Learn Hardcore Greek: Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα για τον Αύγουστο. - I am planning my trip to Greece for August.

Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου… = I am planning my trip… (process happening now, about something in the future)
If you wanted to stress the future act itself, you could say:
Θα σχεδιάσω το ταξίδι μου… = I will plan my trip… (future event, not necessarily happening right now)

So σχεδιάζω here works just like English “I’m planning”, which is present tense but clearly refers to the future trip.

What is the difference between σχεδιάζω and σχεδιάσω?

σχεδιάζω is the present tense form (1st person singular: I plan / I am planning).
σχεδιάσω is the aorist subjunctive form, usually used after να, θα, πρέπει να, etc.:
- Θα σχεδιάσω το ταξίδι μου. = I will plan my trip.
- Θέλω να σχεδιάσω το ταξίδι μου. = I want to plan my trip.

So you use σχεδιάζω on its own as a normal present verb, and σχεδιάσω mostly in two‑part verb phrases (with να, θα, να μην, etc.).

Why do we say το ταξίδι μου and not just ταξίδι μου?

In Greek, when you use a possessive pronoun like μου (my), you almost always also use the definite article:

το ταξίδι μου = literally the trip my → my trip
το σπίτι μου = my house
η μητέρα μου = my mother

Leaving out the article (ταξίδι μου) is possible only in very specific, limited contexts (titles, labels, some set phrases). In normal sentences, “article + noun + possessive” is the default pattern.

Why is it στην Ελλάδα and not σε την Ελλάδα?

στην is simply the contracted form of:

σε (in / to / at)
την (the, feminine accusative singular)
→ στην

So:

σε την Ελλάδα → στην Ελλάδα

This contraction is obligatory in speech and normal writing:

στον φίλο μου = σε + τον φίλο μου
στο σπίτι = σε + το σπίτι
στην Ελλάδα = σε + την Ελλάδα

Why is Ελλάδα in that form? Is that a special case ending?

Yes. Ελλάδα is a feminine noun in -α. For such words, the nominative and accusative singular often look the same:

Nominative: η Ελλάδα = Greece (as the subject)
Accusative: στην Ελλάδα = to/in Greece (as the object of the preposition σε)

Here we have στην Ελλάδα, so Ελλάδα is in the accusative, governed by the preposition σε.

What does για add in για τον Αύγουστο? Could we drop it?

για here means “for / intended for / scheduled for”:

για τον Αύγουστο = for August (that’s the time period you’re planning for)

You can sometimes drop για with time expressions, but the nuance changes:

Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου τον Αύγουστο.
More like: I’m (actually) planning my trip in August (the planning activity happens in August).
Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου για τον Αύγουστο.
I’m planning my trip for August (the trip itself will be in August; the planning can be now).

So για makes it clear that August is when the trip will take place, not necessarily when the planning happens.

Why is it τον Αύγουστο and not just Αύγουστο?

Two things are going on:

Months are usually used with the definite article in Greek:
- ο Ιανουάριος, ο Φεβρουάριος, ο Αύγουστος, etc.
τον is the masculine accusative singular article:
- ο Αύγουστος (subject, nominative)
- τον Αύγουστο (object, accusative)

Time expressions like “for August” often go in the accusative with the article:
για τον Αύγουστο, τον Σεπτέμβριο, etc.

Using just Αύγουστο without the article is possible in very clipped, telegraphic style (e.g. notes, headlines), but in a normal sentence τον Αύγουστο is standard.

Why is Αύγουστος masculine and why does it take τον?

All month names in Greek are grammatically masculine:

ο Μάρτιος, ο Απρίλιος, ο Αύγουστος, etc.

Because Αύγουστος is masculine, its definite article is:

ο in the nominative (subject): Ο Αύγουστος είναι ζεστός.
τον in the accusative (object / time expression): για τον Αύγουστο

So τον agrees with Αύγουστο in gender (masculine), number (singular) and case (accusative).

Can I change the word order, like Σχεδιάζω για τον Αύγουστο το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα?

Yes. Greek allows quite a bit of flexible word order, especially once the context is clear. All of these are grammatically correct:

Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα για τον Αύγουστο. (neutral)
Σχεδιάζω για τον Αύγουστο το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα. (slight emphasis on for August)
Το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα το σχεδιάζω για τον Αύγουστο. (emphasis on the trip to Greece)

The most natural, neutral version is probably the original one, but moving phrases changes emphasis, not basic meaning.

How would I say “I have been planning my trip…” or “I’m going to plan my trip…” in Greek?

Some natural options:

I have been planning my trip to Greece for August (for some time):
- Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα για τον Αύγουστο εδώ και καιρό.
  (I’ve been planning my trip… for a while.)
  Greek usually uses the present tense + “εδώ και …” to express English “have been -ing”.
I’m going to plan my trip to Greece for August (soon, in the future):
- Θα σχεδιάσω το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα για τον Αύγουστο.
  (I will plan my trip…)

So:

Ongoing / already in progress → σχεδιάζω (present)
Future decision / future act → θα σχεδιάσω (future with aorist stem)

How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

Greek spelling: Σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου στην Ελλάδα για τον Αύγουστο.

Approximate pronunciation (Latin letters, stressed syllables in caps):

sche-thi-A-zo to tak-SI-thi mu stin e-LA-tha ya ton AV-ghu-sto

More accurate IPA (if you know it):

/sceˈðiazo to taˈksiði mu stin eˈlaða ʝa ton ˈavɣusto/

Notes:

σχ → like “s” + soft “h”, often close to [sç].
δ → like voiced th in this.
γ before ου (as in Αύγουστο) → like “gh” in agh, [ɣ].
η, ι, υ, ει, οι are all pronounced like i in machine.

Is ταξίδι countable? How do I say “my trips to Greece”?

Yes, ταξίδι is a countable neuter noun:

Singular: το ταξίδι = the trip
Plural: τα ταξίδια = the trips

So “my trips to Greece” is:

τα ταξίδια μου στην Ελλάδα

Examples:

Θυμάμαι όλα τα ταξίδια μου στην Ελλάδα.
I remember all my trips to Greece.
Κάνω συχνά ταξίδια στην Ελλάδα.
I often make trips to Greece.

Could I use προγραμματίζω instead of σχεδιάζω here?

You could, but the nuance is slightly different:

σχεδιάζω το ταξίδι μου…
= I am planning my trip… (more general: thinking it through, arranging things)
προγραμματίζω το ταξίδι μου…
= I’m scheduling / programming my trip… (more about putting it into a timetable, making a formal schedule)

In everyday speech about holidays, σχεδιάζω is more common and natural. Προγραμματίζω sounds a bit more technical or formal, often used for events, programs, conferences, work schedules, etc.