Learn Hardcore Greek: Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω όταν μιλάς, αλλά μερικές φορές το θέμα είναι τόσο εντυπωσιακό που κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις. - I don't want to interrupt you when you speak, but sometimes the topic is so impressive that I ask many questions.

να σε διακόπτω (present subjunctive) = ongoing / repeated action
να σε διακόψω (aorist subjunctive) = one complete action, a single interruption

In «Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω όταν μιλάς», the speaker is talking about a general habit or behavior: I don’t want to be interrupting you (in general / as you speak).
So we use the present (διακόπτω) to show this ongoing or repeated action.

If you said «Δεν θέλω να σε διακόψω», it would mean: I don’t want to interrupt you (this one time / right now). That would be more appropriate in a specific situation, not as a general statement of behavior.

Why do we need «να» after «θέλω»?

In modern Greek, verbs like:

θέλω (I want)
μπορώ (I can)
πρέπει (I must / should, when followed by a verb)
σκοπεύω (I intend)

are typically followed by να + verb in the subjunctive.

So:

Θέλω να φάω. = I want to eat.
Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω. = I don’t want to interrupt you.

You cannot say «Δεν θέλω σε διακόπτω» in standard modern Greek; you need να to introduce the subordinate clause with the verb.

Why is it «να σε διακόπτω» and not «να διακόπτω σε»?

The pronoun σε here is an unstressed object pronoun (a clitic). In Greek, these pronouns normally appear before a finite verb:

σε διακόπτω = I interrupt you
σε βλέπω = I see you
σε ακούω = I hear you

So the correct order is:

να σε διακόπτω, θα σε διακόψω, δεν σε βλέπω, etc.

Putting σε after the verb (διακόπτω σε) is not correct in standard modern Greek (unless you stress it and use the strong form εσένα, as in διακόπτω εσένα, which changes the nuance to “you in particular” and is less common in this context).

What is the difference between «σε» and «σου» here? Why not «να σου διακόπτω»?

Σε and σου are both second-person singular pronouns, but they have different roles:

σε = direct object (“you” as what is being acted upon)
σου = indirect object / “to you, your”

With διακόπτω (to interrupt), the person being interrupted is the direct object, so you must use σε:

σε διακόπτω = I interrupt you

σου διακόπτω would be ungrammatical in this sense, because σου is not used as the direct object of διακόπτω. You could see σου with verbs like:

σου μιλάω = I speak to you
σου δίνω κάτι = I give you something

But for “interrupt you”, it’s σε διακόπτω.

Why is the verb in «όταν μιλάς» in the present tense?

In Greek, όταν + present tense often expresses:

a general condition or habit
“whenever / when(ever) you do X”

So:

όταν μιλάς = when(ever) you speak / when you’re speaking (in general)

This matches the general idea of the sentence: a habit or repeated situation — I don’t want to interrupt you when you speak (as a rule).

If you used a future form (όταν θα μιλάς) or an aorist (όταν μιλήσεις), the meaning and time reference would change; those are used in more specific, often future-oriented contexts.

Why is there a comma before «αλλά»?

Αλλά means “but” and introduces a contrast. In writing, it’s normal to separate the two contrasting clauses with a comma:

Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω όταν μιλάς, αλλά μερικές φορές…

So you have:

First clause: Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω όταν μιλάς
Second clause: μερικές φορές το θέμα είναι τόσο εντυπωσιακό που κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις

The comma marks the boundary between these two ideas that contrast with each other: I don’t want to interrupt you, but sometimes…

What does the structure «τόσο εντυπωσιακό που» mean?

Τόσο … που is a very common Greek structure meaning “so … that …” (a result clause).

In this sentence:

τόσο εντυπωσιακό = so impressive
που κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις = that I ask many questions

So «τόσο εντυπωσιακό που κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις» literally means:

so impressive that I ask a lot of questions.

Compare:

πολύ εντυπωσιακό = very impressive (no result implied)
τόσο εντυπωσιακό που… = so impressive that… (explicit result)

Why is «εντυπωσιακό» in the neuter singular form?

Greek adjectives agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

The noun here is το θέμα:
- gender: neuter
- number: singular
- case: nominative (subject of the verb είναι)

Therefore the adjective must also be:

neuter, singular, nominative: εντυπωσιακό

If the noun were feminine singular, it would be:

η ιδέα είναι εντυπωσιακή (the idea is impressive)

Masculine singular:

ο πίνακας είναι εντυπωσιακός (the painting is impressive)

Why do we say «κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις» instead of something like «ρωτάω πολλές ερωτήσεις»?

Κάνω ερωτήσεις is the natural, idiomatic way to say “ask questions” in Greek:

κάνω μια ερώτηση = I ask a question
κάνω πολλές ερωτήσεις = I ask many questions

The verb ρωτάω means “to ask (someone something)”, and it usually takes a direct object:

σε ρωτάω κάτι = I ask you something
τον ρώτησα για τη δουλειά = I asked him about the job

Saying «ρωτάω ερωτήσεις» is grammatically possible but sounds unnatural; native speakers strongly prefer κάνω ερωτήσεις for “ask questions”.

What is the nuance of «μερικές φορές» here? How is it different from «συχνά»?

Μερικές φορές literally means “a few times / sometimes”. It suggests:

it doesn’t happen constantly
but it does happen from time to time

In this sentence, it softens the contrast: I don’t want to interrupt you, but sometimes…

Comparisons:

μερικές φορές = sometimes, a few times
κάποιες φορές = also “sometimes” (very similar in meaning)
συχνά = often, frequently (implies higher frequency)
πάντα = always

If you said «συχνά το θέμα είναι τόσο εντυπωσιακό…», it would sound like this happens often, which is a bit stronger than the original μερικές φορές.

Can the word order change? For example, could we say «Δεν θέλω όταν μιλάς να σε διακόπτω»?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible, and «Δεν θέλω όταν μιλάς να σε διακόπτω» is grammatically acceptable. It shifts the focus slightly:

Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω όταν μιλάς
→ more neutral order; “I don’t want to interrupt you when you speak.”
Δεν θέλω όταν μιλάς να σε διακόπτω
→ puts a bit more emphasis on “when you speak” before mentioning the interruption.

However, the original word order is very natural and probably the most common way to say this.

Why is the negation placed as «Δεν θέλω να…» and not «Θέλω να δεν…»?

In modern Greek, the basic rule is:

δεν (negation) goes before the finite verb (the conjugated verb).

Here, the finite verb is θέλω:

Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω… = I don’t want to interrupt you…

You should not place δεν in front of the verb inside the να-clause in this type of sentence:

❌ Θέλω να δεν σε διακόπτω (incorrect)
✅ Δεν θέλω να σε διακόπτω (correct)

So the pattern is:
Δεν + [main verb] + να + [subordinate verb]…