Learn Hardcore Greek: Διαβάζω την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη σε ένα περιοδικό και μετά βλέπω την ταινία. - I read the review about the director in a magazine and then I watch the movie.

η κριτική is nominative (used for the subject):
- Η κριτική είναι καλή. = The review is good.
την κριτική is accusative (used for the direct object):
- Διαβάζω την κριτική. = I read the review.

In the sentence, την κριτική is what you are reading (direct object), so it must be in the accusative case with the accusative article την.

What case is τον σκηνοθέτη, and why does it end in -η and not -ης?

The base form of the noun is:

ο σκηνοθέτης = the director (nominative, subject form)

In the sentence we have:

τον σκηνοθέτη = the director (accusative, object form)

For many masculine nouns ending in -ης in the nominative, the ς drops in the accusative:

ο μαθητής → τον μαθητή (the student)
ο τουρίστας → τον τουρίστα (the tourist)
ο σκηνοθέτης → τον σκηνοθέτη (the director)

So τον σκηνοθέτη is masculine accusative singular: it is the object of the preposition για.

Why does για take the accusative (για τον σκηνοθέτη) instead of another case?

In Modern Greek, almost all prepositions are followed by the accusative.

για
- accusative: για τον σκηνοθέτη
με
- accusative: με τον σκηνοθέτη
σε
- accusative: σε έναν σκηνοθέτη

So για simply always uses the accusative. You do not need to choose the case yourself; you just memorize that για + accusative = about/for.

What is the difference between για τον σκηνοθέτη and του σκηνοθέτη?

They express different kinds of relationships:

κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη
- literally: criticism/review about the director
- This focuses on the topic: the review is about him (his work, style, etc.).
κριτική του σκηνοθέτη
- literally: the director’s criticism/review
- This focuses on possession/authorship: the review belongs to the director or is written by him.

So:

Διαβάζω την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη → I read a review whose subject is the director.
Διαβάζω την κριτική του σκηνοθέτη → I read a review that the director wrote (or that belongs to him).

Why is it σε ένα περιοδικό and not something like σε το περιοδικό?

Two things are happening:

Indefinite article:
- ένα περιοδικό = a magazine (not a specific one)
- το περιοδικό = the magazine (a specific one)
The preposition σε always uses the accusative and combines naturally with either form:
- σε ένα περιοδικό = in a magazine
- σε ένα καλό περιοδικό = in a good magazine
- σε ένα περιοδικό μόδας = in a fashion magazine

You could say σε το περιοδικό in theory, but in real Greek it contracts to στο περιοδικό:

σε το → στο
So:
στο περιοδικό = in the magazine (specific)
σε ένα περιοδικό = in a magazine (non‑specific)

Can σε ένα περιοδικό come before για τον σκηνοθέτη? Does the order change the meaning?

Yes, word order is flexible, but it slightly affects what sounds more natural:

Διαβάζω την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη σε ένα περιοδικό…
- Most natural reading:
  - I read the review (which is) about the director, and that review is in a magazine.
Διαβάζω την κριτική σε ένα περιοδικό για τον σκηνοθέτη…
- Now there is a small risk the listener briefly thinks the magazine might be “about the director” (a magazine about him). Context usually solves it, but it’s slightly less clear.
Διαβάζω σε ένα περιοδικό την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη…
- Emphasis that the place/source is the magazine:
  - In a magazine, I read the review about the director…

So yes, you can move σε ένα περιοδικό, but the original order keeps it very clearly attached to την κριτική as where you read it.

Why is the present tense used (Διαβάζω, βλέπω) if the actions happen one after the other? Shouldn’t it be future?

In Greek, the simple present (ενεστώτας) can mean:

Right now / around now:
- Διαβάζω την κριτική και μετά βλέπω την ταινία.
  → I (typically) read the review and then (I) watch the movie.
  This can describe a habitual sequence or a kind of “routine”.
Scheduled or near future in some contexts, like English:
- Αύριο διαβάζω την κριτική και μετά βλέπω την ταινία.
  → Tomorrow I read the review and then I watch the movie.

If you want to be very explicit that you are talking about a future plan, you’d typically say:

Θα διαβάσω την κριτική και μετά θα δω την ταινία.

Here θα διαβάσω / θα δω are future forms with perfective aspect, focusing on the completion of each action, one after the other.

What exactly does μετά do here, and how is it different from μετά από?

In this sentence, μετά is an adverb meaning afterwards / then:

…και μετά βλέπω την ταινία.
→ …and then I watch the movie.

