# πιθανός / δυνατός



## BrendaP

I’m getting conflicting results from the translator programs on the words πιθανός and δυνατός and which to use for “possible” and which to use for “probable”.  This is the first time I’ve come across δυνατός used to mean something other than “strong”.  
 
I apologize if my post shows up twice again.  It's a new lap-top and it does strange things


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## shawnee

Yes, both words can be used depending on context. A sample sentence will help to chose the right one. Εαν είναι δυνατόν. (just as an eg.)


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## BrendaP

Thanks, Shawnee.  I'm just not clear on when to use one and when to use the other.


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## ladychiquitita

Well, literally, δυνατός is possible and πιθανός is probable. It is true that we might use any of these words in most cases without changing the meaning of the sentence, but we can't neglect the fact that there are cases where only one of them can be used, e.g. "Αυτό δεν είναι δυνατόν!" which means "This is not possible!". We can't say "Αυτό δεν είναι πιθανό!" instead, the meaning is different (as in english). Or, "είναι πολύ πιθανό να..." which means "it's very probable that...". Neither in this case can we say "είναι πολύ δυνατόν να...", that does not exist as a phrase in greek. So, to avoid errors as it is a complicated issue, I would suggest that you use δυνατός for possible and πιθανός for probable, exactly the way you would use them in english.


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## ireney

Actually it may help to remember that "δυνατός" has in Greek a "double" meaning just as "possible" has in English with the second meaning much more prominent than in English.


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## BrendaP

That really clears it up for me.  Thank you both so much for your help.


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## ireney

Let's try to explain things a little better: Things, in English, can possibly happen or probably happen. This in Greek would be "πιθανόν να συμβούν" "πιθανότατο να συμβούν". 

There is however, a second meaning of "possible". Something that is possible to happen as opposed to something impossible to happen. Or, in other words, one meaning of "possible" is that something that can happen has a good chance of happening and the other that something can happen.

In Greek, when one want to use the second meaning of "possible" they'll use "δυνατόν". Note that, as in English, quite often the distinction between the two meanings is almost _impossible_  to pinpoint.

Does this help?


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## BrendaP

Yes, it helps, Ireney, and I thank you very much for your patience with me.


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