Learn Hardcore Greek: Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.

In Greek, the person who experiences the liking goes in the genitive (here μου), and the thing that is liked is the subject of the verb αρέσει. That’s why μου comes before αρέσει and not after it.

Why isn’t it εγώ αρέσω to mean I like?

The verb αρέσω doesn’t work like English to like. It’s closer to to be pleasing.

εγώ αρέσω = I am pleasing (to someone) / People like me

To say I like X, Greek uses the opposite structure:

Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
Literally: Modern Greek music pleases me.

So:

The thing liked is the grammatical subject.
The person who likes it is in the genitive (μου).

Why is αρέσει in the third person singular?

Αρέσει agrees with its subject, which is:

η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική (modern Greek music) – singular

So we use the 3rd person singular:

(αυτό) αρέσει = it pleases

If the subject were plural, we’d use the 3rd person plural:

Μου αρέσουν τα σύγχρονα ελληνικά τραγούδια.
= I like modern Greek songs.
(τραγούδια = plural, so αρέσουν)

Why do we use the article η here? In English we just say I like modern Greek music, without the.

Greek normally uses the definite article when talking about things in a general sense, including categories:

Μου αρέσει η μουσική. = I like music.
Μου αρέσει το κρασί. = I like wine.
Μου αρέσει η σοκολάτα. = I like chocolate.

So η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική with η doesn’t mean the modern Greek music in some specific situation; it usually means modern Greek music in general.

Why is it η and not την (accusative) in η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική?

Because η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική is the subject of the verb αρέσει, not the object.

η is the feminine nominative singular article (subject).
την is the feminine accusative singular article (direct object).

Here, the literal structure is:

[η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική] (subject) αρέσει [σε μένα/μου]
= Modern Greek music pleases me.

Since it’s the subject, it must be in the nominative: η, not την.

Why do σύγχρονη, ελληνική, and μουσική all end in -η?

They all agree in gender, number, and case:

μουσική = feminine, singular, nominative
η = feminine, singular, nominative
σύγχρονη = feminine, singular, nominative
ελληνική = feminine, singular, nominative

In Greek, adjectives must match the noun they describe in these three features. Since μουσική is feminine singular nominative, its adjectives and article take the same form.

Why is the article only in front of σύγχρονη and not repeated before ελληνική and μουσική?

The article η applies to the whole noun phrase:

η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική
= the modern Greek music

In Greek, one article in front of the first adjective is enough for the whole group of adjectives + noun, as long as they all form a single unit describing the same thing.

You could, in some styles, repeat the article for emphasis or clarity (e.g. η σύγχρονη η ελληνική μουσική), but in normal speech and writing you usually use it just once.

Can the word order change? For example, can I say Η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική μου αρέσει?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible. Both are correct:

Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
Η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική μου αρέσει.

The second version puts more emphasis on η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική, a bit like saying:

It’s modern Greek music that I like.

The neutral, most common everyday order is the first one.

How would I strongly emphasize I (as in I like modern Greek music, maybe others don’t)?

You use the strong form εμένα as well as μου:

Εμένα μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.

Literally: As for me, modern Greek music pleases me.
This emphasizes the contrast: maybe not you, but I do.

What’s the difference between σύγχρονη and μοντέρνα for modern?

Both can translate as modern, but there are nuances:

σύγχρονη
- Literally contemporary
- Often used for things of our time, present-day; in arts, σύγχρονη μουσική, σύγχρονη τέχνη can sound a bit more formal or technical.
μοντέρνα
- Borrowed from Western European words for modern
- Can imply fashionable, trendy, modern-style.

In η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική, σύγχρονη usually means contemporary Greek music (recent decades), not traditional or old styles.

How would I say I like modern Greek songs instead of modern Greek music?

You change the noun to a plural one and adjust everything to match:

Μου αρέσουν τα σύγχρονα ελληνικά τραγούδια.
= I like modern Greek songs.

Changes:

Subject is now plural: τα … τραγούδια
Adjectives also plural: σύγχρονα, ελληνικά
Verb agrees with plural subject: αρέσουν

How do I say I like modern Greek music very much / a lot / not at all?

You keep the same structure and add an adverb or adverbial phrase:

Μου αρέσει πάρα πολύ η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I like modern Greek music very much.
Μου αρέσει πολύ η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I like modern Greek music a lot.

To say you don’t like it:

Δεν μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I don’t like modern Greek music.
Καθόλου δεν μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική. /
Δεν μου αρέσει καθόλου η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I don’t like modern Greek music at all.

What’s the difference between Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική and something with αγαπώ or λατρεύω?

They all express positive feeling, but with different strength and style:

Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I like modern Greek music. (neutral, everyday)
Αγαπάω / Αγαπώ τη σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I love modern Greek music. (stronger; more emotional)
Λατρεύω τη σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική.
= I adore modern Greek music. (very strong enthusiasm)

Note that with αγαπάω/αγαπώ and λατρεύω, the thing you love is a direct object, so it’s in the accusative (hence τη instead of η).

How do I pronounce Μου αρέσει η σύγχρονη ελληνική μουσική?

A rough phonetic guide (stress on the bolded syllables):

Μου → moo
αρέσει → a-RE-si (like ah-REH-see)
η → ee
σύγχρονη → SÍ-ghro-ni
- γγ/γχ here is like a soft gh, similar to the ng in singer, followed by h: SEE-nghro-ni
ελληνική → e-li-ni-KÍ
μουσική → mu-si-KÍ

All together (one natural flow):
Moo a-RE-si i SÍ-nghro-ni e-li-ni-KÍ mu-si-KÍ.