Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω, σκοντάφτω σε μικρά πράγματα που είναι στο πάτωμα.

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

Here:

• κοιτάω = I look
• σκοντάφτω = I trip / I stumble

So Greek does not need εγώ unless the speaker wants emphasis:

• Εγώ δεν κοιτάω κάτω... = I don’t look down...

In the original sentence, the I is understood from the verbs.

Αν means if. It introduces the condition:

• Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω = If I don’t look down

In this sentence, it sets up a general, repeated situation:

• If / whenever I don’t look down, I trip...

So αν is not only for one specific future event; it is also used for habitual conditions like this.

Because the sentence describes a habitual or general truth, not one single event.

• δεν κοιτάω = I don’t look
• σκοντάφτω = I trip

Together, they mean something like:

• When I don’t look down, I tend to trip
• If I don’t look down, I trip

If Greek wanted to describe a single future event, it would normally use a different structure, for example:

• Αν δεν κοιτάξω κάτω, θα σκοντάψω.
• If I don’t look down, I’ll trip.

So the present tense here gives a repeated, everyday meaning.

Yes. κοιτάω and κοιτάζω are both common forms meaning I look.

So these are both natural:

• Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω...
• Αν δεν κοιτάζω κάτω...

This is a very common variation in Modern Greek. Learners will often see both forms in dictionaries and real speech.

Here κάτω means down.

So:

• κοιτάω κάτω = I look down

It is an adverb, not a noun or object. It tells you the direction of the looking.

You may also see longer versions like:

• κοιτάω προς τα κάτω = I look downward / downwards

But κοιτάω κάτω is very natural and common.

The verb σκοντάφτω is commonly used with σε to mean trip over / stumble on / bump into something.

So:

• σκοντάφτω σε μικρά πράγματα = I trip over small things

Even though English says over, Greek uses σε here.

This is something learners often just have to memorize as part of the verb’s pattern:

• σκοντάφτω σε κάτι = I trip over something

Because the sentence means small things in a general sense, not the small things.

• σε μικρά πράγματα = on/over small things
• σε τα μικρά πράγματα would be wrong
• στα μικρά πράγματα would mean on the small things or to the small things, which is a much more specific idea

So the lack of article makes the phrase indefinite and general:

• small things that happen to be on the floor

This is a relative clause. It describes πράγματα.

Breakdown:

• πράγματα = things
• που = that / which
• είναι στο πάτωμα = are on the floor

So:

• μικρά πράγματα που είναι στο πάτωμα = small things that are on the floor

In Greek, που is a very common way to say that / which / who in relative clauses.

Because στο is the contracted form of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• στο πάτωμα = on the floor

This contraction is standard in Modern Greek. You will see it all the time:

• στο σπίτι = in/to the house
• στο δρόμο = on the road
• στο πάτωμα = on the floor

Here it means on the floor.

The preposition σε can cover several meanings in English, including in, at, to, and sometimes on, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• πράγματα που είναι στο πάτωμα clearly means
• things that are on the floor

The verb είναι = are, so this is about location, not movement.

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The original sentence is completely natural:

• Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω, σκοντάφτω σε μικρά πράγματα που είναι στο πάτωμα.

But Greek can sometimes move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω, σε μικρά πράγματα που είναι στο πάτωμα σκοντάφτω.

That sounds more marked and emphatic, though. The original version is the most neutral and natural for a learner to use.

In Greek, δεν is the normal negation word used before finite verbs.

So:

• κοιτάω = I look
• δεν κοιτάω = I don’t look

Its position is very regular:

• δεν + verb

That is why the sentence says:

• Αν δεν κοιτάω κάτω...
• If I don’t look down...