Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

This afternoon I rest in the living room.

Breakdown of Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

• σήμερα: today
• σε: in
• το σαλόνι: the living room
• το απόγευμα: in the afternoon
• ξεκουράζομαι: to rest

Questions & Answers about Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

Why is the subject “I” not written in the Greek sentence?

Greek usually omits subject pronouns like εγώ (I) because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• ξεκουράζομαι is 1st person singular → it already means I rest / I am resting.
• Adding εγώ is only needed for emphasis, e.g. Εγώ σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι. (I, this afternoon, am the one resting in the living room.)

So the sentence is complete without an explicit I.

What does ξεκουράζομαι look like in its basic dictionary form, and what kind of verb is it?

The dictionary (infinitive-like) form is just ξεκουράζομαι – modern Greek doesn’t use infinitives the way English does. Verbs are usually listed in the 1st person singular present tense.

Grammar points:

• ξεκουράζομαι is a middle / reflexive verb (ending in -ομαι).
• Active voice would be ξεκουράζω (to give someone a rest), but in everyday Greek people almost always use ξεκουράζομαι to mean I rest / I relax / I take a break.
• Present tense ξεκουράζομαι can mean both:
  • I rest (generally / habitually)
  • I am resting (right now / this afternoon)
    Context tells you which one is meant.

In English we say this afternoon, but the Greek has Σήμερα το απόγευμα (“today the afternoon”). Is that normal?

Yes, it’s very natural in Greek.

• Σήμερα το απόγευμα literally is today the afternoon, but it corresponds to English this afternoon.
• You can also say just το απόγευμα (this afternoon / in the afternoon), depending on context.
• σήμερα (today) is often used with το πρωί (morning), το μεσημέρι (noon), το απόγευμα (afternoon), το βράδυ (evening) for clarity or emphasis:
  • Σήμερα το βράδυ βγαίνω. – I’m going out tonight.

Why is there a definite article το before απόγευμα and σαλόνι?

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English:

• το απόγευμα – literally the afternoon, but often corresponds to this afternoon or just afternoon.

• στο σαλόνι – literally in the living room, same as English here, but Greek doesn’t usually drop the article:

  • English: I’m in the living room / I’m in the living room.
  • Greek: Είμαι στο σαλόνι. (using the article is normal)

In time expressions (like το πρωί, το βράδυ) the article is almost always used.

What exactly is στο? Is it one word or two?

στο is a contraction of σε + το:

• σε = in, at, to (general preposition of place or direction)
• το = the (neuter singular)

So:

• σε + το σαλόνι → στο σαλόνι = in the living room

Other common contractions:

• σε + τον → στον
• σε + την → στην
• σε + τους → στους
• σε + τις → στις
• σε + τα → στα

Can I change the word order? For example, can I say Το απόγευμα σήμερα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι?

Greek word order is more flexible than English, but not all orders sound equally natural.

• Most natural options here:
  • Σήμερα το απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.
  • Το απόγευμα σήμερα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι. (possible, a bit more marked)
  • Ξεκουράζομαι σήμερα το απόγευμα στο σαλόνι.

The original version, with the time phrase Σήμερα το απόγευμα at the beginning, is very typical for spoken Greek.
Putting σήμερα after το απόγευμα is not wrong, but the flow is slightly less natural in everyday speech.

How would I say “I will rest this afternoon in the living room” in Greek?

Use the future tense with θα and the future form of the verb:

• Σήμερα το απόγευμα θα ξεκουραστώ στο σαλόνι.

Notes:

• θα ξεκουραστώ = I will rest (simple future, one whole action)
• Present ξεκουράζομαι is more like I am resting / I rest.
• You can drop σήμερα if context is clear:
  Το απόγευμα θα ξεκουραστώ στο σαλόνι.

How do I make this sentence negative? (I’m not resting this afternoon in the living room.)

Use δεν before the verb:

• Σήμερα το απόγευμα δεν ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι.

Structure:

• [time] + δεν + [verb] + [place]
• δεν is used before verbs starting with a consonant sound; δε before certain vowel sounds is also seen informally, but δεν is the standard written form.

What is the difference between σαλόνι and other words for living room, like καθιστικό or σαλόνι – σαλόνι?

σαλόνι is the everyday, most common word for living room.

• σαλόνι – normal, colloquial, neutral: living room / lounge.
• καθιστικό – also living room / sitting room, a bit more formal or “proper,” but still common.
• Sometimes people say σαλόνι – σαλόνι in speech to emphasize a proper, big, fancy living room (repetition for emphasis).

In this sentence, στο σαλόνι is the most natural choice.

How do you pronounce ξεκουράζομαι and σαλόνι?

Approximate English-friendly pronunciation:

• ξεκουράζομαι → kseh-koo-RAH-zo-meh

  • ξ = /ks/ like x in box
  • stress on -ρά-

• σαλόνι → sa-LO-nee

  • ο as in not (short ‘o’)
  • stress on -λό-

Greek always marks stress with an accent (΄) on the stressed syllable:
ξεκουράζομαι, σαλόνι.

Could ξεκουράζομαι also mean “I relax” rather than literally “I rest”?

Yes. ξεκουράζομαι covers a range of meanings:

• physically resting (lying down, not working)
• taking a break from work/study
• relaxing, unwinding

So depending on context, the sentence can be understood as:

• I’m resting this afternoon in the living room.
  or
• I’m relaxing this afternoon in the living room.

Both are acceptable translations.

If I want to say “Every afternoon I rest in the living room”, how would I change the sentence?

You need a word that expresses habit / repetition, like κάθε:

• Κάθε απόγευμα ξεκουράζομαι στο σαλόνι. – Every afternoon I rest in the living room.

Notes:

• κάθε = every / each
• You usually drop σήμερα because κάθε already implies a repeated, general action.