Learn Hardcore Greek: Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα, γιατί θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές. - I never push the stroller fast, because I want the baby to feel safe.

In Greek, negative sentences normally use δεν (before the verb), and adverbs like ποτέ (ever/never), καθόλου (at all), etc., come in addition to it.

So:

Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ literally: I do not push ever → I never push.

This is not considered “incorrect double negation” in Greek; it is the normal way to say never.

You generally cannot say just σπρώχνω ποτέ without δεν in standard modern Greek. You need the δεν to negate the verb; ποτέ adds the “ever/never” meaning.

Can I say Ποτέ δεν σπρώχνω το καρότσι γρήγορα instead? Is there any difference?

Yes, you can, and it’s very natural:

Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα.
Ποτέ δεν σπρώχνω το καρότσι γρήγορα.

Both mean “I never push the stroller quickly.”

The difference is mainly in emphasis:

Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ… is neutral: I never push…
Ποτέ δεν σπρώχνω… puts extra emphasis on ποτέ: I never, ever push…

Both word orders are correct and common.

What exactly does the tense σπρώχνω express here? Why not θα σπρώξω or something with a future form?

Σπρώχνω is the present tense, imperfective aspect. In this sentence it expresses a general habit:

Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα
= I never (as a rule / habit) push the stroller quickly.

If you used θα σπρώξω (future perfective) or θα το σπρώχνω (future imperfective), you’d change the meaning:

Δεν θα σπρώξω το καρότσι γρήγορα
= I will not push the stroller quickly (this time / in that future situation).
Δεν θα σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα
= I will never push the stroller quickly (in the future).

So σπρώχνω here is the normal way to talk about a present, general habit or rule.

Why do we say το καρότσι and το μωρό with the article? Could we say them without το?

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English.

Here:

το καρότσι = the stroller
το μωρό = the baby

We use το because:

You are talking about a specific stroller and a specific baby (your baby, the stroller you’re pushing).
In Greek, even when English might say my baby, Greek often prefers:
το μωρό (possibly clear from context) or το μωρό μου (explicitly my baby).

Without the article:

σπρώχνω καρότσι sounds incomplete/wrong in this context.
σπρώχνω ένα καρότσι = I push a stroller (some stroller, not a specific known one).
θέλω μωρό would mean something like I want (to have) a baby, not I want the baby (I have) to…

So το καρότσι, το μωρό are natural because you refer to specific, known things.

Why is it γρήγορα and not γρήγορο? What form is γρήγορα?

Γρήγορα is the adverb: quickly / fast.

γρήγορος, -η, -ο = adjective: quick, fast
- γρήγορο καρότσι = a fast/quick stroller
γρήγορα = adverb: quickly
- σπρώχνω γρήγορα = I push quickly

In this sentence you are describing how you push (the manner of the action), not describing the stroller itself, so you must use the adverb:

✅ Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα.
❌ Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορο. (sounds wrong: treats γρήγορο as an adjective modifying το καρότσι, not the verb)

Does γιατί here mean “why” or “because”? How do I know the difference?

Γιατί can mean both “why” and “because,” depending on position and structure:

As “why” (question word), usually at the start of a question:
- Γιατί σπρώχνεις το καρότσι τόσο αργά;
  = Why do you push the stroller so slowly?
As “because” (conjunction) introducing a reason clause:
- Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα, γιατί θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές.
  = …because I want the baby to feel safe.

You can recognize “because” usage when γιατί connects two clauses and the sentence is not a question.

You could also use επειδή for “because” here:

… επειδή θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές.
This is also correct; γιατί is slightly more colloquial in many contexts, but very common.

How does the structure θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές work? Who is the subject of νιώθει?

The structure is:

θέλω + [person/thing] + να + [verb]

This means: I want [that person/thing] to [do/be something].

In θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές:

θέλω = I want
το μωρό = the baby (direct object of θέλω)
να νιώθει ασφαλές = to feel safe

The subject of the verb νιώθει is το μωρό.
So literally: I want the baby to feel safe.

