Questions & Answers about Δεν έχω ούτε ένα λεπτό σήμερα.
Why is there no word for I in the sentence?
Greek often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed, because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
- έχω = I have
- so Δεν έχω already means I don’t have
You could say Εγώ δεν έχω ούτε ένα λεπτό σήμερα, but εγώ would add emphasis, as in I don’t have even a minute today.
What does Δεν έχω mean exactly?
Δεν is the normal word for not before a verb in Modern Greek.
- έχω = I have
- δεν έχω = I do not have / I don’t have
So the sentence begins with a very standard negated verb phrase.
What does ούτε ένα mean here?
Here ούτε ένα means not even one.
So:
- ούτε = not even / neither / nor depending on context
- ένα = one / a
In this sentence, ούτε ένα λεπτό means not even one minute.
This makes the statement stronger than simply saying I don’t have a minute. It emphasizes total lack of time.