Learn Hardcore Greek: Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν διαβάζω καλά τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα. - Without my glasses I don’t read well the small words that are written on the board.

So when we talk about eyeglasses, we always use the plural τα γυαλιά, never a singular form. This matches English in meaning (we also normally say glasses, not a glass for spectacles), but in Greek it’s grammatically clearer: γυαλιά is the standard word for eyeglasses and is treated grammatically as neuter plural.

Why is μου after the noun in τα γυαλιά μου instead of before it, like my glasses in English?

Greek generally puts the unstressed possessive pronoun after the noun:

το βιβλίο μου = my book
τα γυαλιά μου = my glasses
η τσάντα σου = your bag

So the structure is:

article + noun + possessive pronoun

This is the normal, neutral way to say my X in Greek. You only put a possessive pronoun before the noun in special emphatic forms, like η δική μου τσάντα (my own bag), which is more marked.

In the sentence:

τα γυαλιά μου = my glasses

the placement of μου after γυαλιά is just standard Greek grammar.

Why is the negation δεν placed before διαβάζω? Can it ever come after the verb?

The basic rule is:

δεν (or δε) goes directly before the verb it negates.

So:

δεν διαβάζω = I do not read / I don't read
δεν βλέπω = I do not see
δεν μπορώ να διαβάσω = I cannot read

You cannot put δεν after the verb:

✗ διαβάζω δεν καλά (incorrect)
✓ δεν διαβάζω καλά (correct)

In the sentence:

δεν διαβάζω καλά = I don’t read well / I can’t read well

δεν must come before διαβάζω.

Why does δεν διαβάζω καλά translate like I can’t read well and not just I don’t read well?

Literally, δεν διαβάζω καλά means I do not read well.

However, in context, especially with something like χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου (without my glasses), English tends to express the idea as I can’t read well rather than I don’t read well.

Greek often uses a simple negative present tense to express an inability or difficulty in a situation:

Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν διαβάζω καλά
= Literally: Without my glasses I do not read well
= Naturally in English: Without my glasses I can’t read small words on the board very well.

So the grammar is straightforward negation; the can’t in English is a natural translation choice for meaning, not something explicitly present in the Greek verb form.

Why is it τις μικρές λέξεις? What does the τις show, and why are μικρές and λέξεις in that form?

τις μικρές λέξεις is feminine plural accusative. Each word shows:

τις = definite article, feminine plural accusative (the)
μικρές = adjective, feminine plural accusative (small)
λέξεις = noun, feminine plural accusative (words)

They have to agree in:

gender (feminine),
number (plural),
case (accusative, because λέξεις is the direct object of διαβάζω).

So:

διαβάζω τις μικρές λέξεις = I read the small words

The article τις is needed in Greek in many places where English might omit the, but here English would also naturally have the: the small words.

Why is the adjective μικρές placed between τις and λέξεις? Could I say τις λέξεις μικρές instead?

The most common, neutral pattern in Greek is:

article + adjective + noun

So:

τις μικρές λέξεις = the small words
τον μεγάλο πίνακα = the big board
τα ωραία γυαλιά = the nice glasses

You can sometimes put the adjective after the noun with a repeated article (λέξεις οι μικρές or οι λέξεις οι μικρές) for emphasis or stylistic reasons, but:

τις λέξεις μικρές (without the second article) sounds wrong in standard Greek.

So in normal speech and writing, stick with τις μικρές λέξεις.

What exactly does που do in τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα? Is it like who, which, or that?

Here που is a very common relative pronoun, roughly equivalent to English that or which:

τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα
= the small words that are written on the board

In everyday Greek, που is used very broadly:

For people: ο άνθρωπος που είδα = the man (that/who) I saw
For things: το βιβλίο που διάβασα = the book (that/which) I read
For places, etc.

Greek also has more formal relative forms like ο οποίος, η οποία, το οποίο etc., but in spoken and casual written Greek που is by far the most common choice. Here it clearly means that/which.

Why is it είναι γραμμένες and not just είναι γραμμένο or είναι γραμμένη?

είναι γραμμένες is:

είναι = are
γραμμένες = written (feminine plural, passive participle)

This must agree with λέξεις:

λέξεις is feminine plural,
so the participle must also be feminine plural: γραμμένες.

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

οι στίχοι είναι γραμμένοι (masculine plural) = the lines are written
τα γράμματα είναι γραμμένα (neuter plural) = the letters are written

So:

οι λέξεις είναι γραμμένες = the words are written

is grammatically consistent: verb είναι + participle agreeing with the subject λέξεις.

What is στον in στον πίνακα? Is it one word or two?

στον is a contraction of:

σε
- τον → στον

So:

σε = in / on / at / to (general preposition)
τον = masculine singular accusative article (the)

Together:

στον πίνακα = on the board / at the board

Similar contractions:

σε + τον → στον (masculine)
σε + τον τοίχο → στον τοίχο (on the wall)
σε + την τάξη → στην τάξη (in the classroom)
σε + το σπίτι → στο σπίτι (at home/at the house)

In writing and speech, you almost always use the contracted form (στον, στην, στο, etc.).

Why is πίνακα in that form and not πίνακας?

The basic nominative form is:

ο πίνακας = the board (subject form)

In στον πίνακα, the noun is in the accusative case:

ο πίνακας (nominative) → τον πίνακα (accusative)

Because σε + article requires the accusative:

σε + τον πίνακα → στον πίνακα

So:

ο πίνακας είναι άσπρος = the board is white (nominative, subject)
γράφω στον πίνακα = I write on the board (accusative, object of σε)

Could I change the word order, for example Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν διαβάζω τις μικρές λέξεις καλά? Is that still correct?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible, and both of these are grammatical:

Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν διαβάζω καλά τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα.
Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν διαβάζω τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα καλά.

Both mean essentially the same thing. The most natural options keep καλά near the verb:

δεν διαβάζω καλά τις μικρές λέξεις… (most typical)
δεν διαβάζω τις μικρές λέξεις… καλά (also possible, with a slight rhythmic difference)

What you generally cannot do is move δεν away from the verb, or break the articles and nouns in strange ways. But small shifts like moving καλά are often acceptable and just slightly change emphasis.

Why is the preposition χωρίς followed by τα γυαλιά μου (accusative)? Does χωρίς always take that case?

Yes, χωρίς is a preposition that always takes the accusative case.

So you have:

χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου = without my glasses
χωρίς τον πίνακα = without the board
χωρίς νερό = without water

In the sentence:

Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου…

τα γυαλιά is in the accusative (same form as nominative for neuter plural, but functionally accusative here). This is required by the preposition χωρίς.

Could I say Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν μπορώ να διαβάσω καλά τις μικρές λέξεις… instead? What is the difference from δεν διαβάζω καλά?

Yes, you can say:

Χωρίς τα γυαλιά μου δεν μπορώ να διαβάσω καλά τις μικρές λέξεις που είναι γραμμένες στον πίνακα.

This means very explicitly:

Without my glasses I cannot read the small words that are written on the board well.

Difference:

δεν διαβάζω καλά = I don’t read well / I can’t read well (simple negative present; the idea of inability is understood from context).
δεν μπορώ να διαβάσω καλά = I cannot read well (explicitly states inability using μπορώ = I can / am able to).

Both are natural. The original sentence uses simpler grammar but still clearly implies I can’t from context.