Learn Hardcore Greek: Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω. - I still have difficulty with pronunciation in Greek, but little by little I’m making progress.

δυσκολεύω (active) = I make (someone/something) have difficulty / I make things hard
- e.g. Αυτό με δυσκολεύει. = This makes it hard for me.
δυσκολεύομαι (middle/passive) = I have difficulty / I struggle
- e.g. Δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά. = I have trouble with pronunciation.

In Modern Greek, this middle/passive form is very often used with a reflexive meaning (like I get myself into difficulty), but you don’t add a separate word for myself. The idea of myself is built into -ομαι.

So Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά… = I’m still having difficulty with pronunciation…

Why do we say με την προφορά and not just με προφορά?

In Greek, the definite article is used more often than in English, especially with abstract nouns.

με την προφορά literally: with the pronunciation
English naturally drops the article: with pronunciation

If you said με προφορά (without την), it would sound incomplete or a bit unnatural in this sentence. Greek tends to use την προφορά, τη γλώσσα, τη γραμματική etc., where English often uses bare nouns (pronunciation, language, grammar).

Why is it με την προφορά and not στην προφορά?

Both με and σε can appear with nouns, but they have different basic meanings:

με = with (instrument, company, relation, involvement)
- Δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά. = I have difficulty with pronunciation.
σε / στην = in / at / to (location, direction)
- Έχω πρόβλημα στην προφορά. = I have a problem in (my) pronunciation.

In practice, δυσκολεύομαι με κάτι is the standard pattern:
δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά / με τη γραμματική / με τα ρήματα.

You can hear στην προφορά in some contexts, but here με is the natural, idiomatic choice.

What is the role of ακόμα in Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα…? Can I move it around?

Ακόμα means still / yet here.

Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά…
= I still have trouble with pronunciation…

Other possible positions:

Ακόμα δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά. (focus on still)
Δυσκολεύομαι με την προφορά ακόμα. (also possible, a bit more afterthought-like)

All are grammatically correct. The most neutral/common here is Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά….

You’ll also see the spelling ακόμη; in modern usage ακόμα and ακόμη are interchangeable in almost all contexts.

What does στα ελληνικά literally mean, and why is it lowercase?

στα ελληνικά = σε + τα ελληνικά (contracted)

σε τα ελληνικά → στα ελληνικά
literally: in the Greek (language)
natural English: in Greek

Some points:

ελληνικά (neuter plural) is the usual way to say the Greek language.
Language names in Greek are written with lowercase:
- τα ελληνικά, τα αγγλικά, τα γαλλικά, etc.

So στα ελληνικά is the standard way to say in Greek when talking about speaking, writing, or pronunciation.

Why is it προφορά with την? What gender and case is that?

Προφορά is a feminine noun.

Nominative singular: η προφορά (the pronunciation, subject)
Accusative singular: την προφορά (the pronunciation, object)

In με την προφορά, the preposition με always takes the accusative case, so we need the accusative form:

η προφορά → την προφορά

So the grammar is:

με (preposition) + την (feminine accusative article) + προφορά (feminine accusative noun).

Could I say Έχω ακόμα δυσκολία με την προφορά instead of Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά?

Yes, that’s correct Greek, but the nuance is slightly different:

Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά…
= very natural, everyday, a verbal expression: I’m still struggling with pronunciation…
Έχω ακόμα δυσκολία με την προφορά…
= a bit more formal/literary: I still have difficulty with pronunciation…

In everyday speech, δυσκολεύομαι με… is more common than έχω δυσκολία με….

What does λίγο λίγο mean? Why is it repeated?

Λίγο by itself means a little / a bit.
When you repeat it: λίγο λίγο, it becomes an idiomatic adverbial phrase meaning:

gradually, bit by bit, little by little

The repetition adds the idea of slow, step-by-step progress. Other similar Greek expressions are:

σιγά σιγά = slowly, gradually
βαθιά βαθιά (different context) = deeply

So …αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω = …but little by little I’m moving forward / I’m making progress.

Is there any difference between λίγο λίγο and σιγά σιγά?

They overlap in meaning (both can mean gradually), but their flavor is slightly different:

λίγο λίγο focuses more on small amounts each time: bit by bit.
σιγά σιγά focuses more on *slowness / taking your time: slowly, slowly; take it easy.

In your sentence, both would be acceptable:

…αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.
…αλλά σιγά σιγά προχωράω.

Λίγο λίγο sounds a bit more like each time I improve a little, which fits well with learning progress.

What is the difference between προχωράω and προχωρώ?

They are two forms of the same verb, προχωράω / προχωρώ = to go forward, to move on, to make progress.

προχωράω is more colloquial / common in speech.
προχωρώ is slightly more formal / written or careful style.

Both are correct and interchangeable in this sentence:

…αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.
…αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωρώ.

Meaning in this context: little by little, I’m making progress (in Greek).

Can προχωράω mean physical movement as well, or only progress (like learning)?

It can mean both:

Literal movement forward
- Προχωράω στον δρόμο. = I’m walking / going forward on the road.
Figurative progress, development
- Η δουλειά προχωράει. = The work is progressing.
- Λίγο λίγο προχωράω στα ελληνικά. = Little by little I’m progressing in Greek.

In your sentence it’s clearly the figurative meaning: making progress with the language.

Why is there a comma before αλλά? Is punctuation like English here?

Yes, in this case punctuation works very similarly to English.

Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.

You have two clauses:

Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά
(Εγώ) λίγο λίγο προχωράω

They’re joined by αλλά (but), and Greek normally uses a comma before αλλά when joining two clauses, just like English does with but in comparable sentences.

Could I change the word order and say Λίγο λίγο προχωράω, αλλά δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά?

Yes, that’s grammatically correct. The meaning is essentially the same, but the emphasis changes:

Original: Δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά, αλλά λίγο λίγο προχωράω.
→ Emphasis first on the difficulty, then on the positive progress.
Reordered: Λίγο λίγο προχωράω, αλλά δυσκολεύομαι ακόμα με την προφορά στα ελληνικά.
→ Emphasis first on progress, then a reminder that there is still difficulty.

Greek word order is relatively flexible; what changes is usually nuance and emphasis more than basic meaning.