα. = He/she has many complaints / gripes.
Σταμάτα τα παράπονα. = Stop complaining / Stop whining.

In the sentence, τα παράπονα suggests not just formal complaints but an attitude of constantly complaining.

What does ζήλια cover in Greek? Is it “jealousy” or “envy”?

Ζήλια is usually translated as jealousy, but in everyday Greek it can cover both jealousy (in relationships) and envy (of what others have), depending on context.

ζηλεύω τον φίλο μου = I’m jealous/envious of my friend.
νιώθω ζήλια = I feel jealousy / envy.

So in context, τη ζήλια means the general negative feeling of being jealous/envious.

Is there a difference in meaning between η ζήλια and η ζηλιά?

Both forms exist:

η ζήλια is the standard, neutral form for jealousy, envy.
η ζηλιά is more colloquial/dialectal and may sound more old-fashioned or regional, depending on context.

In standard modern Greek, η ζήλια is what you will usually see and should use, as in τη ζήλια in this sentence.

Could we also say Προσπαθώ να αποφύγω τη ζήλια και τα παράπονα? How would that change the meaning?

Yes, that is grammatically correct, but the nuance changes.

Προσπαθώ να αποφεύγω… = I try to avoid them in general, as an ongoing habit.
Προσπαθώ να αποφύγω… = I’m trying to avoid them this time / on a specific occasion.

The original sentence expresses a general life principle, so να αποφεύγω (imperfective) is the better choice. Να αποφύγω would sound more like you’re trying right now to avoid some specific jealousy and complaints.

Why is there a comma before γιατί? Is that mandatory in Greek?

Yes, a comma before γιατί is standard when it introduces a subordinate clause meaning because, just like in English:

Προσπαθώ να αποφεύγω… , γιατί δεν μου κάνουν καλό.

This separates the main clause (Προσπαθώ…) from the reason clause (γιατί…). Without the comma, the sentence is still understandable, but proper punctuation in Greek normally includes the comma here.