Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο, αλλά θα ρωτήσω.

Δεν is the standard negation word used before verbs in Modern Greek. It means not and normally goes directly before the verb:

• Δεν ξέρω = I do not know / I don't know

So in this sentence, Δεν is negating ξέρω.

Ξέρω is the 1st person singular present form of the verb ξέρω, meaning I know.

So:

• ξέρω = I know
• δεν ξέρω = I don't know

This is one of the very common everyday verbs in Greek.

Because τον λόγο is the direct object of ξέρω.

Greek changes nouns and articles depending on their role in the sentence. Here:

• ο λόγος = nominative, used for the subject
• τον λόγο = accusative, used for the direct object

Since the speaker is saying they do not know the reason, λόγο must be in the accusative:

• Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο = I don't know the reason

Greek uses the definite article very regularly, often more regularly than English learners expect.

Here, τον λόγο means the reason. The article τον is the masculine accusative singular form of the.

So the phrase is built like this:

• ο λόγος = the reason
• τον λόγο = the reason when it is the object of the verb

In this sentence, leaving out τον would sound unnatural in standard Greek.

In this sentence, λόγος means reason.

This is a useful word because it can have several meanings depending on context, such as:

• reason
• word
• speech
• account
• discussion

But here, with Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο, it clearly means the reason.

Αλλά means but.

It connects two contrasting ideas:

• Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο = one idea
• θα ρωτήσω = a contrasting follow-up

So αλλά works just like English but in this sentence.

In Modern Greek, θα is the particle used to form the future.

So:

• θα ρωτήσω = I will ask

A very important point for English speakers is that Greek does not use an infinitive the way English does. Instead, the future is formed with θα plus a verb form.

Here:

• θα = future marker
• ρωτήσω = the verb form used here after θα

Together they mean I will ask.

Because Greek often uses the perfective verb form after θα when talking about a single complete future action.

Compare the idea:

• θα ρωτήσω = I will ask once / as a complete action
• θα ρωτάω = I will be asking / I will ask repeatedly or with a more ongoing sense

In this sentence, the speaker means a simple future action: I’ll ask. So θα ρωτήσω is the natural choice.

The given word order is the most neutral and natural one:

• Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο, αλλά θα ρωτήσω.

Greek word order is more flexible than English, but that does not mean it is random. Different orders can change emphasis.

For example, moving words around might sound more marked or more dramatic, while the original version simply states the facts in a normal way.

So yes, Greek allows some flexibility, but this sentence is in a very standard order.

Because αλλά connects two separate clauses, and in Greek it is normal to put a comma before it in this kind of sentence.

So the comma helps separate:

• Δεν ξέρω τον λόγο
• αλλά θα ρωτήσω

This is very similar to standard punctuation before but in English when it joins two full clauses.

In careful standard pronunciation:

• τον sounds roughly like ton
• λόγο sounds roughly like LO-go

So τον λόγο is approximately ton LO-go.

The stress is on the first syllable of λόγο. The final ν in τον is kept here and pronounced before λόγο.