Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά, κάνω πρώτα ένα μικρό διάλειμμα και μετά συνεχίζω.

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Breakdown of Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά, κάνω πρώτα ένα μικρό διάλειμμα και μετά συνεχίζω.

• η δουλειά: the work
• μετά: then
• ένα: one

Questions & Answers about Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά, κάνω πρώτα ένα μικρό διάλειμμα και μετά συνεχίζω.

What does Όταν mean here, and how is it different from αν?

Όταν means when or whenever. It introduces a time clause.

In this sentence, it has a habitual meaning: whenever I face a lot of work.

αν means if, so it would make the sentence conditional instead of temporal. Compare:

• Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά... = When/Whenever I face a lot of work...
• Αν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά... = If I am facing a lot of work...

So όταν is the natural choice here.

Why are all the verbs in the present tense?

Because the sentence describes a general habit or usual routine.

Greek uses the present tense for things that happen regularly:

• αντιμετωπίζω = I face / I am facing
• κάνω = I do / I make
• συνεχίζω = I continue

Together, they mean something like Whenever this happens, this is what I do.

If you were talking about a single future occasion, Greek would usually change the form, for example:

• Όταν αντιμετωπίσω πολλή δουλειά, θα κάνω...

That would mean When I face a lot of work, I will...

What exactly does αντιμετωπίζω mean in this sentence?