Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια.

I am not saying anything difficult, I am just telling the truth.

Breakdown of Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια.

• δεν: not
• δύσκολος: difficult
• λέω: to say
• κάτι: anything
• η αλήθεια: the truth
• απλώς: just

Questions & Answers about Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια.

What does δεν do in this sentence, and where does it go?

Δεν is the basic negation particle in Greek; it makes the verb negative, like not in English.

• It always comes right before the verb:
  • λέω → δεν λέω (I say → I don’t say)
• The sentence Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο = I’m not saying anything difficult.

In writing you usually see δεν. In speech, the final -ν often drops before many consonants, so you may hear δε λέω, but both mean the same thing.

Why is λέω used here instead of μιλάω?

Greek distinguishes between:

• λέω = to say / to tell something specific
  
  • e.g. λέω την αλήθεια = I tell the truth
• μιλάω = to speak / to talk (more general activity, or a language)
  
  • e.g. μιλάω με τον φίλο μου = I’m talking with my friend
  • μιλάω ελληνικά = I speak Greek

In Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια, the speaker is talking about the content of what they say (the truth), so λέω is the natural choice, not μιλάω.

Why is κάτι translated as “anything” here, when it usually means “something”?

Literally, κάτι means something.

• λέω κάτι = I say something

But when κάτι appears in a negative sentence in Greek, English usually prefers anything:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο
  Literal: I’m not saying something difficult
  Natural English: I’m not saying anything difficult

Greek doesn’t change κάτι to a special “negative” form; the negation is already handled by δεν. The English translation changes for naturalness.

You could also say:

• Δεν λέω τίποτα δύσκολο = I’m not saying anything difficult at all

Here τίποτα is the “nothing/anything” word used in negatives.

Why is δύσκολο in the neuter form? What is it agreeing with?

Greek adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun (or pronoun) they describe.

• κάτι = something / anything, and it is grammatically neuter singular.
• So the adjective must also be neuter singular: δύσκολο (not δύσκολη or δύσκολος).

So:

• κάτι δύσκολο = literally something difficult, with both words neuter singular.

What’s the difference between κάτι δύσκολο and κάτι το δύσκολο?

Both are grammatically correct, but they feel different:

• κάτι δύσκολο

  • The normal, everyday way to say something difficult.
  • Used in spoken and written modern Greek.

• κάτι το δύσκολο

  • Adds a bit of emphasis or formality, almost like something that is difficult as such.
  • More common in careful, formal, or somewhat old-fashioned style.

In this sentence, Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο is the natural, neutral choice.

What exactly does απλώς mean, and how is it different from απλά or μόνο?

Απλώς is an adverb meaning simply / just.

• απλώς λέω την αλήθεια = I’m simply (just) telling the truth.

Comparisons:

• απλώς

  • Slightly more standard/neutral.
  • Emphasizes that what you’re doing is nothing more complicated.

• απλά

  • Very common in everyday speech; effectively the same meaning in this position.
  • Many speakers use απλά and απλώς interchangeably.

• μόνο

  • Literally only.
  • Μόνο λέω την αλήθεια = I only tell the truth.
  • Often similar to just, but it can feel more restrictive: “I’m not doing anything else, only this.”

In this sentence, απλώς highlights that the speaker isn’t making things complicated; they’re “just” telling the truth.

Why is there a comma before απλώς λέω την αλήθεια? Could we connect the clauses differently?

The sentence has two independent clauses:

1. Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο – I’m not saying anything difficult
2. απλώς λέω την αλήθεια – I’m simply telling the truth

They are just placed side by side with a comma, and απλώς marks the second as a kind of clarification/contrast.

You could also connect them with a conjunction:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια. (as given)
• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια, τίποτα παραπάνω.
• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλά λέω την αλήθεια.

You could also use μα (but) for a stronger contrast:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, μα λέω την αλήθεια.

The comma helps separate the two ideas: “not this… just that.”

