Learn Hardcore Greek: Αύριο θα ψωνίσουμε ένα δώρο για τη φίλη μου. - Tomorrow we will shop for a gift for my female friend.

A single, completed future event: θα ψωνίσουμε “we will shop/buy (once).”
Ongoing or repeated future: θα ψωνίζουμε “we will be shopping / we will shop (regularly).”

Why is it ψωνίσουμε and not ψωνίζουμε?

Aspect. Greek distinguishes:

Imperfective (ongoing/habitual): ψωνίζουμε.
Perfective (single, bounded): (θα) ψωνίσουμε.

Here the plan is a single shopping trip, so the perfective is natural.

What exact form is ψωνίσουμε? It doesn’t look like the dictionary form ψωνίζω.

It’s 1st person plural, perfective subjunctive. Mini-map:

Dictionary (present, imperfective): ψωνίζω
Aorist (past, perfective): ψώνισα
Perfective subjunctive (used after να/θα): 1sg ψωνίσω, 1pl ψωνίσουμε So θα ψωνίσουμε = “we will shop/buy (once).”

What’s the difference between ψωνίζω and αγοράζω?

ψωνίζω: to shop, to do shopping; also “to buy,” often for everyday items. With an object like δώρο, it’s fine and idiomatic.
αγοράζω: to buy/purchase (neutral and explicit). You can say: Αύριο θα αγοράσουμε ένα δώρο... Nuance: ψωνίζω highlights the shopping activity; αγοράζω the act of buying. Both work here.

Why is it ένα δώρο and not something like ένας δώρος?

Because δώρο is neuter. The indefinite article agrees in gender:

masculine: ένας (accusative έναν)
feminine: μία/μια
neuter: ένα So: ένα δώρο (neuter noun in the accusative, which looks the same as nominative).

Could I omit ένα and just say Θα ψωνίσουμε δώρο?

Sometimes, yes. Greek can drop the indefinite article with certain nouns and verbs, especially in set phrases (e.g., Σου πήρα δώρο “I got you a present”). With ψωνίζω, speakers often include ένα to stress it’s a single item, but you may hear omission in casual speech. With αγοράζω/παίρνω, omission is more common: Θα αγοράσουμε/Θα πάρουμε δώρο.

Why is it για τη φίλη and not για η φίλη?

Case. Prepositions like για take the accusative. The feminine singular definite article in the accusative is τη(ν), not η (nominative). Hence: για τη φίλη.

Why do we see τη and not την before φίλη?

Modern Greek often drops the final -ν of την before most consonants. It is typically kept before vowels and the consonants κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, γκ, μπ, ντ, τσ, τζ. Since φ isn’t in that set, τη φίλη is standard. Writing την φίλη is also acceptable, just more formal or conservative.

What case is φίλη here?

Accusative singular feminine, governed by για. For many feminine nouns in -η, nominative and accusative look the same (the article shows the case: η φίλη vs τη φίλη).

Why is μου after the noun? Can it go before, like in English “my friend”?

Greek clitic possessives (e.g., μου, σου, του/της etc.) usually follow the noun: η φίλη μου, το βιβλίο σου. They are enclitics (normally unaccented) and don’t change for the noun’s gender/number. For emphasis, you can use the “own” forms before the noun: η δική μου φίλη = “my own friend.”

Do I need the definite article with a possessive? Could I say για φίλη μου?

In most cases, yes, you keep the article: η/τη φίλη μου. Saying για φίλη μου is either nonstandard here or changes the meaning (can sound like “as a friend of mine,” not “for my friend”). So use για τη φίλη μου.

Could I use σε instead of για, like στη φίλη μου?

για τη φίλη μου = “for my friend” (benefit/purpose).
στη φίλη μου = “to my friend” (recipient). With buying verbs both can appear, but nuance shifts:
Θα αγοράσουμε ένα δώρο στη φίλη μου focuses on giving it to her.
Θα αγοράσουμε ένα δώρο για τη φίλη μου focuses on the fact it’s intended for her. You can also use a clitic: Θα της αγοράσουμε ένα δώρο.

Is the word order fixed? Can Αύριο move?

Word order is flexible. All are fine (with slightly different emphasis):

Αύριο θα ψωνίσουμε ένα δώρο...
Θα ψωνίσουμε αύριο ένα δώρο...
Θα ψωνίσουμε ένα δώρο αύριο... Fronting Αύριο highlights “tomorrow.” No comma is required after Αύριο in this short sentence.

How do I pronounce Αύριο? Is it “afrio” or “avrio”?

“avrio.” The digraph αυ is:

[av] before voiced sounds (like ρ here): Αύριο = [ˈavrio].
[af] before voiceless consonants (e.g., αυτό = [afˈto]).

How do I pronounce ψ in ψωνίσουμε?

ψ is a single consonant pronounced [ps], as in “laps.” So ψωνίσουμε ≈ “psoní-su-me” [psoˈnisume]. Primary stress is on the second syllable: ψω-νί-σου-με.

Where are the stress accents in the words here?

Αύριο: Αύ-ριο (stress on the first syllable)
θα: unstressed particle
ψωνίσουμε: ψω-νί-σου-με
ένα: έ-να
δώρο: δώ-ρο
για: usually unstressed
τη: unstressed
φίλη: φί-λη
μου: unstressed

Is there any difference between μία and μια for the feminine “a/an”?

Both exist. μια is the common unstressed article form; μία is often the numeral “one” or an emphatic form. In everyday writing, you’ll see both. For neuter (your sentence), it’s ένα.

Could I replace ψωνίσουμε with a suggestion like “Shall we buy...”? How would that look in Greek?

Use the particle να with the perfective: Να ψωνίσουμε ένα δώρο για τη φίλη μου; = “Shall we buy a gift for my friend?” You can also say Ας ψωνίσουμε... for “Let’s buy...”.