Learn Hardcore Greek: Στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες. - On the same channel I also watch old movies.

Basic form (nominative singular): το κανάλι
Here it appears after the preposition σε, which always takes the accusative.
For neuter nouns in -ι, nominative and accusative singular look the same: (το) κανάλι.

So:

Nominative: το κανάλι (subject)
Accusative: το κανάλι (object / after preposition)

In Στο ίδιο κανάλι, κανάλι is neuter singular accusative after σε (in the contracted form στο).

Why is it ίδιο and not some other form like ίδια or ίδιος?

Ίδιο is the neuter singular form of the adjective ίδιος, ίδια, ίδιο (same).

Adjectives agree with the noun in:

gender
number
case

Here the noun is:

το κανάλι → neuter, singular, accusative

So the adjective must also be:

ίδιο → neuter, singular, accusative

Other forms would go with different nouns:

ίδιος → masculine (e.g. ο ίδιος άνθρωπος)
ίδια → feminine (e.g. η ίδια ταινία)

Because κανάλι is neuter, you need ίδιο.

Why does Greek use βλέπω here? Does it mean “watch” or “see”?

Βλέπω literally means I see, but in everyday Greek it is also the normal verb for I watch (especially for TV, films, series).

So:

Βλέπω τηλεόραση = I watch TV
Βλέπω μια ταινία = I am watching a movie
Δεν βλέπω καλά = I don’t see well

You could also say παρακολουθώ for “I follow / watch (attentively)”, but for casual TV/film watching βλέπω is by far the most common choice. That’s why the sentence uses βλέπω.

Does και here mean “and” or “also”? What exactly is its function?

Και can mean both and and also / too, depending on position and context.

In this sentence:

Στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες.

The και before παλιές ταινίες means also / too:

On the same channel, I also watch old movies.

So the idea is:

I watch something else on this channel (maybe news, series, etc.),
and also old movies.

If it were just joining two things, it could look like:

Βλέπω παλιές ταινίες και σειρές. = I watch old films and series.

Why is και placed before παλιές ταινίες and not somewhere else? Could I move it?

The position of και changes what is being emphasized as “also”.

Compare:

Στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες.
→ I also watch old movies (in addition to other things on that channel).
Στο ίδιο κανάλι και βλέπω παλιές ταινίες.
→ This is unusual and sounds awkward in Greek.
Και στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω παλιές ταινίες.
→ Emphasis that it’s also on this channel (maybe in addition to other channels).

So in your sentence, και right before παλιές ταινίες attaches the meaning also to παλιές ταινίες.

Why is there no article before παλιές ταινίες? Why not τις παλιές ταινίες?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things.

παλιές ταινίες (no article)
→ old movies in general; some undefined old movies
→ I also watch old movies (as a type of content).
τις παλιές ταινίες (with article)
→ specific old movies that both speaker and listener know about
→ I also watch the old movies (those particular ones we’re talking about).

In your sentence, the lack of article makes it sound more general: old movies as a category, not specific titles everyone already has in mind.

Why is παλιές in the plural and why with that exact ending?

Παλιές is the feminine plural form of the adjective παλιός, παλιά, παλιό (old).

It agrees with ταινίες:

ταινία (a movie) → feminine singular
ταινίες (movies) → feminine plural

So:

singular: παλιά ταινία (old movie)
plural: παλιές ταινίες (old movies)

The ending -ες is the typical feminine plural nominative/accusative adjective ending (e.g. μεγάλες ταινίες, ωραίες ταινίες, παλιές ταινίες).

Why is ταινίες in that form, not ταινία?

Because the meaning is movies (plural), not movie (singular).

Singular: η ταινία (movie)
Plural: οι ταινίες (movies)

In this sentence, βλέπω παλιές ταινίες → I watch old movies, plural. The verb βλέπω can take either singular or plural objects:

Βλέπω μια ταινία. = I’m watching a movie.
Βλέπω ταινίες. = I watch movies.

Could I change the word order, for example: Βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες στο ίδιο κανάλι? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say:

Βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες στο ίδιο κανάλι.

Both:

Στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες.
Βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες στο ίδιο κανάλι.

are natural and correct. The difference is only in emphasis:

Starting with Στο ίδιο κανάλι highlights the channel first (as a setting).
Starting with Βλέπω is a more neutral, verb‑first order.

Meaning-wise, they both convey: On the same channel, I also watch old movies.

Why is the present tense βλέπω used, instead of something like “I am watching” with a separate form?

Modern Greek does not usually distinguish between simple present and present continuous the way English does.

βλέπω can mean:
- I see / I watch (generally, habitually)
- I am seeing / I am watching (right now), depending on context.

So:

Τώρα βλέπω μια ταινία. = I’m watching a movie right now.
Στο ίδιο κανάλι βλέπω και παλιές ταινίες. = On that channel I (usually / regularly) watch old movies.

Aspect differences (like “I watched / I have watched”) are made with past tenses and other constructions, not by changing the present form.

Why is κανάλι in the accusative case after a preposition? I thought accusative was only for direct objects.

In Greek, many prepositions, including σε, require the accusative case, regardless of whether the noun is a direct object or not.

So:

Πηγαίνω στο σπίτι. (σε + το σπίτι, accusative)
Μένω στο ίδιο σπίτι.
Στο κανάλι βλέπω…

At the same time:

Βλέπω το κανάλι.
Here το κανάλι is a direct object and also accusative.

So accusative is used:

for direct objects
after prepositions like σε, για, με, προς, etc.

In this sentence, στο ίδιο κανάλι is a prepositional phrase (location), so κανάλι is accusative because of σε.

What are the stress patterns in κανάλι, ίδιο, and ταινίες? How should I pronounce them?

Stress (accent) in Greek is very regular and marked with the accent mark.

κανάλι → ka‑na‑li
- Stress on the second syllable: ka‑NA‑li
ίδιο → í‑thio (modern pronunciation: Í‑thio or Í‑ðio)
- Stress on the first syllable: Í‑thio
ταινίες → te‑ní‑es
- Stress on the second syllable: te‑NÍ‑es

The written accent always shows where the stress goes, and you must pronounce that syllable more strongly.