Learn Hardcore Greek: Το γραφείο είναι άδειο τα Σαββατοκύριακα και μπορώ να δουλεύω με ησυχία. - The office is empty on weekends and I can work in peace.

The article το shows neuter singular, so το γραφείο literally means the office / the desk. The adjective that goes with it (here άδειο) must also be neuter singular to agree with it.

Why is the adjective άδειο and not άδειος or άδεια?

The adjective άδειος, άδεια, άδειο (empty) changes form to agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Masculine: άδειος
Feminine: άδεια
Neuter: άδειο

Since γραφείο is neuter singular, the correct form is άδειο:
Το γραφείο είναι άδειο = The office is empty.

In τα Σαββατοκύριακα, why is Σαββατοκύριακα plural, and why do we use the article τα?

Σαββατοκύριακο (weekend) is neuter; its plural is Σαββατοκύριακα (weekends). Greek often uses a plural noun with the definite article to express a habitual time:

Τις Δευτέρες = on Mondays
Τα βράδια = in the evenings
Τα Σαββατοκύριακα = on weekends

So τα Σαββατοκύριακα is literally the weekends, but functionally it means on weekends (as a general, repeated time). No extra preposition like on is needed.

Could I say το Σαββατοκύριακο instead of τα Σαββατοκύριακα?

Yes, but the meaning changes:

Το Σαββατοκύριακο usually refers to one specific weekend (this weekend, next weekend, etc.), depending on context.
Τα Σαββατοκύριακα refers to weekends in general, a regular pattern.

In this sentence, the idea is a general habit (every weekend), so τα Σαββατοκύριακα is the natural choice.

Why is there no word for on before τα Σαββατοκύριακα? In English we say on weekends.

Greek often uses a bare noun phrase in the accusative (with or without article) to express time:

Κάθε μέρα = every day
την Τρίτη = on Tuesday
τα Χριστούγεννα = at Christmas
τα Σαββατοκύριακα = on weekends

The meaning on / at / in is understood from the structure and does not need a separate preposition. Adding a preposition like σε here (στα Σαββατοκύριακα) would sound unnatural.

What is the function of να in μπορώ να δουλεύω?

In modern Greek, verbs like μπορώ (can, be able), θέλω (want), πρέπει (must) are followed by να plus a verb. That second verb is in the subjunctive mood.

So:

μπορώ να δουλεύω = I can work
θέλω να δουλέψω = I want to work (at some point)
πρέπει να φύγω = I must leave

Να doesn’t translate directly into English; it is a marker that introduces this kind of verb construction.

Why is it δουλεύω (present) and not δουλέψω after να?

Greek subjunctive has two basic aspects:

να δουλεύω (present subjunctive): ongoing, repeated, or general action → be able to work (in general, habitually)
να δουλέψω (aorist subjunctive): single, complete action → be able to work (once, at some point)

Here the meaning is “on weekends I can work in peace (as a regular thing)”, so the ongoing/habitual aspect να δουλεύω is appropriate.

What is the difference between δουλεύω and εργάζομαι?

Both can mean to work, but they differ in tone and usage:

δουλεύω is the common, everyday verb for work (at a job, on a task, etc.).
εργάζομαι is more formal and is used more in official, written, or somewhat elevated contexts (CVs, announcements, formal speech).

In casual speech and in a sentence like this, δουλεύω is the natural choice.

What does με ησυχία literally mean, and how is it different from just saying ήσυχα?

Literally:

με ησυχία = with quiet / with calm(ness) → idiomatically in peace, without disturbance
ήσυχα is the adverb quietly

Nuance:

να δουλεύω με ησυχία = I can work undisturbed / calmly, without people around.
να δουλεύω ήσυχα = I can work quietly (I myself am quiet; I don’t make noise).

In this context, με ησυχία stresses the absence of disturbance around you, which matches the idea that the office is empty.

Why is it με ησυχία and not στην ησυχία?

Both can exist, but they’re used differently:

με ησυχία (με + accusative) is the usual idiom for in peace, without being rushed or disturbed, especially with verbs like δουλεύω, μιλάω, διαβάζω.
στην ησυχία (σε + τη(ν) + ησυχία) could appear in some contexts, but it sounds more like a literal location in the quiet, and it is much less common with δουλεύω.

In everyday speech, Greeks say δουλεύω με ησυχία.

Can I move με ησυχία to another place in the sentence? Does word order matter here?

Greek word order is fairly flexible. These are all grammatical, with slightly different emphasis:

Το γραφείο είναι άδειο τα Σαββατοκύριακα και μπορώ να δουλεύω με ησυχία. (neutral)
Το γραφείο είναι άδειο τα Σαββατοκύριακα και με ησυχία μπορώ να δουλεύω. (focuses more on with peace)
Με ησυχία μπορώ να δουλεύω, επειδή το γραφείο είναι άδειο τα Σαββατοκύριακα. (strong emphasis on in peace)

The original order is the most natural, neutral-sounding version.

Is και here just and, or does it have a sense of so / therefore?

Literally, και means and. Greek often uses simple και where English might prefer so, and so, or therefore, especially in spoken language:

Το γραφείο είναι άδειο τα Σαββατοκύριακα και μπορώ να δουλεύω με ησυχία.
→ The office is empty on weekends, so I can work in peace.

If you want to make the cause-effect even clearer, you could say οπότε μπορώ να δουλεύω με ησυχία (οπότε = so/and so), but και is enough in everyday speech.

How are the tricky words here pronounced, especially γραφείο, άδειο, and Σαββατοκύριακα?

Approximate pronunciations (stressed syllable in capitals):

Το γραφείο → to gra-FI-o
- γρ like gr in great;
- ει like ee in see; final -ο like o in not.
άδειο → A-thyo (or A-dhyo)
- δ in δει here is like the th in this (voiced);
- ειο merges, so you often hear something close to -thyo / -dhyo.
Σαββατοκύριακα → sav-va-to-KI-ri-a-ka
- Double ββ is like a single v;
- κύ has κ like k, υ here like ee;
- main stress on ΚΥ.