Όταν δεν βρέχει, ποτίζω το παρτέρι μπροστά από το σπίτι.

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Breakdown of Όταν δεν βρέχει, ποτίζω το παρτέρι μπροστά από το σπίτι.

• δεν: not
• όταν: when
• βρέχει: to rain

Questions & Answers about Όταν δεν βρέχει, ποτίζω το παρτέρι μπροστά από το σπίτι.

Why does the sentence start with Όταν? Does it mean when or whenever?

Όταν can mean when, but in sentences like this one it often has the sense of whenever.

So:

• Όταν δεν βρέχει, ποτίζω το παρτέρι... = When/Whenever it doesn’t rain, I water the flower bed...

Because the main verb ποτίζω is in the present tense and describes a habitual action, English often translates this more naturally as whenever it doesn’t rain.

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Why is δεν used here, and where does it go?

Δεν is the normal word for not in Modern Greek.

It usually goes directly before the verb:

• δεν βρέχει = it isn’t raining / it doesn’t rain

This is very typical Greek word order for negation:

• γράφω = I write
• δεν γράφω = I do not write

So Όταν δεν βρέχει literally has the structure when not rains.

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Why is βρέχει in the third person singular? What is the subject?