Questions & Answers about Αν στείλω τώρα το email, ξεμπερδεύω για σήμερα.
Why is it στείλω and not στέλνω after αν?
Because this sentence is talking about a single completed action: if I send the email now.
After αν in this kind of condition, Greek often uses the subjunctive form of the verb, and for a one-time action that form is often based on the aorist stem. So:
- να/αν στείλω = to send / if I send, as one complete action
- στέλνω = I send / I am sending / I send in general
So αν στείλω τώρα το email means if I send the email now as a one-off action, not as a habitual action.
Where is the subjunctive marker? I thought Greek needed να for the subjunctive.
That is a very common question. Greek subjunctive is usually introduced by particles such as να, ας, or αν depending on the structure.
So in this sentence, αν is doing that job. You do not add να here.
- να στείλω = that I send / to send
- αν στείλω = if I send
So στείλω is still a subjunctive-type form here, but it is introduced by αν, not να.
Why is ξεμπερδεύω in the present tense? Shouldn’t it be something like θα ξεμπερδέψω?