Breakdown of Δεν έχω να κατεβάσω άλλο βίντεο σήμερα, γιατί η συνδρομή μου στην πλατφόρμα έχει όριο.
έχω
to have
δεν
not
να
to
σήμερα
today
Questions & Answers about Δεν έχω να κατεβάσω άλλο βίντεο σήμερα, γιατί η συνδρομή μου στην πλατφόρμα έχει όριο.
The English translation looks like “I don’t have to download another video today.” But in English that means “I’m not obliged to.” Does Δεν έχω να κατεβάσω άλλο βίντεο also mean “I’m not obliged to download another video”?
No. This is a classic “false friend” between English and Greek.
- Δεν έχω να κατεβάσω άλλο βίντεο literally means something like:
- “I don’t have (any more) to download another video”, i.e. I’ve run out of downloads / I don’t have any more available downloads.
- It expresses lack of resource or possibility, not lack of obligation.
If you wanted to say “I don’t have to download another video” (no obligation) in Greek, you would usually say something like:
- Δεν χρειάζεται να κατεβάσω άλλο βίντεο.
(It isn’t necessary that I download another video.)
What exactly does the structure “δεν έχω να + verb” mean, and how is it used in general?