Μην δαγκώνεις το μολύβι σου· μασάς ήδη πολύ αργά το μήλο σου.

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Breakdown of Μην δαγκώνεις το μολύβι σου· μασάς ήδη πολύ αργά το μήλο σου.

• σου: your
• αργά: slowly
• μην: not

Questions & Answers about Μην δαγκώνεις το μολύβι σου· μασάς ήδη πολύ αργά το μήλο σου.

Why does the sentence begin with Μην instead of δεν or όχι?

Because μη(ν) is the normal negative word used for commands, prohibitions, and subjunctive-type forms in Greek.

So:

• Μην δαγκώνεις... = Don’t bite / Don’t be biting...
• Δεν δαγκώνεις... would mean You are not biting..., which is just a statement, not a command.
• Όχι usually means no, not the normal way to negate a verb in a full sentence like this.

Here, the speaker is telling someone not to do something, so Μην is the correct choice.

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Why is it Μην δαγκώνεις and not some special imperative form?

Greek often uses μη(ν) + subjunctive-looking form to make a negative command.

For many verbs, what learners first notice is:

• positive command: often a true imperative
• negative command: μη(ν) + present or aorist subjunctive form

So:

• Δάγκωσε! = Bite!
• Μην δαγκώσεις! = Don’t bite! (single/complete action)
• Μην δαγκώνεις! = Don’t bite / Don’t keep biting! (ongoing, repeated, habitual)

In this sentence, Μην δαγκώνεις uses the present form, which gives the sense don’t be doing that or stop doing that habitually/right now.

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What exactly is δαγκώνεις grammatically?