Why does αλήθεια take the article την, when English says “the truth” or just “truth”?

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English, especially with:

• Abstract nouns (truth, love, justice, etc.)
• General concepts.

Η αλήθεια literally is the truth. In the sentence:

• λέω την αλήθεια = I tell the truth

English also often says the truth, so this case matches nicely, but keep in mind:

• Greek will say η αλήθεια είναι πικρή = literally the truth is bitter, where English might also say the truth is bitter, but in many other abstract cases English would drop the article while Greek keeps it.

What case is την αλήθεια, and what is την exactly?

Την αλήθεια is in the accusative case, used for the direct object of the verb.

• λέω κάτι – I say something
• λέω την αλήθεια – I say/tell the truth

Form breakdown:

• η αλήθεια (nominative, subject) = the truth
• την αλήθεια (accusative, object) = the truth (as object)

Την is the feminine singular accusative form of the definite article η. It’s used because αλήθεια is a feminine noun.

Why isn’t there an explicit “I” (εγώ) in the Greek sentence?

Greek is a pro‑drop language: the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending already shows the person.

• λέω already tells you it is I say / I am saying.
• So Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο naturally means I’m not saying anything difficult without needing εγώ.

You can add εγώ for emphasis:

• Εγώ δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια.
  = I am not saying anything difficult, I’m simply telling the truth (implying “maybe others are, but I am not”).

What tense and person is λέω, and what verb does it come from?

Λέω here is:

• Present tense
• 1st person singular
• Of the verb λέω (more formal/older form: λέγω) = to say / to tell.

A few present‑tense forms:

• (εγώ) λέω – I say
• (εσύ) λες – you say (singular)
• (αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) λέει – he/she/it says
• (εμείς) λέμε – we say
• (εσείς) λέτε – you say (plural / polite)
• (αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) λένε – they say

So δεν λέω = I don’t say / I’m not saying.

How flexible is the word order? Could we move απλώς or την αλήθεια around?

Modern Greek word order is fairly flexible because roles are marked by endings and articles, not just position.

Your sentence:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, απλώς λέω την αλήθεια.

Some natural variations:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, λέω απλώς την αλήθεια.
  (Small emphasis on απλώς modifying λέω.)

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο, την αλήθεια απλώς λέω.
  (More marked; emphasizes την αλήθεια: “It’s the truth I’m simply telling.”)

• Απλώς λέω την αλήθεια, δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο.
  (Reversed order; starts with the justification.)

They all remain understandable. The given version is the most neutral and straightforward.

How is the sentence pronounced, and where is the stress?

Word by word with stressed syllables in capitals (approximate):

• Δεν → [ðen] (like “then” with a th as in this)
• λέω → [ˈLE‑o] (two syllables: LE‑o, not lyo)
• κάτι → [ˈKA‑ti]
• δύσκολο → [ˈÐIS‑ko‑lo] (the δ is “soft th” as in this)
• απλώς → [a‑ˈPLOS]
• την → [tin]
• αλήθεια → [a‑ˈLI‑θça] or [a‑ˈLI‑θja]
  (θ as in think)

Full rhythm (stressed syllables in caps):

DEN LE‑o KA‑ti ÐIS‑ko‑lo, a‑PLOS LE‑o tin a‑LI‑θja.

Could we say Δεν λέω τίποτα δύσκολο instead of Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο? Is there a difference?

Yes, Δεν λέω τίποτα δύσκολο is also correct and very natural.

Nuance:

• Δεν λέω κάτι δύσκολο

  • Neutral: I’m not saying anything difficult.
  • Slightly more “matter‑of‑fact”.

• Δεν λέω τίποτα δύσκολο

  • Often feels a bit stronger: “I’m not saying anything difficult at all.”
  • τίποτα is the typical “anything/nothing” word used with negation.

In many contexts, the difference is subtle and both can be translated as I’m not saying anything difficult.