Breakdown of Συνήθως δεν απαντάω στα μηνύματα όταν δουλεύω.
δεν
not
σε
to
δουλεύω
to work
το μήνυμα
the message
Questions & Answers about Συνήθως δεν απαντάω στα μηνύματα όταν δουλεύω.
Why does the sentence start with Συνήθως?
Συνήθως means usually. It is an adverb of frequency, so it tells you how often something happens.
Putting it at the beginning is very natural in Greek, just like Usually, I don’t reply... in English. Greek word order is flexible, so you could move it, but the beginning is a very common position.
Why is δεν used here?
Δεν is the basic word for not before verbs.
So:
- απαντάω = I reply / I answer
- δεν απαντάω = I do not reply / I don’t reply
In Greek, negation is usually very simple: δεν + verb.
Why is it απαντάω and not απαντώ?
Both απαντάω and απαντώ mean I reply / I answer.
This is a very common pattern in Modern Greek: some verbs have two present-tense forms, one in -άω and one in -ώ.
So these are both correct:
- απαντάω
- απαντώ
Usually, απαντάω sounds a bit more everyday and conversational, while απαντώ can sound slightly more neutral or formal, but both are common.
Why is it στα μηνύματα and not just μηνύματα?