Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο.

to go

Breakdown of Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο.

• έχω: to have
• σε: to
• θα: will
• αν: if
• ο χρόνος: the time
• το εστιατόριο: the restaurant
• ξανά: again

Questions & Answers about Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο.

What kind of conditional is this?

It’s the hypothetical/unreal conditional (often called the “second conditional” in EFL terms). Greek marks this with:

• If-clause: αν + past tense (usually the imperfect for states)
• Main clause: θα + past tense (imperfect) = “would …” Example pair:
• Αν έχω χρόνο, θα πάω ξανά στο εστιατόριο. = If I have time, I will go again. (real)
• Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο. = If I had time, I would go again. (hypothetical)

Why is the verb in the if-clause past (είχα) if we’re talking about now/the future?

Greek uses past forms in the if-clause to signal unreality or distance from reality. Here, είχα (imperfect “I had”) doesn’t refer to past time; it marks the condition as contrary to fact in the present/future: “If I had (but I don’t) …”

What exactly does θα mean here? I thought θα = “will.”

Θα is a modal particle that combines with different verb forms:

• θα + perfective non-past: θα πάω = I will go (simple future)
• θα + imperfective non-past: θα πηγαίνω = I will be going / I’ll go regularly (future continuous/habitual)
• θα + imperfect (past): θα πήγαινα = I would go (conditional)
• θα + aorist (past): Θα πήγα σε λάθος διεύθυνση. = I must have gone to the wrong address. (probability about the past, not a conditional)

Can I say “Αν θα είχα χρόνο …”?

No for conditionals. Standard Greek does not use θα in the if-clause for conditional meaning. Use Αν είχα χρόνο …. Note: αν + θα is fine when αν means “whether”: Δεν ξέρω αν θα πάω = I don’t know whether I’ll go.

Could I use θα πάω instead of θα πήγαινα?

Only if you change the if-clause to a real condition:

• Hypothetical: Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα … = If I had time, I would go …
• Real: Αν έχω χρόνο, θα πάω … = If I have time, I will go …

Where can I put ξανά, and does the position change the meaning?

All are grammatical; word order shifts emphasis slightly:

• Θα ξαναπήγαινα στο εστιατόριο. (ξανά fused as a prefix; very idiomatic)
• Θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο. (neutral; slight emphasis on “again”)
• Ξανά θα πήγαινα στο εστιατόριο. (fronted for stronger focus on repetition) Meaning is the same: “again,” with minor differences in emphasis/flow.

What’s the difference between ξανά and πάλι?

Both can mean “again,” but:

• ξανά is neutral and very common with verbs or as the prefix ξανα-: θα ξαναπήγαινα.
• πάλι can also mean “again,” but may carry a nuance of repetition that can feel slightly complaining or contrastive in some contexts (e.g., “again?!”). Here both work: Θα πήγαινα πάλι στο εστιατόριο ~ “I’d go to the restaurant again.”

What is στο, and why not “σε το”?

στο is the contraction of σε + το (“to/at/in the”). Greek routinely contracts:

• σε + τον = στον, σε + την = στη(ν), σε + το = στο Here εστιατόριο is neuter, so we use στο.

Why the definite article? Could I say “σε ένα εστιατόριο”?

• στο εστιατόριο = to the restaurant (a specific/known one: the place we have in mind)
• σε ένα εστιατόριο = to a restaurant (any restaurant, non-specific) Choose based on whether the referent is specific.

Is θα πήγαινα based on πάω or πηγαίνω?

It’s from πηγαίνω. The imperfect is πήγαινα, so the conditional is θα πήγαινα. In the present, Greek alternates between πάω and πηγαίνω (“I go”), but the past/conditional form here comes from πηγαίνω.

How do I negate this?

Place δεν before the verb (and before θα when it’s present):

• Αν δεν είχα χρόνο, δεν θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο. = If I didn’t have time, I wouldn’t go to the restaurant again.

Is the comma after the if-clause required?

When the if-clause comes first, Greek normally uses a comma:

• Αν είχα χρόνο, θα πήγαινα … If the main clause comes first, no comma is needed:
• Θα πήγαινα ξανά στο εστιατόριο αν είχα χρόνο.

Why is it χρόνο (accusative) and not χρόνος?

Because χρόνο is the direct object of είχα. Nominative (χρόνος) is for subjects; accusative (χρόνο) is for direct objects. Similarly, (στο) εστιατόριο is accusative after the preposition σε.

Can I fuse ξανά with the verb?

Yes. Very common:

• Θα ξαναπήγαινα στο εστιατόριο. The prefix ξανα- attaches to the verb to mean “again.”

How would I express a past counterfactual (“If I had had time, I would have gone again”)?

Use the conditional perfect in the main clause:

• Αν είχα χρόνο χτες, θα είχα πάει ξανά στο εστιατόριο. You’ll also hear: Αν είχα χρόνο χτες, θα πήγαινα ξανά … (still natural; the perfect explicitly highlights completion).

Any quick pronunciation tips?

• Αν είχα: the χ is like the German “ch” in “Bach.”
• πήγαινα: γ before ε/ι sounds like a soft “y” with friction [ʝ] (approx. “pí-yena”).
• A simple guide: “An ícha chróno, tha píyena xaná sto estiatório.” (Capitalized syllables are stressed.)