Learn Hardcore Greek: Φυσικά και δεν έχει σημασία αν έρθεις αργά. - Of course it doesn’t matter if you come late.

Φυσικά και is an emphatic way to say “Of course.” The και doesn’t literally mean “and” here; it intensifies the agreement, roughly “Of course (indeed) … / Absolutely …”. It’s stronger than plain Φυσικά.

Can I drop και and just say Φυσικά?

Yes. Φυσικά, δεν έχει σημασία … is fine. Adding και makes it a bit more emphatic: Φυσικά και δεν έχει σημασία ….

Could I use Βέβαια or Μα φυσικά instead of Φυσικά?

Βέβαια (or the more formal Βεβαίως) = “of course,” very common.
Μα φυσικά = “but of course,” even more emphatic. All are acceptable with slightly different tones.

What’s going on with δεν έχει σημασία? Who is the subject?

It’s impersonal: literally “it doesn’t have importance,” used for “it doesn’t matter.” There is no explicit subject. For extra emphasis you can say δεν έχει καμία σημασία = “it has no importance at all.”

Why έχει σημασία and not είναι σημαντικό?

Both are correct. Nuance:

δεν έχει σημασία = “it doesn’t matter,” very idiomatic in reassurance.
δεν είναι σημαντικό = “it isn’t important,” slightly more evaluative/formal. In everyday speech here, δεν έχει σημασία is more natural.

Why is it αν έρθεις and not αν έρχεσαι?

After αν (“if”), Greek typically uses the non-past subjunctive, usually perfective, for a single, potential event: (αν) έρθεις. έρχεσαι is present indicative (“you come/are coming”) and would suggest a habitual situation. For this one-time possibility, αν έρθεις is the default.

What exactly is the form έρθεις?

It’s the 2nd person singular perfective subjunctive of έρχομαι (“to come”). Mini overview:

Present: έρχομαι (I come)
Aorist (simple past): ήρθα (I came)
Subjunctive (perfective): (να) έρθω, (να) έρθεις, (να) έρθει, (να) έρθουμε, (να) έρθετε, (να) έρθουν(ε)

Is αν θα έρθεις ever correct?

Yes, when αν means “whether” in indirect questions: Δεν ξέρω αν θα έρθεις (“I don’t know whether you’ll come”). In your sentence, most speakers prefer αν έρθεις (or αν αργήσεις) as the safest, most neutral choice, though you will hear αν θα in casual speech.

How do you pronounce έρθεις and αργά?

έρθεις: roughly “ÉR-this” [ˈerθis]. The θ is like English “th” in “thin,” and ει sounds like “ee.”
αργά: “ar-GÁ” [arˈɣa]. The γ before α is a soft, voiced “gh” sound.

Does αργά mean “late” or “slowly”?

Both, depending on context:

With arrival/motion verbs (e.g., έρθεις), αργά = “late (in time).”
With manner verbs (e.g., μιλάει), αργά = “slowly.”

Where can αργά go? Is αν αργά έρθεις OK?

Natural placement is after the verb phrase: αν έρθεις αργά. Fronted αν αργά έρθεις is possible but sounds marked/poetic. Everyday speech prefers αν έρθεις αργά or the verb alternative αν αργήσεις.

Can I replace αν έρθεις αργά with αν αργήσεις?

Yes. αργήσω/αργήσεις/αργήσει are from αργώ (“to be late”). Δεν έχει σημασία αν αργήσεις is very idiomatic and maybe even smoother than αν έρθεις αργά.

Why is there no article before σημασία?

Abstract nouns used in a general sense after έχει often appear without an article: έχει σημασία / δεν έχει σημασία. If you specify it, you can use an article: δεν έχει καμία τη σημασία is not used, but δεν έχει καμία σημασία (with καμία) is standard for emphasis.

Is Φυσικά και … informal?

It’s neutral and common in speech and informal writing. In very formal settings you might use Βεβαίως and omit και: Βεβαίως, δεν έχει σημασία ….

Do I need a comma after Φυσικά?

With Φυσικά και, no comma: Φυσικά και δεν έχει σημασία …
With plain Φυσικά, a comma is common but optional: Φυσικά, δεν έχει σημασία …

How do I make it plural/formal “you”?

Use 2nd person plural in the clause: Φυσικά και δεν έχει σημασία αν έρθετε αργά.

How do I say “even if you come late”?

Ακόμη κι αν έρθεις αργά (also Έστω κι αν έρθεις αργά). The little κι is και before a vowel.

When does δεν become δε?

In fast/informal speech, the final -ν can drop before many consonants: δε φταίω. It stays before vowels and certain consonants (e.g., κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ). Here the next word is έχει (a vowel), so it must be δεν έχει.

Is there a more casual equivalent to the whole sentence?

Yes:

Δεν πειράζει αν αργήσεις.
Κανένα πρόβλημα αν αργήσεις. Both sound very natural in everyday conversation.