μετά από is a preposition meaning after (something), and it is followed by a noun phrase in the accusative:

Μετά από την κριτική βλέπω την ταινία.
→ After the review, I watch the movie.
Μετά από μία ώρα φεύγω.
→ After one hour, I leave.

So:

μετά = afterwards (no object mentioned)
μετά από κάτι = after something (explicit object)

Why is it την ταινία (with the definite article) but ένα περιοδικό (indefinite)?

The choice is about specificity:

την ταινία = the movie
- Suggests a specific movie that is known from context:
  - maybe you already mentioned it,
  - or both speakers know which one you mean (e.g. the movie being reviewed).
ένα περιοδικό = a magazine
- Not a particular, identifiable magazine—just any magazine where the review appears.

You could change the meaning by changing the articles:

Διαβάζω την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη στο περιοδικό.
→ I read the review about the director in the magazine (a specific one, already known).
…και μετά βλέπω μια ταινία.
→ …and then I watch a movie (not necessarily the same one being reviewed).

What are the genders of the nouns, and how can I tell?

In the sentence:

η κριτική / την κριτική → feminine
ο σκηνοθέτης / τον σκηνοθέτη → masculine
το περιοδικό / ένα περιοδικό → neuter
η ταινία / την ταινία → feminine

Common patterns (not 100% but very useful):

Many words in -η / -ή are feminine:
- η κριτική, η πόλη, η αρχή
Many words in -ης / -ας (subject form) are masculine:
- ο σκηνοθέτης, ο μαθητής, ο τουρίστας
Many words in -ο / -ι / -μα are neuter:
- το περιοδικό, το παιδί, το γράμμα

The article (ο / η / το) is a very reliable signal of gender.

Could I omit the articles and say Διαβάζω κριτική για σκηνοθέτη σε περιοδικό?

You can omit the articles, but the meaning changes and the result is more vague or more “headline‑style”:

Διαβάζω την κριτική για τον σκηνοθέτη…
→ I read the review about the director (both are specific).
Διαβάζω κριτική για σκηνοθέτη σε περιοδικό…
→ I read review / some review about a director in a magazine.
Very indefinite, could sound like “I read (some) criticism of a director in a magazine.”

In normal, full sentences, Greek uses definite/indefinite articles much more regularly than English. Omitting them is usually either:

more generic: Διαβάζω κριτική γενικά. = I read criticism in general.
or headline/telegraphic style: in titles, notes, etc.

So for a normal sentence describing a specific situation, you usually keep the articles.

How would I say “I read it and then I watch it” using object pronouns?

Assuming “it” refers to την κριτική (feminine) and την ταινία (also feminine), you could say:

Τη διαβάζω και μετά τη βλέπω.

Notes:

The direct object pronoun τη(ν) (feminine singular) normally goes before the verb in neutral word order.
In speech you often hear Τη instead of Την before consonants.
Context must make clear what τη refers to in each part. In a full paragraph you’d likely keep the nouns at least once for clarity.

Can I use φιλμ instead of ταινία?

Yes, but there is a nuance:

ταινία is the standard, neutral Greek word for movie / film.
φιλμ is a loanword from English film. It is understood by everyone and also used, but it can sound:
- a bit more informal or stylistic, or
- more like talking about films as artistic works or as a medium (depending on context).

In your sentence, the most natural everyday choice is:

…και μετά βλέπω την ταινία.

You could say:

…και μετά βλέπω το φιλμ.

and it is still correct, just slightly different stylistically.

What does σκηνοθέτης cover? Is it only for film directors?

ο σκηνοθέτης means director in the sense of someone who directs a performance or an audiovisual work. It is used for:

film directors
theatre directors
TV directors

Examples:

Ο σκηνοθέτης της ταινίας είναι πολύ γνωστός.
→ The director of the movie is very famous.
Ο σκηνοθέτης της παράστασης μίλησε στο κοινό.
→ The director of the (theatre) performance spoke to the audience.

It is not used for things like “director of a company” (that would be διευθυντής / διευθύντρια).

How is the whole sentence pronounced, more or less, in Latin letters?

One practical transcription is:

Diavázo tin kritikí ya ton skinothéti se éna periodikó ke metá vlépo tin tainía.

Very approximate stress (in capitals just for clarity):

diaVÁzo tin kritiKÍ ya ton skinoTHÉti se Éna periodiKÓ ke meTÁ VLÉpo tin taiNÍA.

This is just a guideline; Greek spelling and stress marks will be your main reference.