Learn Hardcore Greek: Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω συχνά έξω με τη φίλη μου. - On Friday I often go out with my female friend.

So Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω… literally is The Friday I go…, but it is understood as On Friday I go….
Using the article with days in this way is standard Greek and sounds natural; saying just Παρασκευή πηγαίνω… would sound incomplete or marked in most contexts.

Why is it Την Παρασκευή with -ν, but τη φίλη μου usually written without -ν?

Both την and τη are forms of the same word: the feminine singular definite article in the accusative.

Modern spelling rules say:

Write την (with ν) before:
- a vowel: την Ελλάδα
- the consonants: κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ
  e.g. την πόλη, την τάξη
Otherwise you may drop the ν: τη φίλη, τη μητέρα

So:

Την Παρασκευή: ν is kept because Π (π) is one of those consonants.
τη φίλη μου: ν can be dropped before φ, so it’s written τη, though in speech many people still pronounce the ν: /tin fíli mu/.

What case is Την Παρασκευή, and why is that case used?

Την Παρασκευή is accusative singular feminine.

Greek often uses the accusative for expressions of time, especially when you answer when?:

Την Κυριακή δουλεύω. = I work on Sunday.
Τον Ιούνιο ταξιδεύω. = I travel in June.
Κάθε μέρα διαβάζω. = I study every day.

So Την Παρασκευή answers When do you often go out with my friend? → On Friday → accusative.

Does Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω συχνά έξω… mean this coming Friday or on Fridays in general?

By itself, Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω συχνά έξω… is understood as a habitual statement:
On Fridays I often go out with my friend.

You know it’s habitual because:

The verb πηγαίνω is in the present simple, which in Greek is the usual tense for habits and general truths.
The adverb συχνά (often) reinforces that it’s about repeated action.

If you wanted to mean specifically this coming Friday, you would normally add something like:

Αυτή την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω έξω με τη φίλη μου. = This Friday I’m going out with my friend.

Why is the present tense πηγαίνω used instead of a future form to express a habitual action?

In Greek, the present tense is the default way to express:

habits: Κάθε μέρα πηγαίνω στη δουλειά. = I (habitually) go to work every day.
repeated actions: Συχνά βλέπω ταινίες. = I often watch movies.

So Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω συχνά έξω… uses the present to mean I (usually) go out on Friday.
You would use the future (θα πάω / θα πηγαίνω) only if you want to emphasize the future timeframe, not just the habit.

What is the difference between πηγαίνω and πάω?

Both can mean “I go” / “I’m going”, but there are nuances:

πάω
- Very common in everyday speech.
- Shorter, more colloquial.
- Often used for a single, concrete trip: Αύριο πάω στο γιατρό. = I’m going to the doctor tomorrow.
πηγαίνω
- Slightly more formal or neutral.
- Very natural for repeated or habitual actions:
  Κάθε μέρα πηγαίνω στη δουλειά.

In this sentence, πηγαίνω fits well because you’re describing something you do often (habit).

Why is συχνά placed before έξω? Could we say πηγαίνω έξω συχνά?

Yes, you can say both:

πηγαίνω συχνά έξω
πηγαίνω έξω συχνά

Both sound natural, and both mean I often go out.

General tendencies:

συχνά often comes before the verb or the main complement:
- Συχνά πηγαίνω έξω.
- Πηγαίνω συχνά έξω.
Putting συχνά at the end (πηγαίνω έξω συχνά) gives it a bit more emphasis in speech, like I go out, and I do so often.

But there is no big difference in meaning here; it’s mainly style and rhythm.

Why do we say έξω here and not use a preposition like outside to somewhere?

Έξω is an adverb meaning out / outside and in everyday Greek it very often implies:

going out socially (to cafes, bars, restaurants, etc.)

So πηγαίνω έξω usually means I go out (to have fun / socialize), not just physically stepping outside the house.

You could add a place:

πηγαίνω έξω με τη φίλη μου για ποτό. = I go out with my friend for a drink.
Βγαίνω έξω με τη φίλη μου. = I go out with my friend.

No preposition is needed before έξω in this structure.

What exactly does τη φίλη μου mean: my friend or my girlfriend?

Literally, η φίλη μου means my (female) friend.

In context, τη φίλη μου can mean:

my female friend (platonic)
my girlfriend (romantic)

Greek doesn’t distinguish these with a different word. The meaning depends on context, tone, and what is known about the relationship. If you wanted to make it unambiguously romantic, you might say something like:

τη σχέση μου = my partner
τη κοπέλα μου = my girlfriend (literally “my girl”)

Why is the possessive μου after the noun (τη φίλη μου) and not before, like in English?

In Greek, possessive pronouns usually follow the noun:

το σπίτι μου = my house
ο αδελφός σου = your brother
η μητέρα του = his mother

So τη φίλη μου is the normal order: “the friend my” → my friend.

Putting μου before the noun is either:

incorrect, or
a very marked, poetic, or archaic style that you will almost never use in normal speech.

Why is there a definite article with the possessive: τη φίλη μου instead of just φίλη μου?

Greek usually requires the definite article when a noun has a possessive pronoun:

η φίλη μου = my friend
το βιβλίο σου = your book
το παιδί μας = our child

Saying just φίλη μου is possible but:

sounds more vocative / direct address:
Φίλη μου, σε ευχαριστώ. = My friend, thank you.
or more poetic / emotional.

In a normal sentence like this, you use the article: με τη φίλη μου.

How strict is the word order? Can we move elements around?

Greek word order is relatively flexible. All of these are grammatical:

Την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω συχνά έξω με τη φίλη μου.
Συχνά την Παρασκευή πηγαίνω έξω με τη φίλη μου.
Την Παρασκευή συχνά πηγαίνω έξω με τη φίλη μου.
Πηγαίνω συχνά έξω με τη φίλη μου την Παρασκευή.

The differences are mainly in emphasis and rhythm:

Starting with Την Παρασκευή emphasizes the time.
Moving συχνά forward (e.g. Συχνά την Παρασκευή…) emphasizes the frequency.

The original sentence is very natural and neutral: it first sets the time (Την Παρασκευή), then states the habitual action.