Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα με τη φίλη μου.

Every summer I go on vacation in Greece with my (female) friend.

Breakdown of Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα με τη φίλη μου.

• η φίλη: the female friend
• μου: my
• με: with
• σε: in
• η Ελλάδα: Greece
• κάνω διακοπές: to vacation
• κάθε καλοκαίρι: every summer

Questions & Answers about Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα με τη φίλη μου.

Why doesn’t the sentence say το κάθε καλοκαίρι? Why is there no article before κάθε καλοκαίρι?

In Greek, κάθε (“every / each”) normally replaces the article, so you almost always say:

• κάθε καλοκαίρι = every summer
• κάθε μέρα = every day
• κάθε παιδί = every child

Using το κάθε is possible but has a special, more emphatic or “individualizing” meaning:

• Το κάθε καλοκαίρι είναι διαφορετικό.
  “Each (and every) summer is different.”

In your sentence we’re just describing a regular habit, so plain κάθε καλοκαίρι is the normal, neutral form.

What tense is κάνω here, and why is it used for something in the future?

Κάνω is in the present simple (ενεστώτας: εγώ κάνω).

Greek uses the present simple for:

• general truths: Η γη γυρίζει.
• habits / repeated actions: Διαβάζω κάθε βράδυ.
• scheduled / regular future actions, especially with κάθε:
  Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές...

So Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές... means “Every summer (as a habit) I go on vacation…”, and it naturally includes future summers unless context says otherwise.

You could say Κάθε καλοκαίρι θα κάνω διακοπές..., but that sounds more like a promise or plan for the future, not just a description of a usual pattern.

Why is διακοπές in the plural when English usually says “vacation” or “holiday” in the singular?

In Greek, οι διακοπές is almost always plural when it means “vacation / holidays”:

• Κάνω διακοπές. = I’m on vacation / I take a vacation.
• Πότε έχεις διακοπές; = When do you have holidays?
• Οι διακοπές τελείωσαν. = The holidays are over.

There is a singular form η διακοπή, but it normally means “interruption / a break” (e.g. διακοπή ρεύματος = power cut), not holiday.

So κάνω διακοπές is the standard idiomatic expression for “go on vacation / take a vacation” in Greek, and it’s plural for this meaning.

Can I say πάω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα instead of κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say both, and they’re both very natural:

• Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα.
• Κάθε καλοκαίρι πάω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα.

The nuance:

• κάνω διακοπές focuses more on the state / period of being on vacation.
• πάω διακοπές focuses a bit more on the going / travelling to take a vacation.

In most everyday contexts they’re interchangeable; people use both all the time.

What exactly is στην in στην Ελλάδα?

Στην is a combination of a preposition and an article:

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

So:

• σε + την Ελλάδα → στην Ελλάδα
  = “in/to Greece”

Greek usually uses the definite article with country names, so:

• στην Ελλάδα = in Greece
• στην Ιταλία = in Italy
• στον Καναδά = in Canada (σε + τον Καναδά)

Why is it στην Ελλάδα but τη φίλη μου without the final -ν? What’s going on with την / τη?

Both forms come from the same word: την = “the” (feminine accusative singular).

Modern spelling rules allow dropping the final -ν before many consonants:

• You keep the -ν before:

  • vowels: στην Ελλάδα
  • and the consonants κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, γκ, μπ, ντ, τσ, τζ

• You can drop the -ν before other consonants, like φ in φίλη:

  • τη φίλη μου (common modern spelling)
  • την φίλη μου (also correct, more “full” form)

So:

• στην Ελλάδα keeps the -ν because Ε is a vowel.
• τη φίλη μου often drops it because φ is not in that special consonant group.

Both τη φίλη μου and την φίλη μου are grammatically correct; it’s mostly an orthographic style choice.

Why is it τη φίλη μου and not η φίλη μου?

The article changes form depending on case:

• η φίλη = nominative (subject form) – “the friend (female)”
• τη(ν) φίλη = accusative (object form) – “the friend” as an object

In your sentence:

• Κάθε καλοκαίρι = time expression
• κάνω = I do/make (subject is “I”)
• διακοπές = direct object (what I do)
• στην Ελλάδα = place
• με τη φίλη μου = with my friend

Here, η φίλη μου is not the subject; it’s part of a prepositional phrase with με (“with”). After με, the noun is in the accusative, so we must use τη(ν):

• η φίλη μου κάνει διακοπές. = My friend is the subject.
• Κάνω διακοπές με τη φίλη μου. = I am the subject; “friend” is in a “with” phrase.

