Learn Hardcore Greek: Αν ήμασταν μαζί, θα διαλέγαμε κάτι διαφορετικό. - If we were together, we would choose something different.

Protasis (if-clause): αν
- imperfect indicative (here: ήμασταν).
Apodosis (main clause): θα
- imperfect indicative (here: θα διαλέγαμε). This corresponds to English “If we were…, we would…”.

Why is ήμασταν used and not the present είμαστε?

Greek uses the imperfect in the αν-clause to signal an unreal condition in the present or future. Ήμασταν is the imperfect of είμαι. Using είμαστε (present) would mean a real/neutral condition, not a hypothetical one.

Is ήμαστε also correct for “we were”?

Yes. Both ήμασταν and ήμαστε are accepted for the imperfect “we were.” Ήμασταν is more common in contemporary standard usage. The present “we are” is είμαστε.

What does θα do here? Is it just “will”?

Here θα is a modal particle that builds the conditional “would” with a past form: θα + imperfect = “would” (hypothetical). Without θα, διαλέγαμε would simply be “we were choosing” (past continuous), not conditional. So in this sentence θα does not mean future “will.”

Why θα διαλέγαμε and not θα διαλέξουμε?

Θα διαλέγαμε = “we would choose” (hypothetical).
Θα διαλέξουμε = “we will choose” (real future). The sentence is hypothetical, so it needs θα
- imperfect (διαλέγαμε), not the future.

Could I say θα είχαμε διαλέξει to mean “we would have chosen”?

Yes. Θα είχαμε διαλέξει expresses a counterfactual past (“we would have chosen”). Compare:

Αν ήμασταν μαζί, θα διαλέγαμε… = would choose (now/then, hypothetical).
Αν ήμασταν μαζί, θα είχαμε διαλέξει… = would have chosen (counterfactual past).

Is θα διαλέξαμε ever correct for the conditional?

In standard Greek, no. Θα διαλέξαμε is often considered non-standard for the conditional past. Prefer θα διαλέγαμε (would choose) or θα είχαμε διαλέξει (would have chosen).

What’s the difference between διαλέγω, επιλέγω, and προτιμώ?

διαλέγω: to choose/pick (common, neutral).
επιλέγω: to select/choose (more formal/technical).
προτιμώ: to prefer (expresses liking one option more than another).

Why is διαφορετικό neuter?

Because it modifies κάτι, which is an indeclinable neuter pronoun. Adjectives after κάτι agree in neuter singular: κάτι διαφορετικό. Forms: διαφορετικός (masc), διαφορετική (fem), διαφορετικό (neuter).

Could I say κάτι άλλο instead of κάτι διαφορετικό?

Yes. Κάτι άλλο = “something else” (plain alternative). Κάτι διαφορετικό = “something different,” often a touch more contrastive or emphasizing difference.

Can I reverse the clause order? What about commas?

Yes: Θα διαλέγαμε κάτι διαφορετικό, αν ήμασταν μαζί.

If the αν-clause comes first, put a comma after it.
If the αν-clause comes second, a comma is usually omitted unless needed for clarity or emphasis.

How should I pronounce this? Any stress tips?

Stress each word where the accent mark is:

Αν [an]
ήμασταν [ˈimastan]
μαζί [maˈzi]
θα [θa] (voiceless “th”)
διαλέγαμε [ðjaˈleɣame] (initial δ = voiced “th”; γ before a = [ɣ])
κάτι [ˈkati]
διαφορετικό [ðiaforetiˈko] ~ [ðjafoɾetiˈko] Overall: [an ˈimastan maˈzi, θa ðjaˈleɣame ˈkati ðiafoɾetiˈko].

Can I drop the subject pronoun εμείς?

Yes. Greek is pro‑drop; the verb ending shows the subject. Εμείς can be added for emphasis: Αν εμείς ήμασταν μαζί, θα διαλέγαμε…

Could I use μαζί με here?

Here ήμασταν μαζί means “we were together (with each other).” Use μαζί με to specify an additional companion: Ήμασταν μαζί με τον Γιάννη (“we were together with John”).

How do I negate this sentence?

Place δεν before the verb it negates:

Negate the if-clause: Αν δεν ήμασταν μαζί, θα διαλέγαμε…
Negate the main clause: Αν ήμασταν μαζί, δεν θα διαλέγαμε…
Negate both if needed: Αν δεν ήμασταν μαζί, δεν θα διαλέγαμε…

Is εάν the same as αν?

Yes. Εάν is a more formal/older variant of αν; meaning and use are the same here.

Does aspect matter in θα διαλέγαμε?

Slightly. The imperfective (διαλέγαμε) can suggest an open, process-like or generic “would choose,” but in practice it’s the normal way to express “would” in Greek. For a clearly counterfactual past result, switch to the perfect: θα είχαμε διαλέξει.