Learn Hardcore Greek: Στις επόμενες διακοπές θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα. - On my next vacation I want to go to Greece.

The singular διακοπή exists, but it usually means interruption, break, cut (e.g. power cut), not “a holiday/vacation” in the usual sense. That’s why the sentence uses στις επόμενες διακοπές, not something singular.

What is the role of επόμενες in the phrase στις επόμενες διακοπές?

Επόμενες means “next” and is an adjective describing διακοπές.

It agrees with διακοπές in:

gender: feminine
number: plural
case: accusative

So you get:

οι επόμενες διακοπές (subject: the next holidays)
στις επόμενες διακοπές (object / after a preposition: on the next holidays)

Why is it στις επόμενες διακοπές at the beginning? Could it go somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes, the phrase can move. Greek word order is flexible.

All of these are grammatically correct:

Στις επόμενες διακοπές θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα.
Θέλω στις επόμενες διακοπές να πάω στην Ελλάδα.
Θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα στις επόμενες διακοπές.

Putting στις επόμενες διακοπές first slightly emphasizes the time (as a topic: “As for the next holidays…”), but the basic meaning doesn’t change.

Why do we say θέλω να πάω and not just θέλω πάω?

In modern Greek, verbs like θέλω (I want) are normally followed by να + another verb in the subjunctive:

θέλω να πάω = I want to go
θέλω να φάω = I want to eat
θέλω να διαβάσω = I want to study / read

You almost always need να in this structure. Saying θέλω πάω is incorrect in standard modern Greek.

What is the difference between πάω and πηγαίνω?

Both relate to going:

πηγαίνω: “I go / I am going” (more clearly present/imperfective)
πάω: common everyday form, used a lot both as “I go” and in να πάω, θα πάω.

In practice:

Πηγαίνω κάθε μέρα στη δουλειά. = I go to work every day.
Θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα. = I want to go to Greece.

For a learner, it’s fine to remember that πάω is the usual spoken form in combinations like να πάω, θα πάω.

Why is να πάω used here and not something like να πηγαίνω?

After θέλω, Greek usually prefers a single, complete action in the future, so you use the “aorist-type” subjunctive:

Θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα. = I want to go (once, as a trip) to Greece.

Να πηγαίνω would suggest something more like repeated / ongoing going (habit, routine), which doesn’t fit the idea of one holiday trip. For this sentence, να πάω is the natural choice.

Why is it στην Ελλάδα and not σε την Ελλάδα?

Στην is another contraction:

σε (to / in / at)
την (the, feminine singular, accusative)

So:

σε την Ελλάδα → στην Ελλάδα

We use στην because:

Ελλάδα is feminine,
singular,
and here it’s the object of the preposition σε.

Why does Ελλάδα take the definite article (στην Ελλάδα) when in English we just say “to Greece”, without “the”?

In Greek, most country names normally take the definite article, especially in everyday speech:

η Ελλάδα = Greece
η Ιταλία = Italy
η Ισπανία = Spain

With a preposition:

στην Ελλάδα = to / in Greece
στην Ιταλία = to / in Italy

English usually omits “the” with country names, but Greek keeps the article. So στην Ελλάδα is the standard way to say “to Greece” or “in Greece” depending on context.

What case is στις επόμενες διακοπές in, and why?

It is in the accusative plural feminine:

τις διακοπές → accusative plural (“the holidays”)
στις = σε + τις → “in/on the” + accusative

In modern Greek, σε is followed by the accusative case, so the whole phrase στις επόμενες διακοπές is accusative.

Could we say Στις επόμενες διακοπές θα πάω στην Ελλάδα instead of θέλω να πάω? What’s the difference?

Yes, both are correct, but they express different things:

Θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα. = I want to go to Greece (focus on desire).
Θα πάω στην Ελλάδα. = I will go / I am going to Greece (focus on plan / decision / prediction).

So:

Στις επόμενες διακοπές θέλω να πάω στην Ελλάδα. → I want to go then.
Στις επόμενες διακοπές θα πάω στην Ελλάδα. → I state that I will go then (more like a plan or promise).

Is θέλω always followed by να and a verb, or can it be used differently?

Most commonly, θέλω is followed by να + verb:

Θέλω να φάω. = I want to eat.
Θέλω να κοιμηθώ. = I want to sleep.

It can also be followed by a noun or pronoun:

Θέλω καφέ. = I want coffee.
Θέλω αυτό. = I want this.

But when what you want is an action, Greek uses θέλω να + verb, not an infinitive like English.

How do you pronounce διακοπές, and what does it literally mean?

Pronunciation (roughly in English sounds):
διακοπές → [θia-ko-PÉS]

δια-: like “thia” (with th as in this)
-κο-: “ko”
-πές: “pés”, stressed on this last syllable

Literally, it comes from a word meaning “break, interruption” — a break from work / routine — which is why it’s used for holidays/vacation.