Breakdown of Όσο κι αν είναι ανησυχητικό ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα, αισθάνομαι καλύτερα όταν ξέρω ότι έχω να κάνω μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα κάθε μέρα.
Questions & Answers about Όσο κι αν είναι ανησυχητικό ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα, αισθάνομαι καλύτερα όταν ξέρω ότι έχω να κάνω μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα κάθε μέρα.
Όσο κι αν is a fixed expression that introduces a concessive clause – something like:
- no matter how (much) …
- however … it may be
In this sentence, Όσο κι αν είναι ανησυχητικό ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα means roughly:
- No matter how worrying a difficult exam is, or
- However worrying a difficult exam may be.
It sets up a contrast with what follows: even though the exam is worrying, I feel better when…
κι is just a spoken/phonetic variant of και. Greek often uses κι instead of και:
Before a vowel sound, to make pronunciation smoother:
- κι αν, κι εγώ, κι έτσι, etc.
Sometimes even before consonants in fast or informal speech.
Here, Όσο κι αν is simply Όσο και αν in more careful spelling, but native speakers almost always say and write Όσο κι αν in this fixed phrase. There is no difference in meaning, only in pronunciation and style.
Both word orders are possible and correct:
- Είναι ανησυχητικό ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα.
- Ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα είναι ανησυχητικό.
The second one (noun first) is the most neutral, similar to English:
A difficult exam is worrying.
Putting the adjective first (είναι ανησυχητικό…) is used for slight emphasis on the quality (that it is worrying), or to keep the rhythm of the longer sentence smooth.
Greek word order is more flexible than English. In this sentence, starting with είναι ανησυχητικό makes the opening of the clause flow nicely into the rest:
- Όσο κι αν είναι ανησυχητικό
(No matter how worrying it is…)
and then it finally specifies what is worrying: ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα.
So yes, Ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα είναι ανησυχητικό is fully correct and natural; the version in the sentence just has a slightly different emphasis and rhythm.
In Greek, adjectives agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case.
- διαγώνισμα (exam/test) is neuter, singular, nominative.
- Therefore, its adjectives must also be neuter singular nominative:
- δύσκολο διαγώνισμα – difficult exam
- ανησυχητικό διαγώνισμα – worrying exam
Forms:
- δύσκολος (m.), δύσκολη (f.), δύσκολο (n.)
- ανησυχητικός (m.), ανησυχητική (f.), ανησυχητικό (n.)
You see δύσκολο and ανησυχητικό in their neuter form to match το διαγώνισμα.
Even when the noun is not placed right next to ανησυχητικό (because of word order), the agreement in gender/number/case still shows that ανησυχητικό describes ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα.
Greek often uses the present tense where English might use future or a more explicit conditional.
Όσο κι αν είναι ανησυχητικό ένα δύσκολο διαγώνισμα:
- does not necessarily talk about a specific future exam only;
- it states a general truth or a typical situation: Whenever there is a difficult exam, it is worrying.
In English, you might say:
- No matter how worrying a difficult exam is (present), or
- No matter how worrying a difficult exam might be.
Greek doesn’t need θα είναι here. Using είναι makes it more general and more natural: it’s about the nature of difficult exams in general, not just one particular future event.
Both αισθάνομαι and νιώθω can mean “I feel” (emotionally or physically), and they often overlap.
- νιώθω is more informal and extremely common.
- αισθάνομαι can sound a bit more formal, slightly more “careful” or sometimes more emotional/psychological in tone.
In αισθάνομαι καλύτερα, the speaker is talking about their emotional state (feeling more at ease, less anxious). You could also say:
- Νιώθω καλύτερα όταν ξέρω ότι…
That would be perfectly natural too. Here, αισθάνομαι just adds a slightly more thoughtful or introspective tone, which fits the reflective style of the sentence.
Yes, καλύτερα here functions as an adverb, not as an adjective.
- καλός/καλή/καλό = good (adjective)
- καλύτερος/καλύτερη/καλύτερο = better (adjective)
- καλά = well (adverb)
- καλύτερα = better (adverb)
With verbs of feeling or being, Greeks very often use the adverbial form:
- Νιώθω καλά / καλύτερα. – I feel well / better.
- Είμαι καλά / καλύτερα. – I am well / better.
- Αισθάνομαι καλύτερα. – I feel better.
So καλύτερα does not agree with εγώ grammatically; it just modifies how you feel – you feel “better” in general.
Literally, έχω να κάνω is something like:
- “I have to do / I have (something) to do.”
In this sentence, ξέρω ότι έχω να κάνω μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα κάθε μέρα means:
- I know that I only have to take one small step every day.
Nuances:
- έχω να κάνω κάτι
= I have this task/obligation ahead of me; it’s on my plate to do. - πρέπει να κάνω κάτι
= I must / I’m obliged to do something (stronger sense of obligation). - Just κάνω κάτι
= I do something (simple statement of action, no sense of obligation).
Here, έχω να κάνω focuses on what is “on my to-do list” in a calming way: I know that all I have in front of me is just one small step per day, rather than a huge overwhelming task.
In μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα, μόνο modifies the whole noun phrase ένα μικρό βήμα:
- only one small step
Positioning:
- μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα (very natural)
- ένα μόνο μικρό βήμα (also possible, a bit more emphasis on one)
- ένα μικρό μόνο βήμα (less common, focusing more on the “small” step being the only thing)
In the sentence, μόνο ένα μικρό βήμα suggests:
- it’s not a lot,
- it’s manageable,
- it reduces the sense of being overwhelmed.
So μόνο in front of the whole phrase ένα μικρό βήμα highlights that this is all you have to do – just that small step.
κάθε means “each / every”.
In Greek, when you use κάθε, the noun is:
- singular, not plural:
- κάθε μέρα – every day
- κάθε εβδομάδα – every week
- κάθε άνθρωπος – every person
So κάθε μέρα literally = each day, and functions exactly like English every day.
Plural μέρες would be used in other structures (e.g. πολλές μέρες, δυο μέρες) but κάθε always takes a singular noun.
Here όταν is closer to “whenever / when(ever)” in English, in a general sense:
- αισθάνομαι καλύτερα όταν ξέρω ότι…
= I feel better whenever I know that… (in any such situation).
It describes a general condition, not just one single moment.
Using αν (if) would change the meaning:
- Αισθάνομαι καλύτερα αν ξέρω ότι…
= I feel better if I know that… (conditional: in the case that I know it).
όταν focuses on time/situation and introduces a repeated or typical scenario.
αν focuses on condition/possibility.
In this reflective, habitual context, όταν is the most natural choice.
Yes, Όσο κι αν is very common and productive. It introduces something that is true even to a great extent, but still doesn’t change the main point. A few typical patterns:
Όσο κι αν προσπαθώ, δεν τα καταφέρνω.
No matter how much I try, I don’t manage it.Όσο κι αν φωνάζεις, δε θα αλλάξει γνώμη.
No matter how much you shout, he/she won’t change their mind.Όσο κι αν είναι ακριβό, το χρειάζομαι.
However expensive it is, I need it.Όσο κι αν κουραστώ, θα το τελειώσω σήμερα.
No matter how tired I get, I’ll finish it today.
In all these, Όσο κι αν highlights something that could be a strong obstacle or objection, but the main statement still holds.