Learn Hardcore Greek: Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία, αλλά μαθαίνω γρήγορα στη νέα μου δουλειά. - I don’t have much experience, but I learn quickly in my new job.

έχω means I have (1st person singular), so adding εγώ is unnecessary in normal speech.
You can say Εγώ δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία, but that puts emphasis on I (as in: I don’t have much experience, maybe others do).

So the neutral, natural version is just Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία.

What does δεν mean, and why is it before the verb?

δεν is the standard negation particle for verbs in the present and simple past.

έχω = I have
δεν έχω = I do not / don’t have

It normally goes right before the verb:

δεν μαθαίνω = I don’t learn / I’m not learning
δεν πηγαίνω = I don’t go

So Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία = I don’t have much experience.

Why is it πολλή εμπειρία and not πολύ εμπειρία or πολλές εμπειρίες?

All three exist in Greek, but they’re used differently:

πολλή εμπειρία = much / a lot of experience (mass, uncountable)
- πολλή is a feminine singular form that agrees with εμπειρία.
πολύ εμπειρία is not standard here; πολύ is used:
- as an adverb (πολύ καλά = very well)
- or as an invariable quantifier with adjectives/adverbs (πολύ καλός, very good).
πολλές εμπειρίες = many experiences (countable plural)
- This changes the meaning slightly: from general experience to individual experiences.

So for the English meaning I don’t have much experience, the natural Greek is Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία.

How are πολλή and πολύ different in form and use?

They look and sound very similar, but:

πολύ (no final η) is:
- an adverb: τρέχω πολύ = I run a lot
- an invariable “very” before adjectives/adverbs: πολύ γρήγορα = very fast
πολλή (with η) is:
- the feminine singular form of the adjective πολύς / πολλή / πολύ
- it agrees with a feminine noun: πολλή δουλειά, πολλή εμπειρία

In modern pronunciation, πολύ and πολλή are both usually pronounced /poˈli/, so the difference is mainly in writing and grammar agreement.

Why is there no article (no την) before πολλή εμπειρία?

With quantities like much, a lot of, little and uncountable nouns, Greek often omits the article, similar to English:

πολλή εμπειρία = much experience
λίγη υπομονή = little patience

You could say Δεν έχω την εμπειρία but that would mean I don’t have the experience (some specific experience already known from context). For the general idea of “not much experience,” the article is dropped: Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία.

What form is εμπειρία here (gender, case, number)?

εμπειρία is:

gender: feminine
number: singular
case: accusative

It’s the direct object of the verb έχω:

(εγώ) έχω εμπειρία = I have experience.

The article+noun pair in citation form would be η εμπειρία (nominative), but after a verb like έχω, you get (την) εμπειρία (accusative). In this sentence, the article is omitted, so you just see εμπειρία.

What does μαθαίνω express here? Why isn’t it something like a continuous form?

Greek doesn’t distinguish simple vs continuous in the present tense the same way English does.

μαθαίνω can mean:
- I learn
- I am learning

Context decides which English form you use. Here, μαθαίνω γρήγορα naturally translates as I learn quickly or I’m learning quickly.

If you changed the tense:

έμαθα = I learned (completed action in the past)

What does γρήγορα mean and what form is it?

γρήγορα means quickly / fast.

It’s the adverb form of the adjective γρήγορος (fast, quick).
Adverbs in Greek often end in -α or -ως.

So:

γρήγορος (masc. adj.) = a fast man / fast (as an adjective)
γρήγορα (adv.) = quickly, fast (as in μαθαίνω γρήγορα = I learn quickly)

What is στη in στη νέα μου δουλειά?

στη is a contraction of:

σε (in, at, to) + τη(ν) (the, feminine singular)

So:

σε τη νέα δουλειά → στη νέα δουλειά

A few common contractions:

σε + τον → στον
σε + το → στο
σε + τις → στις

Here, δουλειά is feminine, so you get στη δουλειά = in/at the job.

What does δουλειά mean here, and what form is δουλειά in?

δουλειά means job, work, or occupation. In this sentence it means job.

Grammatically, in στη νέα μου δουλειά:

gender: feminine
number: singular
case: accusative (because it follows the preposition σε → στη)

So (τη) δουλειά is the form used after σε: σε (τη) δουλειά → στη δουλειά.

Why is μου after δουλειά instead of before it?

In Greek, possessive pronouns like μου (my), σου (your), του (his) usually come after the noun:

η δουλειά μου = my job
το σπίτι σου = your house
η μητέρα του = his mother

In your sentence, the phrase is στη νέα μου δουλειά:

δουλειά = job
μου = my → δουλειά μου = my job
νέα = new

So the structure is: στη + νέα + μου + δουλειά = in my new job.

You can also say η δουλειά η καινούργια μου in some contexts, but η νέα μου δουλειά / η καινούργια μου δουλειά is the most natural and straightforward order here.

Why is it νέα and not καινούργια? Is there a difference?

Both νέα and καινούργια can mean new, and in the phrase η νέα μου δουλειά you could also say:

η καινούργια μου δουλειά = my new job

Subtle nuance (often, but not always):

νέος / νέα / νέο: new in the sense of recent, young, fresh (often more neutral/formal).
καινούργιος / καινούργια / καινούργιο: new in the sense of brand-new, not old, recently acquired.

In everyday speech, η καινούργια μου δουλειά is very common; η νέα μου δουλειά sounds slightly more neutral/formal but is also perfectly natural. In this sentence, either word fits.

Why is there a comma before αλλά?

In Greek, αλλά means but, and it usually introduces a new clause that contrasts with the previous one. Just like in English, it’s common (and recommended) to use a comma before αλλά:

Δεν έχω πολλή εμπειρία, αλλά μαθαίνω γρήγορα...
= I don’t have much experience, but I learn quickly...

So the comma marks the break between the two contrasting ideas.