Learn Hardcore Greek: Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.

They mean the same: both are the 1st-person singular present of “to ask.” Ρωτάω is the everyday, colloquial form; ρωτώ sounds a bit more formal or written. You’ll hear and see both, and you can choose freely depending on tone.

Why does the subject μια λέξη come after the verb σημαίνει?

Greek word order is flexible, and VSO (verb–subject–object) is very common, especially when a wh-word like τι is fronted. In the clause τι σημαίνει μια λέξη, the subject is μια λέξη, but it naturally follows the verb.

Why is there a period and not a question mark at the end?

Because this is a statement about asking, not a direct question. If you quote the question directly, you use the Greek question mark, which looks like a semicolon:

Ρωτάω συχνά: «Τι σημαίνει μια λέξη;»

What exactly does τι do here, and does it need an accent?

Τι means “what” and introduces an indirect question (object clause of ρωτάω). In modern spelling, τι is normally written without an accent, even when it’s interrogative. It’s indeclinable (it doesn’t change form).

Why is it μια and not μία? Are they different?

μια is the usual feminine indefinite article “a/an.”
μία is the feminine form of the numeral “one.”
In practice, both appear in writing. Use μία when you want to stress the number “one” (e.g., μία και μόνο), and μια for the ordinary article. Here, the article sense (“a word”) is intended, so μια is the default.

What case is μια λέξη here? It looks the same in nominative and accusative.

It’s nominative, because it’s the subject of σημαίνει inside the clause τι σημαίνει μια λέξη. The forms happen to look the same:

Feminine singular nouns in -η like λέξη have the same form in nominative and accusative.
The article μια is also identical in nominative and accusative singular.

Can I drop the article and say τι σημαίνει λέξη?

That’s not idiomatic here. Greek generally needs the indefinite article in this kind of generic reference. Natural options are:

τι σημαίνει μια λέξη (a word, any word)
τι σημαίνει η λέξη (the word, a specific one)

Where can I put the adverb συχνά?

Common, natural placements:

Συχνά ρωτάω τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.
Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.
Placing συχνά right before σημαίνει would shift the meaning to “what a word often means,” which isn’t intended here.

How do I include the person I’m asking?

Use the pattern “ask someone something”:

Ρωτάω τον δάσκαλο τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.
Τον/την ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.
Greek allows both orders: Ρωτάω κάποιον κάτι and Ρωτάω κάτι κάποιον.

Could I say ρωτάω τι να σημαίνει μια λέξη?

That changes the meaning to speculation: τι να σημαίνει… ≈ “I wonder what a word might mean.” Your sentence states a habitual action (I often ask), so τι σημαίνει is the right choice.

What’s the tense/aspect nuance of ρωτάω here?

Present tense in Greek commonly expresses habits. Ρωτάω συχνά… = “I often ask…”
Related forms:

Ρωτούσα συχνά… = “I used to ask often / I was often asking.”
Ρώτησα… = “I asked (once).”
Έχω ρωτήσει… = “I have asked.”

How would I ask about a specific word?

Add a demonstrative or the definite article:

Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει αυτή η λέξη. (this particular word)
Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει η λέξη «X». (naming the word)

If I change “word” to plural, what else changes?

Make the subject plural and the verb agree:

Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνουν οι λέξεις.
Here οι λέξεις is plural nominative, so σημαίνουν (3rd plural) is required.

Do I need a comma before τι σημαίνει…?

No. In Greek you don’t normally put a comma before an object clause introduced by τι, ότι, αν, etc., after verbs like ρωτάω, λέω, ξέρω. So: Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει μια λέξη. is punctuated correctly.

Is there a more formal or alternative way to phrase “what a word means”?

You can make it more formal by using a noun phrase:

Ρωτάω συχνά ποια είναι η σημασία μιας λέξης.
Everyday Greek, though, strongly prefers the verb σημαίνει with τι:
Ρωτάω συχνά τι σημαίνει μια λέξη.