Διαβάζουμε φυσική στο σχολείο.

It comes from διαβάζω. This verb can mean both read and study, depending on context.

In this sentence, because the object is a school subject (φυσική), the natural meaning is we study, not we read.

Because Greek usually does not need a subject pronoun when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

The ending -ουμε in διαβάζουμε tells you it is we. So εμείς is not necessary.

You could add εμείς for emphasis or contrast, but in a normal sentence it is usually omitted.

Διαβάζουμε is:

• present tense
• first person plural
• active voice

So it means we study or we are studying, depending on context.

Greek present tense often covers both the English simple present and present continuous.

In Greek, school subjects are often used without an article in sentences like this, especially after verbs such as διαβάζω when you mean studying a subject in general.

So διαβάζουμε φυσική is a natural way to say we study physics.

You may also hear forms with the article in some contexts, but the article-free version is very common in this kind of sentence.

It is in the accusative singular, because it is the direct object of διαβάζουμε.

We are studying physics, so physics is the thing being studied.

A useful thing to notice: with this noun, the accusative form φυσική looks the same as the nominative form when there is no article, so you identify the case from its role in the sentence.

Στο is a contraction of:

• σε = in / at / to
• το = the

So:

• σε το → στο

In this sentence, στο σχολείο means at school or in school.

The noun σχολείο is a neuter singular noun.

After σε (or στο), Greek normally uses the accusative case, so σχολείο here is accusative.

However, for many neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative singular look exactly the same. So σχολείο does not visibly change.

In this sentence, it most naturally means at school or in school in a general sense.

It does not necessarily focus on the physical inside of a particular building. It simply tells you the setting where the studying happens.

So the phrase is understood more like at school than inside the school building.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Διαβάζουμε φυσική στο σχολείο is a neutral, natural order.

But you could also say:

• Στο σχολείο διαβάζουμε φυσική
  This gives more emphasis to at school.

• Φυσική διαβάζουμε στο σχολείο
  This gives more emphasis to physics.

The basic meaning stays the same, but the emphasis changes.

Because in normal Greek spelling, names of school subjects are usually not capitalized in the middle of a sentence.

So φυσική is written in lowercase, just like many other subject names.

A rough pronunciation is:

thee-ah-VA-zoo-me fee-see-KEE sto skho-LEE-o

A few helpful sound notes:

• δ sounds like th in this
• χ in σχολείο is a rough sound, not like English ch
• the stress falls on:
  • -βά- in διαβάζουμε
  • -κή in φυσική
  • -λεί- in σχολείο