What case is μου in τη φίλη μου, and what does it do?

Μου here is the genitive form of the pronoun “I” (εγώ).

• μου = “my” / “of me”

In τη φίλη μου:

• φίλη = friend (female)
• μου = my

So η φίλη μου / τη φίλη μου literally means “the friend of me”, i.e. “my friend”.

Key points about μου as a possessive:

• It normally comes after the noun: το βιβλίο μου = my book.
• It is unstressed in this position (a clitic).
• You can move it before for emphasis: Η δική μου φίλη = my friend (not someone else’s).

In your sentence, τη φίλη μου is the regular, neutral way to say “my (female) friend” in object form.

Does η φίλη μου necessarily mean “my girlfriend” (romantic), or can it just mean “my female friend”?

Η φίλη μου is ambiguous: it can mean either:

• “my (female) friend”
• “my girlfriend”

Context usually tells you which is meant. Some guidelines:

• For a clearly romantic meaning, people often say:
  • η κοπέλα μου = my girlfriend (very typically romantic)
• For a clearly non-romantic friend, people may clarify:
  • μια φίλη μου από τη δουλειά = a (female) friend of mine from work
  • μια καλή μου φίλη = a good (female) friend of mine

In your sentence, με τη φίλη μου could be understood either way; without more context, both readings are possible.

Why is the subject pronoun εγώ (“I”) not used? Why not Εγώ κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές…?

Greek is a “pro‑drop” language: the verb ending usually makes the subject clear, so pronouns like εγώ are often omitted.

• κάνω already tells us the subject is “I”.
• So Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές... is perfectly natural.

You add εγώ mainly for emphasis or contrast:

• Εγώ κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα, αλλά οι φίλοι μου μένουν σπίτι.
  I go on vacation in Greece every summer, but my friends stay home.

Without contrast, leaving out εγώ is more neutral and typical.

Can the word order change? For example, can I say Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές με τη φίλη μου στην Ελλάδα?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible, especially with adverbial phrases (time, place, manner).

All of these are grammatically correct and natural, with only slight differences in focus:

• Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα με τη φίλη μου.
• Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές με τη φίλη μου στην Ελλάδα.
• Στην Ελλάδα κάνω διακοπές κάθε καλοκαίρι με τη φίλη μου.
• Με τη φίλη μου κάνω διακοπές στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι.

The usual “default” order in your context is:

1. Time: Κάθε καλοκαίρι
2. Verb + main object: κάνω διακοπές
3. Place & company: στην Ελλάδα με τη φίλη μου

Changing the order tends to add emphasis to whatever you move earlier.

What does με in με τη φίλη μου actually do, and do I always use the accusative after με?

Με is the preposition meaning “with”.

It always takes the accusative case:

• με τη φίλη μου = with my (female) friend
• με τον φίλο μου = with my (male) friend
• με τα παιδιά μου = with my children

You can also use μαζί με (“together with”) for extra emphasis:

• Κάθε καλοκαίρι κάνω διακοπές μαζί με τη φίλη μου στην Ελλάδα.

But the case stays the same (accusative) after both με and μαζί με.

How should I pronounce and stress each word in this sentence?

Stress in Greek is always marked with the accent (´). Here’s a rough guide with stress and syllable division:

• Κάθε → ΚΑ-θε (stress on the first syllable)
• καλοκαίρι → κα-λο-ΚΑΙ-ρι (stress on “kai”)
• κάνω → ΚΑ-νω (stress on the first syllable)
• διακοπές → δια-κο-ΠΕΣ (stress on the last syllable)
• στην → single syllable, no written accent
• Ελλάδα → Ε-ΛΑ-δα (stress on “la”)
• με → single syllable, no accent
• τη → single syllable, no accent
• φίλη → ΦΙ-λη (stress on the first syllable)
• μου → single syllable, no accent

In a smooth pronunciation:
ΚΑ-θε κα-λο-ΚΑΙ-ρι ΚΑ-νω δια-κο-ΠΕΣ στην Ε-ΛΑ-δα με τη ΦΙ-λη μου.