# When



## bunno

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


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## 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


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## bunno

Yiagos said:


> 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 ))


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## 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.


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## 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


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## 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!


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## bunno

Helleno File said:


> 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


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## Perseas

Helleno File said:


> 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)



Helleno File said:


> ...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.


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## bunno

Love this forum


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## Helleno File

Perseas said:


> 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 γυρί*σ*εις 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.)


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## Perseas

Helleno File said:


> Thanks Perseas. I did wonder about όταν γυρί*σ*εις 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").


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## Helleno File

Of course....


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## shawnee

Thanks Velisarius.


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## 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.


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## Παντελής

bunno said:


> 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,......


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