Learn Hardcore Greek: Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή, αλλά προσπαθώ. - My tendency to be afraid of mistakes is still strong, but I try.

voltage in physics:
- η ηλεκτρική τάση = electric voltage
trend in statistics / fashion / society:
- η τάση της αγοράς = market trend
tension / stretching in physical situations:
- η τάση του σχοινιού = the tension of the rope

Here, though, it’s clearly psychological: an internal tendency or inclination.

Why is the possessive μου placed after τάση? Could it go before, like in English "my tendency"?

In Greek, short possessive pronouns like μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους normally come after the noun as enclitics:

η τάση μου = my tendency
το σπίτι σου = your house
η δουλειά τους = their job

So η τάση μου is the normal, neutral way to say “my tendency.”

You can put a stressed form before the noun for emphasis, but that usually includes δικός/δική/δικό:

η δική μου τάση = my own tendency (as opposed to someone else’s)

Without emphasis, you don’t say μου τάση; you say η τάση μου.

What is the function of να in να φοβάμαι? Is it like the English “to” in “to be afraid”?

Yes, this να often corresponds to English “to” or “that” when introducing a subordinate clause.

Greek doesn’t have a true infinitive in modern usage, so instead it uses να + verb to express things like:

to do, to see, to be afraid, etc.
many “that”-clauses after verbs like want, hope, try, like.

Here:

η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη
literally: my tendency that I be afraid of mistakes
functionally: “my tendency to be afraid of mistakes.”

So να introduces a subordinate clause that behaves like an infinitive phrase in English.

Why is it να φοβάμαι and not something like να φοβάω or να φοβηθώ?

The verb here is φοβάμαι, which is a “mediopassive-only” verb (there’s no commonly used active form with the same meaning “to be afraid”).

Form of the verb
- Present tense forms (indicative or subjunctive, same shape):
  - φοβάμαι – I am afraid
  - φοβάσαι – you are afraid
  - φοβάται – he/she/it is afraid
  - φοβόμαστε – we are afraid
  - φοβάστε – you (pl.) are afraid
  - φοβούνται – they are afraid
So να φοβάμαι is the correct 1st person singular form with να.
Why not να φοβηθώ?
- να φοβάμαι (imperfective): to be afraid (in general / as a state or habit)
- να φοβηθώ (aorist): to get frightened once / to become afraid on a specific occasion
Τάση (tendency) is about a general, ongoing pattern, so Greek uses the imperfective:
η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη = my tendency to be afraid of mistakes (as a habit).
What about φοβάω?
- φοβάω (I frighten) exists but is mostly used transitively: I scare someone:
  - Τον φόβισα / τον φόβισα (colloquially from φοβάω / φοβίζω) = I scared him.
- For I am afraid, native speakers use φοβάμαι.

Why is it τα λάθη and not just λάθη without the article? Does the article change the meaning?

Λάθη is the plural of το λάθος (mistake, neuter).

Singular: το λάθος – the mistake
Plural: τα λάθη – the mistakes

In Greek, the definite article is often used when we talk about things in general, much more than in English. So:

Φοβάμαι τα λάθη.
Literally: I’m afraid of the mistakes.
Meaning: I’m afraid of mistakes (in general).

If you say φοβάμαι λάθη without the article, it can sound a bit odd or less natural in this generic sense. The article τα helps make it sound like a general category, which is what we need here.

So:

φοβάμαι τα λάθη = I’m afraid of mistakes in general
τα λάθη is grammatical neuter plural with the article required in standard, natural Greek in this usage.

Why is δυνατή in the feminine form, and how does agreement work here?

Δυνατή is the feminine singular form of the adjective δυνατός, -ή, -ό (strong).

Adjectives in Greek must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.

Noun: η τάση
- gender: feminine
- number: singular
- case: nominative

So the adjective must also be:

δυνατή (feminine, singular, nominative)

The basic forms of this adjective:

Masculine: δυνατός
Feminine: δυνατή
Neuter: δυνατό

Some examples:

ο δυνατός άνεμος – the strong wind (masc.)
η δυνατή τάση – the strong tendency (fem.)
το δυνατό φως – the strong / bright light (neut.)

In your sentence:

Η τάση μου … είναι ακόμα δυνατή
= My tendency … is still strong.

The form δυνατή is chosen because it matches η τάση.

What does ακόμα mean here, and is there a difference between ακόμα and ακόμη?

Here ακόμα means “still”:

είναι ακόμα δυνατή = it is still strong

So the whole clause:

Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή
= My tendency to be afraid of mistakes is still strong.

As for ακόμα vs ακόμη:

In modern Greek, ακόμα and ακόμη are almost completely interchangeable in everyday speech.
Both can mean:
- still: Είναι ακόμα/ακόμη εδώ; – Is he still here?
- even in some contexts: Ακόμα και τώρα… – Even now…

Some speakers feel ακόμη is a bit more formal or “standard,” and ακόμα a bit more colloquial, but both are widely accepted and understood. In your sentence, either is fine:

είναι ακόμα δυνατή
είναι ακόμη δυνατή
Both mean “is still strong.”

Why is there no εγώ before προσπαθώ? How do we know the subject is "I"?

Greek is a pro-drop language, meaning that subject pronouns are often omitted when the verb ending already makes the subject clear.

The verb προσπαθώ is:

1st person singular present: (εγώ) προσπαθώ = I try / I am trying

So:

… αλλά προσπαθώ. Literally: … but (I) try.
= but I’m trying.

Adding εγώ is not wrong, but it adds emphasis:

… αλλά εγώ προσπαθώ.
= … but I am trying (at least).

In neutral, everyday usage, εγώ is usually dropped when it’s obvious from context and from the verb ending.

Is the word order Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή fixed, or could the adverb ακόμα go somewhere else?

The word order here is natural and common, but Greek word order is fairly flexible, especially with adverbs.

These are all possible and grammatical:

Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή.
Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι δυνατή ακόμα.
Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη ακόμα είναι δυνατή. (less natural, but possible with special emphasis)

The most neutral, natural-sounding version is usually:

είναι ακόμα δυνατή

είναι δυνατή ακόμα

Both mean “is still strong.” The difference is often just a slight shift in rhythm or emphasis; your original sentence’s word order is very typical.

Could this be expressed more simply in Greek, like “Φοβάμαι ακόμα τα λάθη, αλλά προσπαθώ”? Is there a difference in meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Φοβάμαι ακόμα τα λάθη, αλλά προσπαθώ.
= I’m still afraid of mistakes, but I’m trying.

This is more direct and simple.

Your original sentence:

Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή, αλλά προσπαθώ.

adds a bit of abstraction:

It talks about “my tendency to be afraid” as something that exists and has a level of strength.
It sounds a little more reflective/psychological: you’re analyzing your own behavior.

So:

Φοβάμαι ακόμα τα λάθη – focuses on the immediate feeling: I’m still afraid of mistakes.
Η τάση μου να φοβάμαι τα λάθη είναι ακόμα δυνατή – focuses on the underlying tendency or habit: my tendency to be afraid of mistakes is still strong.

Both are correct; the choice depends on the nuance you want.