When

[bunno]

Probably a simple one but when should we use όταν instead of πότε and vice versa?

 

[Yiagos]

Πρόσεχε τη διαφορά πότε = when BUT ποτέ = never
Πότε is mainly used when it is referred for time and specific time.
Πότε θα ρίξεις τα μακαρόνια στην κατσαρόλα; (obviously we cook pasta when the water is boiling)
Όταν is used for implying reason.
Όταν ποντάρεις νευριασμένος τότε πας σίγουρα κουβά when you bet angry you will lose ca$h

 

[bunno]

Πρόσεχε τη διαφορά πότε = when BUT ποτέ = never
Πότε is mainly used when it is referred for time and specific time.
Πότε θα ρίξεις τα μακαρόνια στην κατσαρόλα; (obviously we cook pasta when the water is boiling)
Όταν is used for implying reason.
Όταν ποντάρεις νευριασμένος τότε πας σίγουρα κουβά when you bet angry you will lose ca$h

Thats brilliant, thank you for helping me ))

 

[shawnee]

First time I've come across that use of ποντάρω. My grandmother, who did not speak standard Greek, used it when saying we should wear a coat so that we would not be cold, να μη ποντάρουμε. And I have been using it that way ever since, only among familiars though. So thanks for that.

 

[velisarius]

ποντάρω - bet (on someone or something); count on something/someone.
Μην ποντάρεις σε μένα - Don't put your trust in me; I'm not to be relied on..
ποντάρω - Ελληνοαγγλικό Λεξικό WordReference.com.

πουντιάζω - catch cold
πουντιάζω - Βικιλεξικό

 

[Helleno File]

Avoiding the temptations of ποντάρω for a moment, I always thought the distinction between πότε and όταν was that πότε asked questions and όταν was relative:

- Πότε θα γυρίσεις σπίτι; When will you come home?

- Όταν γυρίζεις σπίτι μη ξυπνήσεις το μωρό. When you come home don't wake the baby up.

Is that just a simpler way of putting Yiorgos' comment above? In my second example however όταν γυρίζεις σπίτι is not the reason - but there could be plenty!

 

[bunno]

Avoiding the temptations of ποντάρω for a moment, I always thought the distinction between πότε and όταν was that πότε asked questions and όταν was relative:

- Πότε θα γυρίσεις σπίτι; When will you come home?

- Όταν γυρίζεις σπίτι μη ξυπνήσεις το μωρό. When you come home don't wake the baby up.

Is that just a simpler way of putting Yiorgos' comment above? In my second example however όταν γυρίζεις σπίτι is not the reason - but there could be plenty!

That's helpful thanks, I like your explaination

 

[Perseas]

I always thought the distinction between πότε and όταν was that πότε asked questions ...

Exactly. Direct and indirect questions.
- Πότε θα γυρίσεις σπίτι; When will you come home? (direct question)
- Αυτός με ρώτησε πότε θα γυρίσω σπίτι. He asked me when I would come home. (indirect question)

...and όταν was relative:

Subordinate clauses introduced by the temporal conjunctions όταν, μόλις, ενώ etc. are called in Greek χρονικές προτάσεις (temporal clauses).
E.g. Όταν γυρίσεις σπίτι, μη ξυπνήσεις το μωρό. When you come home don't wake the baby up.

 

[bunno]

Love this forum

 

[Helleno File]

Subordinate clauses introduced by the temporal conjunctions όταν, μόλις, ενώ etc. are called in Greek χρονικές προτάσεις (temporal clauses).
E.g. Όταν γυρίσεις σπίτι, μη ξυπνήσεις το μωρό. When you come home don't wake the baby up.

Thanks Perseas. I did wonder about όταν γυρίσεις σπίτι. Is that subjunctive pretty much always with όταν + future* or only when you want to indicate some uncertainty? (*Because the future is always uncertain.)

 

[Perseas]

Thanks Perseas. I did wonder about όταν γυρίσεις σπίτι. Is that subjunctive pretty much always with όταν + future* or only when you want to indicate some uncertainty? (*Because the future is always uncertain.)

In "Όταν γυρίσεις ..., (να) μην ξυπνήσεις ..." the actions are seen as a single event.
(The wife tells her husband: Όταν γυρίσεις, π.χ. στις 8:00, (να) μην ξυπνήσεις το μωρό.)

In "'Οταν γυρίζεις..., (να) μην ξυπνάς ..." the actions are seen as habitual or repeated.
(The wife tells her husband: Όταν γυρίζεις ... σήμερα, αύριο etc. or το απόγευμα, το βράδυ etc.... ; you can also use "κάθε φορά που γυρίζεις". In this case, you also use "(να) μην ξυπνάς το μωρό").

 

[Helleno File]

Of course....

 

[shawnee]

Thanks Velisarius.

 

[Αγγελος]

Let us add that Greek systematically distinguishes interrogative from relative pronouns/adverbs/conjunctions.
πού; = where? (δεν ξέρω πού το έβαλα = Ι don't know where I have put it) vs. όπου (στην πόλη όπου γεννήθηκα.... = in the town where I was born...)
τι; = what? (δεν ξέρω τι να κάνω = I don't know what to do) vs. ό,τι (κάνε ό,τι σου λέει = do whatever he tells you)
ποιος; = who?/which? (ποιος είναι; = who is it? ποιο βιβλίο πήρες; = which book did you get?) vs. o oποίος/που (ο άνθρωπος που τηλεφώνησε = the man who phoned, το βιβλίο που διάβασες = the book (which) you read)
Likewise with πότε vs. όταν.

 

[Παντελής]

Probably a simple one but when should we use όταν instead of πότε and vice versa?

πότε = when? όταν "ότ-αν" = 'Oτε και εάν = Then and If,......