Δεν τρώω συχνά χοιρινό, αλλά μου αρέσει το ψητό μοσχάρι της γιαγιάς μου.

I don’t eat pork often, but I like my grandmother’s roasted beef.

Breakdown of Δεν τρώω συχνά χοιρινό, αλλά μου αρέσει το ψητό μοσχάρι της γιαγιάς μου.

• τρώω: to eat
• δεν: not
• μου: my
• αλλά: but

Questions & Answers about Δεν τρώω συχνά χοιρινό, αλλά μου αρέσει το ψητό μοσχάρι της γιαγιάς μου.

Why is there no word for I before τρώω?

Greek often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person. Τρώω by itself means I eat.

If you want extra emphasis, you can add εγώ: Εγώ δεν τρώω συχνά χοιρινό... That sounds more like I don't often eat pork...

What does δεν do here?

Δεν is the normal negation word used before verbs in Greek. Here, δεν τρώω means I do not eat or I don't eat.

A few useful points:

• δεν goes before the verb
• before some sounds, you may also see the shorter form δε
• it is extremely common in everyday Greek

So Δεν τρώω συχνά χοιρινό = I don’t often eat pork.

How do I know τρώω means I eat?

Τρώω is the present tense, first person singular form of the verb τρώω, meaning to eat.

So:

• τρώω = I eat
• τρως = you eat
• τρώει = he/she/it eats

Greek verbs usually show the subject through their endings, which is why I does not need to be stated separately.

Why is συχνά placed after τρώω?