Αν η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή, το μίξερ δεν βοηθάει πολύ.

Αν means if. It introduces a condition:

• Αν η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή = If the yeast is not good

In everyday Modern Greek, αν is the normal word for if. You may also see εάν, which is more formal, but αν is much more common in speech.

Greek uses the definite article very often, sometimes more often than English.

Here:

• η μαγιά = the yeast
• το μίξερ = the mixer

The articles also show the gender of the nouns:

• η = feminine singular nominative
• το = neuter singular nominative

So even if English might sometimes sound more natural without the, Greek often keeps the article.

In Greek, nouns have grammatical gender. Μαγιά is a feminine noun, so anything describing it must match that gender.

That is why you get:

• η μαγιά — feminine
• καλή — feminine form of good

Compare:

• masculine: καλός
• feminine: καλή
• neuter: καλό

So η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή literally means the yeast is not good, with the adjective agreeing with the noun.

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed. The verb form and context usually make the meaning clear.

In English, you say:

• it is not good

In Greek, you can simply say:

• δεν είναι καλή

The subject is understood from the noun before it: η μαγιά.

Greek is a pro-drop language, which means subject pronouns are often omitted.

Because each clause is negative on its own:

• η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή = the yeast is not good
• το μίξερ δεν βοηθάει πολύ = the mixer does not help much

Greek does not normally let one negative word cover both clauses from a distance. Each verb that is being negated usually gets its own δεν.

Είναι is the present tense of είμαι (to be).

Here it means:

• is

A useful mini-paradigm:

• είμαι = I am
• είσαι = you are
• είναι = he/she/it is

So:

• η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή = the yeast is not good

Also note that είναι is the same form for he/she/it is and they are, so context matters.

Because είναι καλή works like is good in English. After the verb to be, Greek normally puts the adjective in the predicate:

• η μαγιά είναι καλή = the yeast is good

This is very similar to English structure:

• subject + be
  • adjective

So this word order should feel quite familiar.

Βοηθάει means helps. It is the 3rd person singular present form of βοηθάω / βοηθώ (to help).

In everyday Greek, both of these are common:

• βοηθάει
• βοηθά

So you may hear:

• το μίξερ δεν βοηθάει πολύ
• το μίξερ δεν βοηθά πολύ

Both mean the same thing. Βοηθάει is very common in speech and informal writing.

Here πολύ is being used as an adverb, meaning much / a lot / very much, because it modifies the verb βοηθάει (helps).

• δεν βοηθάει πολύ = it doesn’t help much

If πολύς / πολλή / πολύ is used as an adjective, it has to agree with a noun:

• πολύς χρόνος = a lot of time
• πολλή δουλειά = a lot of work
• πολύ νερό = a lot of water

But in your sentence, it modifies the action, not a noun, so the adverb form πολύ is correct.

Both are in the nominative singular, because they are the subjects of their clauses:

• η μαγιά = subject of δεν είναι
• το μίξερ = subject of δεν βοηθάει

The articles make the case especially clear:

• η = nominative feminine singular
• το = nominative neuter singular

It is a loanword, borrowed from English mixer, but it is fully used in Modern Greek.

A few useful points:

• It is usually treated as neuter
• It often does not change form across cases in everyday use
• The article shows its grammatical role: το μίξερ

So even though the word comes from English, it behaves like a normal Greek noun in the sentence.

The comma separates the if-clause from the main clause:

• Αν η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή, = conditional part
• το μίξερ δεν βοηθάει πολύ. = result/main statement

This is very similar to English punctuation:

• If the yeast isn’t good, the mixer doesn’t help much.

So the comma here is natural and expected.

Yes. Greek can also put the main clause first:

• Το μίξερ δεν βοηθάει πολύ, αν η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή.

This still makes sense, but the original version is more natural if you want to foreground the condition first.

Starting with Αν... is often the most straightforward way to present a conditional idea.

It suggests a realistic, general condition:

• If the yeast isn’t good, the mixer doesn’t help much.

This is not about an impossible or hypothetical situation. It sounds like a general fact or practical observation.

Greek commonly uses:

• αν + present
• main clause in the present

to express this kind of everyday condition.

In careful speech, it is pronounced fully as δεν είναι. In fast everyday speech, the final ν may sound lighter, but learners should keep it and pronounce the phrase clearly.

So for learning purposes, say:

• δεν είναι
• δεν βοηθάει

The important thing is to recognize δεν as the standard negation word used before finite verbs.

Yes. Depending on context, καλή can suggest:

• good quality
• effective
• usable
• healthy / active, in the case of yeast

So in a baking context, η μαγιά δεν είναι καλή may imply that the yeast is old, weak, or not working properly.

Greek often uses simple adjectives like καλός / καλή / καλό in broader, very natural ways, just as English uses good flexibly.