Learn Hardcore Greek: Σήμερα ο διευθυντής φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης. - Today the manager looks very stressed because of an important meeting.

Ο διευθυντής φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος = The director seems very stressed (this is my impression, what I perceive).
Ο διευθυντής είναι πολύ αγχωμένος = The director is very stressed (stating it more as a fact).

In Greek, using φαίνεται softens the statement and focuses on how he looks or behaves right now, based on what we see today. It’s similar to English “seems” or “looks”, not just “is”.

What exactly is αγχωμένος? Is it an adjective or a participle?

Αγχωμένος comes from the verb αγχώνομαι (to be stressed, to get stressed).

Grammatically it behaves like an adjective, but historically it’s a past participle:

Masculine: αγχωμένος
Feminine: αγχωμένη
Neuter: αγχωμένο

In the sentence:

ο διευθυντής (masculine, singular, nominative)
αγχωμένος (masculine, singular, nominative, agreeing with διευθυντής)

So αγχωμένος here means stressed / anxious and agrees in gender, number, and case with ο διευθυντής.

Why is it πολύ αγχωμένος and not πολύς αγχωμένος?

Πολύ can be:

an adverb: πολύ = very, modifying adjectives/adverbs
an adjective: πολύς / πολλή / πολύ = much / many, modifying nouns

In our sentence, πολύ is an adverb modifying the adjective αγχωμένος:

πολύ αγχωμένος = very stressed

Using πολύς αγχωμένος would be wrong, because πολύς in that form is an adjective meaning much/many, which doesn’t fit before an adjective.

Why is there ο before διευθυντής but no article before σήμερα?

Ο is the definite article (the) for masculine singular nouns:

ο διευθυντής = the director

Greek normally uses the definite article more often than English, especially for professions and roles when referring to a specific person.

Σήμερα means today and is an adverb of time. Adverbs in Greek (like σήμερα, αύριο, τώρα) do not take an article, just like in English you don’t say “the today”.

What does λόγω mean, and why does it take μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης in the genitive?

Λόγω means because of / due to / on account of.

It always takes a genitive after it. That’s why:

Feminine singular nominative: μια σοβαρή συνάντηση (a serious meeting)
Feminine singular genitive: μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης

So:

λόγω + μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης = because of a serious meeting

This genitive after λόγω is a fixed grammar rule in Greek.

Why is it μιας instead of μια in μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης?

Because of the case required by λόγω.

The indefinite article μια (a/an) in the feminine singular changes with the case:

Nominative: μια (μια σοβαρή συνάντηση)
Genitive: μιας (μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης)

Since λόγω needs the genitive, you must use μιας, not μια:

λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης = because of a serious meeting

What’s the nuance of σοβαρή συνάντηση? Does it mean important?

Σοβαρή literally means serious, but in context it often overlaps with important.

σοβαρή συνάντηση = a meeting that is serious in tone or about serious matters; often also an important meeting
σημαντική συνάντηση = more directly an important meeting

In this sentence, μια σοβαρή συνάντηση suggests a meeting with weighty, perhaps stressful issues, not just casual or routine. Translating it as “an important meeting” is usually natural in English.

Can the word order be changed? For example, can I say Ο διευθυντής σήμερα φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης?

Yes, Greek word order is flexible, and all of these are grammatical, with only slight emphasis differences:

Σήμερα ο διευθυντής φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης.
– Neutral, with σήμερα as a time frame up front.
Ο διευθυντής σήμερα φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης.
– Slight extra focus on the director today (as opposed to other times).
Ο διευθυντής φαίνεται σήμερα πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης.
– Emphasises that today is when he seems stressed.

All are acceptable; the version in your sentence is very natural.

What exactly does διευθυντής mean? Is it director, manager, or boss?

Διευθυντής usually means:

director, head, or manager of a department, school, company, etc.

Some common translations:

ο διευθυντής της εταιρείας = the director/manager of the company
ο διευθυντής του σχολείου = the principal / headmaster

The feminine form is η διευθύντρια = the (female) director/manager.
Context decides whether you translate it as director, manager, principal, or head in English.

What tense and voice is φαίνεται? How does the verb work?

Φαίνεται is:

Present tense
3rd person singular
Middle/passive voice
From the verb φαίνομαι

Basic present forms of φαίνομαι:

(εγώ) φαίνομαι – I seem
(εσύ) φαίνεσαι – you seem
(αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) φαίνεται – he/she/it seems
(εμείς) φαινόμαστε – we seem
(εσείς) φαίνεστε – you (pl./formal) seem
(αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) φαίνονται – they seem

It’s similar to English “I seem / you seem / he seems” but uses the middle/passive morphology (ending in -ομαι).

Why is σήμερα at the beginning? Could it go at the end?

Yes, σήμερα can also go at the end:

Σήμερα ο διευθυντής φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης.
Ο διευθυντής φαίνεται πολύ αγχωμένος λόγω μιας σοβαρής συνάντησης σήμερα.

Both are correct. Putting σήμερα at the beginning is very common and sets the time right away, much like starting with “Today” in English.

How do you pronounce αγχωμένος and where is the stress?

The stress mark shows the stressed syllable: αγχωμένος → αγχωΜΕνος.

Approximate pronunciation:

αγχ-: the γχ is pronounced like the German “Bach” or Spanish “j” in “jota” (a voiceless velar fricative), followed by a slightly nasal n sound.
-ω-: like o in “more” (shorter).
-μένος: MEH-nos (with e as in “met”).

So overall: aŋ-ho-ME-nos, with the stress on -μέ-.