# τίποτα



## BrendaP

I know that τίποτα can mean either “nothing” or “something” but is there a rule about when it’s better to use “κάτι”?  In a sentence like “θα πάθεις τίποτα” , how can we tell what it means?  Can “κάτι” be used in every case where “τίποτα” means “something”?


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## Andrious

Greek is different than english in this one. For example in english it's "I see nothing." and in greek "Δε βλέπω τίποτα." (we don't say "Βλέπω τίποτα.") So "Θα πάθεις τίποτα." can only mean that something is going to happen to you. I think “κάτι” can be used in every case where “τίποτα” means “something”.


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## BrendaP

Yes...double negatives are very common in Greek and not used at all in English.  Thanks Andrious, you’ve confirmed what I suspected.


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## sotos

But the expression Θα πάθεις τίποτα is almost always used as a question, meaning  "I am sure nothing is going to happen to you". For exmple: "Why don't you do this job? Θα πάθεις τίποτα?" = "You d' better do it. It will not harm you". It is an idiomatism. 
We never say "Θα πάθεις τίποτα" in affirmative, but "Δεν Θα πάθεις τίποτα" (nothing will happen to you). 
If you use kati in the same sentence, you may give a slight  impression of a doubt,  that you accept a possibly that something may really happen.


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## BrendaP

Thanks, Sotos.


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## Andrious

We use "Θα πάθεις τίποτα" as exclamatory. For example, if someone wants to eat 15 hamburgers for lunch, we 'll tell him: "Μην τα φας, ρε συ! Θα πάθεις τίποτα!"


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## ireney

Or in a generic sort of way "Mην δουλεύεις τόσο πολύ. Θα πάθεις τίποτα και θα σε τρέχουμε"


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## BrendaP

Thanks Andrious and Ireney!


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## sotos

Andrious said:


> We use "Θα πάθεις τίποτα" as exclamatory. For example, if someone wants to eat 15 hamburgers for lunch, we 'll tell him: "Μην τα φας, ρε συ! Θα πάθεις τίποτα!"



Right, I forgot this expression. In this case "tipota" means "something".


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