Learn Hardcore Greek: Μαθαίνεις γρήγορα όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα.

μαθαίνεις comes from μαθαίνω (to learn): stem μαθαιν-
- ending -εις
διαβάζεις comes from διαβάζω (to read/study): stem διαβαζ-
- ending -εις

Why is there no explicit “you” in the sentence?

Greek is a pro‑drop language: the verb ending -εις already shows the subject is “you” (singular). You can add εσύ for emphasis (e.g., Εσύ μαθαίνεις γρήγορα...) but it’s not required.

Why is the present tense used with όταν here?

In Greek, the present tense with όταν expresses a general truth or habitual action—roughly “whenever.” So μαθαίνεις ... όταν διαβάζεις ... means it’s generally true that this happens whenever the condition is met.

What’s the difference between όταν, αν, and όποτε?

όταν = when/whenever (time-based; common for habitual or specific time reference).
αν = if (condition).
όποτε = whenever (explicitly “any time that,” often interchangeable with habitual όταν). Examples:
Όταν διαβάζεις, μαθαίνεις. (whenever you read)
Αν διαβάζεις, μαθαίνεις. (if you read)
Όποτε διαβάζεις, μαθαίνεις. (whenever you read; emphasizes “any time”)

Should there be a comma before όταν?

Not here. In Greek, when the main clause comes first and the όταν-clause follows, no comma is needed. If you front the όταν-clause, you add a comma: Όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα, μαθαίνεις γρήγορα.

Can the word order change?

Yes. Greek word order is flexible. Common variants:

Μαθαίνεις γρήγορα όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα. (neutral)
Όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα, μαθαίνεις γρήγορα. (fronted condition)
Γρήγορα μαθαίνεις όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα. (focus on “quickly”) All are grammatical; the fronted element gets extra emphasis.

What exactly is γρήγορα—an adjective or an adverb?

Here it’s an adverb meaning “quickly/fast,” derived from the adjective γρήγορος (“quick/fast”). Comparatives:

πιο γρήγορα = more quickly
γρηγορότερα = more quickly (also correct, a bit more formal/standardized) Superlative: το πιο γρήγορα in context.

Where can γρήγορα go in the sentence?

Typical position is after the verb it modifies: Μαθαίνεις γρήγορα... You can also front it for emphasis: Γρήγορα μαθαίνεις... It can go before or after the όταν-clause as focus dictates.

Does διαβάζω mean “to read” or “to study”?

Both. In everyday Greek, διαβάζω covers reading in general and studying (especially schoolwork). If you want to stress “study,” you can also use μελετώ/μελετάω: Μελετάς κάθε μέρα.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

IPA: [maˈθe.nis ˈɣri.ɣo.ɾa ˈo.tan ði.aˈva.zis ˈka.θe ˈme.ra]

Notes:

θ (theta) = unvoiced “th” as in “think”: μαθαίνεις, κάθε
δ (delta) = voiced “th” as in “this”: διαβάζεις [ði-]
γ before ρ is a voiced velar fricative [ˈɣri-]
ρ is a tap/trill [ɾ]/[r]
Stressed syllables: μα-ΘΕ, ΓΡΗ-, ό-ΤΑΝ, δια-ΒΑ, ΚΑ-θε, ΜΕ-ρα

What’s going on with the accent in μαθαίνεις (the αι)?

The digraph αι is pronounced [e]. When stressed, the accent mark appears on the second letter (ί in αί), but the sound remains = [maˈθe.nis]. You don’t pronounce two vowels there.

Why is there no article before κάθε μέρα?

Because κάθε (“each/every”) functions like a determiner that does not take the article. Time expressions of this type typically appear without an article: κάθε μέρα, κάθε βράδυ, κάθε Σάββατο.

Is μέρα the same as ημέρα?

They mean “day,” but:

μέρα is the everyday, colloquial form.
ημέρα is more formal/literary or used in set phrases.
You’ll most often say κάθε μέρα in speech. You might see κάθε ημέρα in formal writing.

What case is μέρα in here?

Accusative singular. Greek often uses the accusative to express duration or frequency of time: κάθε μέρα, κάθε εβδομάδα, όλη τη μέρα.

How would I say this to more than one person or politely?

Use 2nd person plural:

Μαθαίνετε γρήγορα όταν διαβάζετε κάθε μέρα. Pronoun εσείς is optional for emphasis.

How do I express a future/one-time event with όταν?

For a future, specific event, Greek typically uses όταν + subjunctive in the dependent clause and θα in the main clause:

Όταν διαβάσεις κάθε μέρα, θα μάθεις γρήγορα. (better: Όταν αρχίσεις να διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα, θα μάθεις γρήγορα.)
For habits/generics, keep both verbs in the present: Όταν διαβάζεις..., μαθαίνεις...

How do I negate the sentence?

Place δεν before the verb:

Δεν μαθαίνεις γρήγορα όταν δεν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα. In casual writing you may see δε before some consonants, but δεν is always correct.

Can I add emphasis to “you” or to “quickly”?

Yes:

Emphasize “you”: Εσύ μαθαίνεις γρήγορα όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα.
Emphasize “quickly”: Γρήγορα μαθαίνεις όταν διαβάζεις κάθε μέρα. or Μαθαίνεις πολύ γρήγορα όταν...

Is there a more formal or alternative verb for “study” than διαβάζεις?

Yes: μελετάς (from μελετώ/μελετάω).
Example: Μελετάς κάθε μέρα. It’s slightly more formal/academic, whereas διαβάζεις is the everyday choice.

Are these present forms “imperfective aspect”? What would the aorist look like?

Yes, μαθαίνεις/διαβάζεις are present (imperfective) and are used for ongoing/habitual actions. The aorist (single, bounded event) would be:

Subjunctive aorist: να μάθεις, να διαβάσεις
Indicative future aorist with θα: θα μάθεις, θα διαβάσεις
Use aorist with όταν for specific future time: Όταν διαβάσεις, θα μάθεις.

Could I use ενώ instead of όταν?

No. ενώ means “while/whereas” and sets up contrast or simultaneous actions, not a conditional/temporal trigger for a general rule. Here you want όταν (or αν/όποτε depending on nuance).