Learn Hardcore Greek: Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία, θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά. - If you cross the bridge and continue straight, you will reach the port in ten minutes.

περάσεις / συνεχίσεις / φτάσεις are all 2nd person singular, so εσύ (you) is understood.
You would say Εσύ θα φτάσεις… only for emphasis, e.g. You (not someone else) will arrive…

So the sentence is naturally understood as “if you cross…, you will arrive…”, even without εσύ.

What form are περάσεις and συνεχίσεις, and why are they used after Αν?

Both περάσεις (from περνάω / περνώ) and συνεχίσεις (from συνεχίζω) are:

Aorist subjunctive, 2nd person singular, active.

In Modern Greek, after Αν (“if”) you normally use the subjunctive:

Αν περάσεις… = If you (once) cross…
Αν συνεχίσεις… = If you (then) continue…

This is the standard pattern for a real, future condition:

Αν + subjunctive → θα + subjunctive
Αν περάσεις… → θα φτάσεις…

Why is it Αν περάσεις and not Αν περνάς?

The choice is about aspect:

Αν περάσεις uses the aorist (single, complete action: if you cross once).
Αν περνάς would use the present (ongoing/habitual: if you (usually) cross / if you are crossing).

In directions, you mean a single crossing of the bridge, so Αν περάσεις is the natural choice.
Αν περνάς τη γέφυρα… would sound more like “if you are (in the process of) crossing the bridge…” or “if you (as a habit) cross the bridge…”, which doesn’t fit this context well.

What exactly is θα φτάσεις grammatically?

Θα φτάσεις is the simple future of φτάνω (“to arrive / reach”):

θα
- aorist subjunctive → simple future
φτάσω, φτάσεις, φτάσει, … (aorist subjunctive forms)
So θα φτάσεις = you will arrive / you will reach.

Important point: in Modern Greek:

θα + aorist subjunctive → simple / one-time future (here: one arrival)
θα + present (e.g. θα φτάνεις) → continuous / repeated future (you will be arriving / you will keep arriving), which is not what we want here.

Why isn’t it αν θα περάσεις? In English we say “if you will…”.

In standard Modern Greek you do not use θα after αν in this kind of sentence.

Correct pattern:

Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα, θα φτάσεις… ✔️

Αν θα περάσεις… is either incorrect or, in some dialects/very colloquial speech, sounds strange or non‑standard. The future meaning is already expressed by θα in the main clause (θα φτάσεις), so αν takes only the subjunctive (no θα).

What is the difference between θα φτάσεις and θα φτάνεις?

Both are future, but the aspect is different:

Θα φτάσεις → simple future: a single, completed arrival at some point.
- Fits directions: you will arrive (once), after 10 minutes.
Θα φτάνεις → continuous future: ongoing / repeated action.
- More like you will be arriving / you will keep arriving / you’ll typically arrive (around then).

In this sentence, directions describe a one‑time result, so θα φτάσεις is correct.

Why is it τη γέφυρα and not την γέφυρα?

The full feminine accusative article is την. In everyday Modern Greek, the final -ν is often dropped before most consonants:

την → τη before consonants other than κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, ξ, ψ.
So τη γέφυρα is the usual written and spoken form.

You could also see την γέφυρα (especially in careful writing), and it’s not wrong, just less common in everyday style.

What information does τη γέφυρα give me?

Τη γέφυρα = the bridge in the accusative case, singular, feminine:

η γέφυρα (nominative, subject: the bridge (does something))
τη(ν) γέφυρα (accusative, object: you cross the bridge)

Here γέφυρα is the direct object of περάσεις (you cross what? the bridge), and τη shows:

definiteness (the bridge, a specific one)
gender/number/case (feminine, singular, accusative).

What is ευθεία here? An adjective or an adverb?

In this sentence ευθεία functions adverbially, meaning “straight (ahead)”:

συνεχίσεις ευθεία ≈ you continue straight (ahead).

Historically, ευθεία is a feminine noun (straight line), and also relates to the adjective ευθύς / ευθεία / ευθύ (straight). In expressions like:

πάω ευθεία
συνέχισε ευθεία

it is best to think of ευθεία as a fixed adverbial form = straight ahead, with no further agreement required.

Why is it στο λιμάνι and not just το λιμάνι?

Στο is a contraction of σε + το:

σε = to, at, in, on (preposition)
το = the (neuter nominative/accusative singular)
→ σε + το = στο.

You need σε here because you are expressing motion towards a place:

φτάνεις στο λιμάνι = you arrive *at / to the port.*
Without σε, το λιμάνι would just be “the port” with no direction/location indicated.

Why is λιμάνι neuter, and what case is it in?

Λιμάνι (“port, harbour”) is a neuter noun:

το λιμάνι – nominative/accusative singular

In στο λιμάνι, the noun is in the accusative, after the preposition σε, indicating motion towards:

στο λιμάνι → to the port / at the port (depending on the verb; with φτάνω it’s to/at in the sense of arrival).

What does σε δέκα λεπτά mean exactly? Is it “in ten minutes” or “for ten minutes”?

Here σε δέκα λεπτά means “in ten minutes (from now)” – i.e. after a period of ten minutes has passed:

θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά
→ you will reach the port *in ten minutes.*

Contrast this with:

για δέκα λεπτά → for ten minutes (duration of an action)

Examples:

Θα φτάσεις σε δέκα λεπτά. = You’ll arrive in ten minutes (from now).
Θα περιμένω για δέκα λεπτά. = I will wait for ten minutes (duration).

So σε + time expression often means “in … (time from now)”.

Can the word order change, for example Σε δέκα λεπτά θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι?

Yes. Greek word order is relatively flexible, and all of these are fine (with slightly different emphasis):

Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία, θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά. (neutral)
Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία, σε δέκα λεπτά θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι. (emphasis on the time)
Σε δέκα λεπτά θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι, αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία. (foregrounds the time first)

The grammar (cases, prepositions, verb endings) is what carries the meaning—word order mainly affects focus/emphasis, not correctness here.

Why is there a comma after ευθεία?

Because we have a conditional clause followed by the main clause:

Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία, → condition (if…)
θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά. → result (you will…)

In Greek, it is standard to separate such clauses with a comma when the “αν”‑clause comes first.
If you reverse the order, you usually don’t put a comma:

Θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία. (normally no comma)

How do you pronounce the tricky consonant clusters like φτάσεις and the soft γ in γέφυρα?

Key points:

φτάσεις → /ˈftasis/
- φτ is pronounced like ft in English soft, but at the start of the syllable.
- Stress is on the first syllable: ΦΤΆ‑σεις.
γέφυρα → /ˈʝefira/
- Before ε, ι, η, υ, οι, ει, the letter γ is a soft palatal sound /ʝ/, similar to the English “y” in yes, but more fricative.
- Stress is on γέ‑: ΓΈ‑φυ‑ρα.

Putting it together (rough guide):

Αν περάσεις τη γέφυρα και συνεχίσεις ευθεία, θα φτάσεις στο λιμάνι σε δέκα λεπτά.
≈ An pe-RÁ-sis ti YÉ-fi-ra ke si-ne-HÍ-sis ef-THÍ-a, tha FTÁ-sis sto li-MÁ-ni se DÉ-ka lep-TÁ.