Learn Hardcore Greek: Αν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο. - If it is raining a lot, I cancel the walk in the park.

In context this often means:
“If it rains a lot, I (always) cancel the walk in the park.”
So it sounds like a habit / rule: Every time it rains a lot, my rule is that I cancel.

If you want to stress one particular future occasion, you can use the future:

Αν βρέξει πολύ, θα ακυρώσω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.
If it rains a lot, I will cancel the walk in the park.

Notice also the change to βρέξει (subjunctive) with θα ακυρώσω — that’s a more “one-time future event” kind of structure.

What’s the difference between αν and όταν here? Could I say Όταν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο?

Yes, you can say that, but the meaning shifts a bit.

αν = if (condition; it may or may not happen)
- Αν βρέχει πολύ... → If it rains a lot... (conditional)
όταν = when / whenever (time; we assume it does happen)
- Όταν βρέχει πολύ... → When(ever) it rains a lot... (whenever this happens)

So:

Αν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.
→ If it rains a lot, I (then) cancel the walk.
Όταν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.
→ Whenever it rains a lot, I cancel the walk. (more like a known, repeated situation)

Both are grammatically correct; αν emphasizes the condition, όταν the time/whenever.

Why is there no word for “it” in “if it rains a lot”? Where is the subject in βρέχει?

In Greek, many verbs — especially weather verbs — do not use a dummy subject like English “it”.

Βρέχει. = It’s raining.
Literally just: rains.

The subject is implicit inside the verb form. Greek doesn’t need a separate word like “it”:

Βρέχει πολύ. → It rains a lot / It’s raining heavily.
Χιονίζει. → It’s snowing.
Κάνει κρύο. → It’s cold. (it makes cold)

So the sentence Αν βρέχει πολύ... is complete without an “it” word.

Why is it τη βόλτα and not την βόλτα? What’s going on with the article?

The full feminine accusative singular article is την (for words like την πόρτα, the door).

However, in modern Greek:

Before a consonant, especially in everyday writing, την is usually written as τη:
- τη βόλτα
- τη γάτα
- τη μέρα

The -ν is kept mainly:

before vowels and some consonants (π, τ, κ, μπ, ντ, γκ, ξ, ψ),
and in more careful/formal writing.

So both τη βόλτα and την βόλτα are understandable, but:

τη βόλτα is the common modern spelling here.
Pronunciation is basically [ti ˈvolta]; you don’t really hear an -n.

Grammar-wise, it’s still feminine accusative singular definite article: “the walk” as an object.

What case is τη βόλτα and how do I know?

Τη βόλτα is in the accusative case. Reasons:

Direct object of the verb ακυρώνω (I cancel). In Greek, the direct object is put in the accusative.
The forms:
- Nominative: η βόλτα (subject)
- Accusative: τη(ν) βόλτα (object)

In the sentence:

(Εγώ) ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.
- Εγώ (I) = subject (often omitted)
- ακυρώνω = verb
- τη βόλτα = direct object (accusative)
- στο πάρκο = prepositional phrase (place)

What does βόλτα mean exactly, and what’s its gender?

Βόλτα is a feminine noun. Its main meanings:

a walk (for pleasure)
a stroll
an outing / short trip

Examples:

Πάμε βόλτα; – Shall we go for a walk / out?
Κάναμε μια βόλτα στην παραλία. – We took a walk on the beach.

Forms:

Nominative: η βόλτα – the walk
Accusative: τη(ν) βόλτα – the walk (as object)

What is στο in στο πάρκο? Is it one word or two?

Στο is actually a contraction of σε + το:

σε = in / at / to (general preposition of place or direction)
το = the (neuter nominative/accusative singular article)

Together:

σε + το → στο

So:

στο πάρκο literally = in/to the park.

Depending on context, it can mean:

in the park
to the park

In τη βόλτα στο πάρκο, it’s understood as “the walk in the park” (a walk that takes place there).

Why is it στο πάρκο and not something like στον πάρκο?

Because πάρκο is a neuter noun, not masculine.

Masculine: ο δρόμος → στον δρόμο (on the road)
Neuter: το πάρκο → στο πάρκο (in the park)

Rule of thumb:

στον = σε + τον (masculine)
στη(ν) = σε + τη(ν) (feminine)
στο = σε + το (neuter)

Here: το πάρκο → στο πάρκο.

Why is πολύ placed after the verb (βρέχει πολύ) and not before it?

In Greek, adverbs of degree like πολύ (“a lot / very much”) usually go:

after the verb, or
at the end of the clause.

So:

Βρέχει πολύ. – It rains a lot / It’s raining hard.
Σ’ αγαπώ πολύ. – I love you very much.

Putting πολύ in front of the verb (πολύ βρέχει) sounds marked or poetic in most contexts. The neutral, everyday order is verb + πολύ.

How is Αν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο pronounced?

A rough phonetic guide (IPA-like):

Αν → [an]
βρέχει → [ˈvreçi] (like “vre-hi”; χ is a voiceless “h” from the soft palate)
πολύ → [poˈli]
ακυρώνω → [aciˈrono] (a-ki-RO-no)
τη → [ti]
βόλτα → [ˈvolta]
στο → [sto]
πάρκο → [ˈparko]

Whole sentence:

[an ˈvreçi poˈli, aciˈrono ti ˈvolta sto ˈparko]

Could I change the word order, e.g. Αν βρέχει πολύ, τη βόλτα στο πάρκο ακυρώνω?

Yes, Greek allows fairly flexible word order. However, the neutral, most natural order here is:

Αν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.

If you say:

Αν βρέχει πολύ, τη βόλτα στο πάρκο ακυρώνω.

you’re putting extra emphasis on τη βόλτα στο πάρκο – something like:

If it rains a lot, it’s the walk in the park that I cancel (and not something else).

So it’s grammatically fine, but more marked / emphatic.

How would I say “If it doesn’t rain a lot, I don’t cancel the walk in the park”?

You just add δεν (not) before each verb:

Αν δεν βρέχει πολύ, δεν ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.

Structure:

Αν δεν βρέχει πολύ – If it doesn’t rain a lot
δεν ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο – I don’t cancel the walk in the park

Is there any difference between αν and εάν?

Functionally here, no difference in meaning.

αν is the short, very common everyday form.
εάν is the full form, often a bit more formal or careful.

Both can introduce a conditional clause:

Αν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.
Εάν βρέχει πολύ, ακυρώνω τη βόλτα στο πάρκο.

In speech, you will mostly hear αν.