Αν δεν φάω τίποτα, μένω νηστικός και δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος στη δουλειά.

Because αν often introduces a condition about a future or general possibility, and Greek commonly uses the subjunctive there.

• να φάω = that I eat / for me to eat
• after αν, the να disappears, but the subjunctive form stays:
  • αν φάω = if I eat
  • αν δεν φάω = if I don’t eat

So:

• τρώω = I eat / I am eating
• φάω = subjunctive form, often used in clauses like if I eat

In everyday Greek, this is very normal:

• Αν φάω, ...
• Αν πάω, ...
• Αν δω, ...

These are not simple present forms.

It belongs to the verb τρώω (to eat), but Greek uses different stems in different tenses and moods.

Common forms:

• τρώω = I eat
• έφαγα = I ate
• να φάω = to eat / that I eat
• αν φάω = if I eat

So yes, it may look like a different verb at first, but it is part of the same verb system.

This is very common in Greek. Some verbs change stem depending on the form.

This is a great question because it works differently from English.

Greek normally uses negative concord, which means you often use δεν together with words like:

• τίποτα = anything / nothing
• κανείς = anyone / no one
• ποτέ = ever / never
• πουθενά = anywhere / nowhere

So:

• Δεν φάω τίποτα would be ungrammatical here for another reason, but the key point is:
• δεν ... τίποτα = not ... anything / nothing

In English, a double negative is often wrong in standard grammar:

• I don’t eat nothing ❌

But in Greek, this structure is normal:

• Δεν τρώω τίποτα = I eat nothing / I don’t eat anything

So δεν φάω τίποτα means I don’t eat anything, not a mistaken double negative.

It can mean either, depending on whether the sentence is negative.

• With δεν, it usually means anything / nothing in a negative sentence:

  • Δεν βλέπω τίποτα. = I don’t see anything / I see nothing.

• Without a negative word, it can mean something insignificant or in some contexts nothing:

  • Θες τίποτα; = Do you want anything?
  • Δεν είναι τίποτα. = It’s nothing.

So in your sentence:

• Αν δεν φάω τίποτα = If I don’t eat anything

Yes, μένω often means:

• I stay
• I remain
• I live

In this sentence, it means I remain / I end up being.

So:

• μένω νηστικός literally = I remain hungry / fasting
• natural English = I stay hungry or I go without food

The adjective νηστικός means hungry, fasting, or having eaten nothing.

This is a very common Greek pattern:

• μένω μόνος = I’m left alone / I remain alone
• μένω ήρεμος = I stay calm
• μένω άφωνος = I am left speechless

Because Greek often uses adjectives after verbs like είμαι, μένω, νιώθω, etc., where English might also use adjectives.

Here:

• μένω νηστικός = I remain hungry
• νιώθω ξύπνιος = I feel awake

Both νηστικός and ξύπνιος describe the subject, which is I.

That is why they are in the masculine singular form:

• νηστικός
• ξύπνιος

If a woman said the same sentence, she would normally say:

• Αν δεν φάω τίποτα, μένω νηστική και δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνια στη δουλειά.

So these words agree with the speaker’s gender.

Because νιώθω can work like feel in English.

Compare:

• I feel tired
• I feel awake
• I feel happy

Greek does the same:

• νιώθω κουρασμένος = I feel tired
• νιώθω ξύπνιος = I feel awake
• νιώθω καλά = I feel well

So ξύπνιος is not the object of the verb. It is a predicate adjective describing how the speaker feels.

Καθόλου means at all in negative sentences.

So:

• δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος = I don’t feel awake at all

Very common examples:

• Δεν πεινάω καθόλου. = I’m not hungry at all.
• Δεν μου αρέσει καθόλου. = I don’t like it at all.
• Δεν καταλαβαίνω καθόλου. = I don’t understand at all.

Without negation, καθόλου can sometimes appear in spoken language with special tone or context, but for learners it is safest to think of it mainly as at all in negative sentences.

Because στη is the contracted form of:

• σε + τη → στη

So:

• στη δουλειά = at work / to work / in the workplace, depending on context

Other common contractions:

• σε + το → στο
• σε + την → στην
• σε + τον → στον
• σε + τους → στους
• σε + τις → στις

This contraction is standard and very common in modern Greek.

Because the first part is a conditional clause:

• Αν δεν φάω τίποτα, = If I don’t eat anything,

Then comes the main clause:

• μένω νηστικός και δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος στη δουλειά.

So the comma separates:

1. the if-clause
2. the result/main statement

This is similar to English:

• If I don’t eat anything, I stay hungry...

Sometimes, but they are not exactly the same.

• πεινασμένος = hungry
• νηστικός = hungry / fasting / having had no food

In this sentence, νηστικός fits especially well because the idea is if I don’t eat anything. It emphasizes the state of having gone without food.

Compare:

• Είμαι πεινασμένος. = I’m hungry.
• Έμεινα νηστικός. = I went without food / I stayed unfed.

So νηστικός is a very natural choice here.

It most naturally sounds like a general truth / usual result:

• If I don’t eat anything, I stay hungry and don’t feel awake at work.

Greek often uses this kind of structure for repeated or typical situations:

• Αν δεν κοιμηθώ, είμαι χάλια.
• Αν αργήσω, χάνω το λεωφορείο.

So even though φάω is a subjunctive form, the whole sentence can describe a regular pattern, not just one single future event.

Yes. Greek word order is flexible, though some versions sound more natural depending on emphasis.

Original:

• Αν δεν φάω τίποτα, μένω νηστικός και δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος στη δουλειά.

Possible variations:

• Αν δεν φάω τίποτα, δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος στη δουλειά και μένω νηστικός.
• Στη δουλειά δεν νιώθω καθόλου ξύπνιος αν δεν φάω τίποτα.

The original is very natural because it presents:

1. the condition
2. the first consequence
3. the second consequence

So yes, Greek allows movement, but the original order is clear and idiomatic.