This pattern is very common in Greek:

Θέλω εσύ να μιλήσεις.
= I want you to speak.
Θέλω τα παιδιά να κοιμηθούν νωρίς.
= I want the children to sleep early.

Why is it να νιώθει and not να νιώσει? What’s the difference between these two?

Both νιώθει and νιώσει come from the verb νιώθω (to feel), but they differ in aspect:

να νιώθει: imperfective aspect → ongoing, repeated, or general state
να νιώσει: perfective aspect → a single, completed change of state

In this sentence:

θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές
= I want the baby to feel safe (in general / continuously / while I push).

If you used να νιώσει:

θέλω το μωρό να νιώσει ασφαλές
= I want the baby to (come to) feel safe (at some point / to reach that feeling).

Both can be grammatically possible, but:

να νιώθει emphasizes being in a safe state, an ongoing feeling.
να νιώσει emphasizes starting to feel safe, a change from unsafe/insecure to safe.

Given the context (a general habit and continuous action: I never push fast), να νιώθει is more natural.

Could we use αισθάνομαι instead of νιώθω here? What’s the difference?

Yes, you could say:

… γιατί θέλω το μωρό να αισθάνεται ασφαλές.

Differences:

νιώθω is more colloquial, everyday, very common in speech.
αισθάνομαι is slightly more formal or neutral, sometimes a bit more “bookish” or psychological, but also used in everyday language.

In most casual contexts, νιώθω sounds more natural, especially in a simple, warm sentence about a baby.

Why is it ασφαλές and not ασφαλές/ασφαλή/ασφαλής? How does this adjective agree?

The base adjective is ασφαλής = safe.

Its main forms (singular, nominative):

Masculine: ασφαλής
Feminine: ασφαλής
Neuter: ασφαλές

The noun το μωρό is neuter (like most words in -ο), so the adjective must agree in gender, number, and case:

το μωρό → neuter singular → ασφαλές

So:

Το μωρό είναι ασφαλές. = The baby is safe.
Θέλω το μωρό να νιώθει ασφαλές. = I want the baby to feel safe.

Forms like ασφαλή can appear in other cases or plurals, but here we need the neuter singular nominative/predicative form ασφαλές.

Where do adverbs like ποτέ and γρήγορα normally go in the sentence? Could we move them around?

Rough guidelines:

Δεν comes immediately before the verb.
Ποτέ (ever/never) usually comes very close to the verb:
- Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι.
- Ποτέ δεν σπρώχνω το καρότσι.
γρήγορα modifies how you push, so it usually comes after the verb or at the end of the verb phrase:
- Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα.
- Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ γρήγορα το καρότσι. (also possible, with slightly different rhythm)

Most natural options here:

Δεν σπρώχνω ποτέ το καρότσι γρήγορα.
Ποτέ δεν σπρώχνω το καρότσι γρήγορα.

Other placements might sound unusual or wrong, especially if they break δεν away from the verb or separate ποτέ too far from it.

How do you pronounce σπρώχνω, καρότσι, and νιώθει? Anything tricky for English speakers?

Yes, some points:

σπρώχνω: /ˈspro.xno/
- σπρ- like “spr” in spring.
- ώ is a stressed o sound.
- χ is like the German “ch” in Bach, a voiceless velar fricative, not like English “h” or “k”.
- Stress on the first syllable: ΣΠΡώ-χνω.
καρότσι: /kaˈro.tsi/
- τσ = “ts” as in tsunami or cats.
- Stress on the second syllable: κα-ΡΌ-τσι.
νιώθει: usually /ˈɲo.θi/
- νι
  - ω here combine to a palatal sound, often like “nyo”: νιώ ≈ “nyo”.
- θ is like English “th” in think (not like this).
- Stress on the first syllable: ΝΙΏ-θει (phonetically something like NYÓ-thi).

These sounds (χ, θ, palatal νι → νιό) take practice, but they are very characteristic of Greek pronunciation.