Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.

If I am not working today, I take a walk in the park.

Breakdown of Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.

• δεν: not
• σήμερα: today
• δουλεύω: to work
• σε: in
• το πάρκο: the park
• κάνω βόλτα: to take a walk
• αν: whether

Questions & Answers about Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.

Why is there no word for “I” in the sentence? Where is the subject?

Greek normally leaves out subject pronouns like εγώ (I) when the subject is clear from the verb ending.

• δουλεύω = I work
• κάνω = I do / I make

The -ω ending on both verbs tells you the subject is I, so εγώ would be redundant:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.
  = If today I’m not working, I take a walk in the park.

You can say Εγώ αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω… for emphasis, but it’s not needed.

Why is the present tense used (δουλεύω, κάνω) if we’re talking about “today,” possibly about the future?

Greek present tense often covers:

1. Right now / general present

   • If today I’m not working (today as a general frame), I take a walk…

2. Near future, when the time is clear from context

   • If I’m not working today (later today), I’ll take a walk…

English often uses will in this kind of conditional, but Greek can stay in the present when the meaning is clear:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.
  → could be understood as: If I’m not working today, I (will) go for a walk in the park.

If you want to make the “future” sense very explicit, you can say:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλέψω, θα κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.
  (If I don’t work today, I’ll take a walk in the park.)

What exactly does αν mean, and is it closer to “if” or “when”?

αν is the usual word for if in conditional sentences.

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω… = If I’m not working today…

It can sometimes overlap with when in English, but structurally it is if. When Greek wants to say “when” in a time sense, it typically uses:

• όταν = when

Example contrast:

• Αν δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα. – If I’m not working, I take a walk.
• Όταν δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα. – When I’m not working, I (usually) take a walk.

Why is there a comma between the two parts of the sentence?

Greek normally uses a comma to separate the if-clause from the main clause:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.

This is natural punctuation whenever you have a dependent clause (introduced by αν) followed by a main clause. It’s similar to English:

• If today I’m not working, I take a walk in the park.

What is the role of δεν and why does it come before the verb?

δεν is the standard negative particle for verbs in Greek. It always comes directly before the verb it negates:

• δουλεύω – I work
• δεν δουλεύω – I do not work / I’m not working

In this sentence:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω…
  → If today I am not working…

Note:

• δεν is used for statements and questions.
• μη(ν) is used for negative commands and in some subjunctive/other structures, not here.

Sometimes I see δε instead of δεν. Why is it δεν here?

Both δε and δεν represent the same word in modern Greek.

• δεν is the full, standard form.
• δε is a colloquial/shortened form, often in informal writing or speech.

Before a consonant like δ in δουλεύω, both forms are possible in informal contexts:

• δεν δουλεύω (standard, always correct)
• δε δουλεύω (colloquial)

In careful writing and in textbooks, you’ll usually see δεν.

What does the expression κάνω βόλτα literally mean, and is it idiomatic?

Literally:

• κάνω = I do / I make
• βόλτα = a walk, a stroll, an outing

So κάνω βόλτα literally is “I do a walk / outing”, but idiomatically it means:

• I go for a walk / I take a walk / I go for a stroll.

It’s a very common expression. A few related examples:

• Θέλεις να κάνουμε μια βόλτα;
  Do you want us to go for a walk?
• Πάω μια βόλτα.
  I’m going for a walk. (Another very common way to say it.)

In your sentence:

• κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο = I go for a walk in the park.

What does στο mean, and why is it used instead of “σε το”?

στο is a contraction of:

• σε (in / at / to) + το (the, neuter singular)

So:

• σε το πάρκο → στο πάρκο

This contraction is obligatory in normal speech and writing. A few similar contractions:

• σε + τον → στον (στον δρόμο – in/on the road)
• σε + την → στη(ν) (στην πόλη – in the city)
• σε + τα → στα (στα πάρκα – in the parks)

Here:

• στο πάρκο = in the park / to the park, depending on context.
  In this sentence, it’s naturally understood as in the park.

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

στο πάρκο uses the definite article (the), and in Greek that’s normal when you mean a specific or known place:

• στο πάρκο → at/in the (specific) park

Using σε πάρκο (without the article) would mean “in a park”, which is possible but less typical here unless you really want to emphasize any park, not a particular one.

Greek generally uses definite articles more often than English, especially with places:

• Πάω στο σχολείο. – I’m going to (the) school.
• Πάμε στο σινεμά. – We’re going to the cinema.

What can you tell me about the word πάρκο (gender, article, case)?

πάρκο is:

• Gender: neuter
• Singular nominative/accusative form: το πάρκο
• Plural nominative/accusative: τα πάρκα

In στο πάρκο, the noun is in the accusative after the preposition σε, and the article το is built into στο:

• σε + το πάρκο → στο πάρκο

Is the word order Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω fixed? Could I move σήμερα?

Word order in Greek is relatively flexible, especially for adverbs like σήμερα (today). All of these are possible:

• Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.
• Αν δεν δουλεύω σήμερα, κάνω βόλτα στο πάρκο.

Both mean essentially the same: If I’m not working today…
The first puts a bit more emphasis on “today” at the start; the second is more neutral.

You can’t move δεν away from the verb, though: it must stay right before δουλεύω.

In English we would say “I don’t work” or “I’m not working” using do or be. Why doesn’t Greek use an extra auxiliary verb?

Greek negation and continuous meaning are handled differently:

1. Negation
   Greek does not add a verb like “do” for negation. It just uses δεν before the verb:

   • δουλεύω – I work / I’m working
   • δεν δουλεύω – I don’t work / I’m not working

2. Continuous vs simple
   Greek does not have a separate continuous form like English am working. The present tense covers both:

   • δουλεύω can mean I work (in general) or I’m working (right now), depending on context.

So Αν σήμερα δεν δουλεύω… can be understood as either:

• If I don’t work today…
• If I’m not working today…

How is the sentence pronounced, especially δουλεύω and δεν?

Approximate pronunciation (stress in ALL CAPS):

• Αν – an (like “un” in “under,” short)
• σήμερα – SEE-me-ra
• δεν – then (like “then” in English, with the th of “this”)
• δουλεύω – thoo-LEH-vo
• κάνω – KAH-no
• βόλτα – VOL-ta (O as in “not”)
• στο – sto
• πάρκο – PAR-ko

Full sentence:

• Αν ΣΗ-με-ρα δΕΝ δου-ΛΕ-vo, ΚΑ-no VOL-ta sto PAR-ko.

Note: Greek δ is a voiced th sound, like in English this, not like English d in do.