Μην βάλεις πολύ αέρα στο μπαλόνι, γιατί θα σκάσει.

much

Breakdown of Μην βάλεις πολύ αέρα στο μπαλόνι, γιατί θα σκάσει.

• γιατί: because
• θα: will
• μην: not

Questions & Answers about Μην βάλεις πολύ αέρα στο μπαλόνι, γιατί θα σκάσει.

What does Μην mean here?

Μην is the word used for a negative command, so here it means don’t.

Greek does not normally use δεν for commands.

• δεν = negates statements
• μη(ν) = negates commands and subjunctive-type forms

So:

• Βάλε... = Put...
• Μην βάλεις... = Don’t put...

Is βάλεις an imperative?

In meaning, yes: it is giving a command to you. But grammatically, Modern Greek usually forms negative commands with μην + subjunctive/dependent form, not with a separate negative imperative form.

So:

• positive command: Βάλε πολύ αέρα...
• negative command: Μην βάλεις πολύ αέρα...

That is why you see μην βάλεις instead of a special “negative imperative” ending.

Why is it βάλεις and not βάζεις?

Because Greek is making the action perfective: a single complete act of putting air in.

• μην βάλεις = don’t put (one complete act)
• μην βάζεις = don’t keep putting / don’t be putting / don’t put habitually

With a balloon, the speaker is warning about one specific act: adding too much air. So βάλεις is the natural choice.

Why does look so different from ?