Learn Hardcore Greek: Η πιθανότητα να κάνεις λάθος είναι πάντα εκεί, αλλά αυτό είναι φυσικό. - The possibility of making a mistake is always there, but that is natural.

Breakdown of Η πιθανότητα να κάνεις λάθος είναι πάντα εκεί, αλλά αυτό είναι φυσικό.

Why does the sentence use Η πιθανότητα with the article Η? In English we would just say “possibility” without the.

In Greek, abstract nouns are often used with the definite article when we talk about them in a general way.
- η πιθανότητα = the possibility / the chance in general.
So Η πιθανότητα να κάνεις λάθος… literally is The possibility that you make a mistake…, but in natural English we drop the and say The possibility of making a mistake… or There’s always a chance you’ll make a mistake….
Leaving out the article (Πιθανότητα να κάνεις λάθος…) would sound incomplete or stylistically odd in standard Greek in this context.

What is να κάνεις λάθος grammatically? Is κάνεις just the present tense “you do”?

να κάνεις is the subjunctive of the verb κάνω (to do/make).
- Present indicative: κάνεις = you do / you make
- Subjunctive: να κάνεις = (that) you do / (that) you make
Modern Greek doesn’t have a separate infinitive form (like “to do” in English). Instead, it uses να + subjunctive where English often uses an infinitive or that-clauses:
- η πιθανότητα να κάνεις λάθος
  = the possibility (for you) to make a mistake / that you make a mistake
In this sentence, the whole clause να κάνεις λάθος acts as the complement of η πιθανότητα:
Η πιθανότητα [να κάνεις λάθος] = The possibility [that you make a mistake].

Is λάθος a noun or an adjective here, and why doesn’t it change form?