Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

Every time I see you, I smile.

Breakdown of Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

• σε: you
• βλέπω: to see
• που: that
• κάθε: every
• χαμογελάω: to smile
• η φορά: the time

Questions & Answers about Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

What does κάθε φορά literally mean, and how is it different from just saying όταν?

Κάθε φορά literally means each time / every time.

• Κάθε = every, each
• φορά = time, occasion

So Κάθε φορά που… = Every time (that)…

You could also say:

• Όταν σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω. = When I see you, I smile.

The difference is nuance:

• Κάθε φορά που… emphasizes every single occasion, a repeated pattern.
• Όταν… is more general when / whenever, without stressing each occurrence.

In many everyday contexts, both are possible and mean practically the same thing, but κάθε φορά που sounds a bit more emphatic about regular repetition.

What is που doing here? I thought που meant who/that as a relative pronoun.

In Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, που is not a relative pronoun in the English sense; it acts as a subordinating conjunction meaning roughly that / when after a time expression.

You get this pattern a lot:

• Την ώρα που έφυγες… = The moment (that/when) you left…
• Τη στιγμή που σε είδα… = The moment (that/when) I saw you…
• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω… = Every time (that/when) I see you…

So after expressions of time (κάθε φορά, την ώρα, τη στιγμή, την ημέρα etc.), Greek very often uses που to introduce the clause. It’s very natural and common in spoken and written Greek.

Why is it σε βλέπω and not βλέπω σε, like English see you?

Σε is a clitic object pronoun (unstressed) meaning you (singular, object). In standard Greek word order, short object pronouns normally go before the verb:

• σε βλέπω = I see you
• τον βλέπω = I see him
• την βλέπω / τη βλέπω = I see her
• το βλέπω = I see it

Putting it after the verb (βλέπω σε) is ungrammatical in this context.

Clitic pronouns can go after the verb only in specific forms, mainly:

• Imperatives:
  
  • Δες με! = Look at me!
• Some participle or infinitive-like constructions:
  
  • Θέλω να σε δω. (but the clitic still goes before δω, not after θέλω)

So for a normal present tense sentence with a finite verb, use [clitic] + [verb]:
σε βλέπω, δεν σε βλέπω, πάντα σε βλέπω.

What’s the difference between σε and εσένα / σένα for “you”?

All three refer to you (singular, object), but they differ in formality and emphasis:

• σε – short, unstressed clitic; the default in everyday sentences before the verb:

  • σε βλέπω = I see you

• εσένα – full, stressed form, used for emphasis or contrast:

  • Εσένα σε βλέπω, όχι αυτόν. = It’s you I see, not him.

• σένα – a more colloquial/shortened version of εσένα, same use:

  • Σένα σ’ αγαπάω πιο πολύ. = It’s you I love more.

In your sentence, using σε is normal and neutral:
Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

If you wanted to emphasize you in contrast to someone else, you might hear:
Κάθε φορά που εσένα σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω. (much more emphatic).

Why is there no I written? Shouldn’t it be Εγώ χαμογελάω?

Greek is a pro‑drop language: subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, etc.) are usually omitted because the verb ending already shows the person.

• βλέπω = I see
• βλέπεις = you (sg) see
• βλέπει = he/she/it sees

So:

• Σε βλέπω. = I see you.
• Χαμογελάω. = I smile / I am smiling.

If you say Εγώ χαμογελάω, the pronoun εγώ adds emphasis:

• Εγώ χαμογελάω, όχι αυτός. = I’m the one who smiles, not him.

In your sentence, εγώ is understood from the verb endings -ω in βλέπω and χαμογελάω, so it’s normally left out.

Why is the present tense used (σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω) even though this talks about repeated actions?

Greek uses the present tense of an imperfective verb to express general truths or repeated / habitual actions, just like English present simple:

• Κάθε μέρα τρώω πρωινό. = I eat breakfast every day.
• Όποτε μπορώ, διαβάζω. = Whenever I can, I read.

Here:

• σε βλέπω (from βλέπω) and
• χαμογελάω

are imperfective present forms, used for a repeated pattern:

• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.
  = Every time I see you, I (tend to / always) smile.

So the present in Greek comfortably covers this “whenever X happens, Y happens” meaning. You don’t need a special tense.

Is the comma before χαμογελάω necessary? Could I write it without a comma?

You will usually see a comma here, and it’s a good habit to keep it:

• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

Reasons:

• The first part (Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω) is a subordinate (dependent) clause of time.
• The second part (χαμογελάω) is the main clause.

In Greek, it’s standard to separate a dependent clause that comes first from the main clause with a comma, especially when introduced by όταν, αν, επειδή, κάθε φορά που etc.

Writing it without a comma (Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω χαμογελάω.) is not unheard of, but the version with the comma is clearer and more standard.

What’s the difference between χαμογελάω and χαμογελώ?

Both mean I smile and are both correct.

• χαμογελάω – more common in modern spoken Greek; sounds a bit more casual/natural in everyday speech.
• χαμογελώ – slightly more formal or literary in feel, though still used in speech.

They are just two parallel present forms of the same verb. You can think of χαμογελώ as the “shorter” form.

For your sentence, both are fine:

• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.
• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελώ.

Most people would probably say χαμογελάω in everyday conversation.

How do you pronounce the sentence, especially χαμογελάω?

Stress marks show where the main stress falls:

• Κάθε → ΚΆ-θε
• φορά → φο-ΡΆ
• βλέπω → ΒΛΈ-πο
• χαμογελάω → χα-μο-γε-ΛΆ-ω

Approximate pronunciation (English-friendly):

• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.
  → KA-the fo-RA pu se VLE-po, cha-mo-ye-LA-o.

Some notes:

• χ = like German ch in Bach or Scottish loch (a voiceless “kh” sound).
• γ before ε (γε) is a soft sound, roughly like the y in yes but with some friction: ye / ɣe.
• αι in κάθε sounds like e in get.
• ω and ο sound the same (like o in not), spelling difference only.

In fluent speech, χαμογελάω can sound almost like χαμογελάω with the last two vowels run together: χαμογελάω → χαμογελάω [xamoʝeˈlao].

Is φορά the same as χρόνος? Both seem to mean “time”.

They are different:

• φορά = time / occasion / instance

  • Μία φορά την εβδομάδα. = Once a week.
  • Την πρώτη φορά. = The first time.
  • Κάθε φορά που… = Every time (that)…

• χρόνος = time in a more general sense, or year in some uses

  • Δεν έχω χρόνο. = I don’t have time.
  • Πόσος χρόνος πέρασε; = How much time passed?
  • Ο νέος χρόνος. = The new year.

In your sentence, we’re talking about each occasion, so φορά is the correct word:
Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω… = Every time (each occasion) that I see you…

Could this sentence be made more formal or more poetic? What would change?

Yes, by choosing slightly more formal verbs or structures:

More formal / neutral:

• Κάθε φορά που σε αντικρίζω, χαμογελώ.
  
  • αντικρίζω = behold/face (more literary than βλέπω)
  • χαμογελώ instead of χαμογελάω

More poetic:

• Κάθε φορά που τα μάτια μου σε συναντούν, χαμογελώ.
  = Every time my eyes meet you, I smile.

The original:

• Κάθε φορά που σε βλέπω, χαμογελάω.

is perfectly natural, everyday modern Greek and carries a warm, personal tone.