Learn Hardcore Greek: Δεν παρατάω το μάθημα ελληνικών, παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο. - I don’t give up the Greek class, even though it is difficult.

The verb παρατάω is in 1st person singular, so it already means “I give up / I am giving up.”
So Δεν παρατάω = “I don’t give up / I am not giving up” without needing εγώ.

You can say Εγώ δεν παρατάω… for emphasis, like “I’m not giving up…”, but it’s not required.

What exactly does δεν παρατάω mean in terms of tense and aspect?

Δεν παρατάω is:

Present tense
Imperfective aspect

So it naturally corresponds to:

“I am not giving up (right now / in this situation)” or
“I don’t give up (in general / as a rule)”

Context decides whether it sounds more like “am not giving up” or “don’t give up.” In your sentence, with παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο, it sounds like “I am not giving up” in this ongoing situation.

What’s the difference between παρατάω and παρατήσω? Could I say Δεν θα παρατήσω το μάθημα ελληνικών?

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

παρατάω is present, imperfective:
Δεν παρατάω το μάθημα ελληνικών =
“I’m not giving up the Greek class (I refuse to give it up; I keep going).”
παρατήσω is the aorist (simple) form used with θα for future:
- Δεν θα παρατήσω το μάθημα ελληνικών =
  “I will not give up the Greek class.”

Nuance:

Δεν παρατάω… highlights your current stance and ongoing effort.
Δεν θα παρατήσω… highlights a decision or promise about the future (more like “I won’t quit” as a resolved decision).

What is the verb παρατάω exactly? Are there other common forms of it?

Παρατάω (also written παρατώ) means “to give up, abandon, quit, leave (something/someone)”.

Common forms:

Present: παρατάω / παρατώ
Imperfect (past continuous): παράταγα / παρατούσα
Aorist (simple past): παράτησα
Future simple: θα παρατήσω
Imperative: παράτα (you, singular), παρατήστε (you, plural)

In your sentence, παρατάω is the present, 1st person singular: “I (don’t) give up.”

Why is it το μάθημα ελληνικών and not something like το ελληνικό μάθημα?

Both are grammatically possible, but they sound different:

το μάθημα ελληνικών literally: “the lesson of Greek (language)”
This is the normal, natural way to say “Greek class / Greek lesson” as a school subject.
το ελληνικό μάθημα literally: “the Greek lesson”
This sounds like: a lesson that happens to be Greek in some way (e.g. a lesson given by a Greek person, or a lesson about something Greek). It doesn’t immediately mean “the subject Greek” in a school sense.

For school subjects, Greek commonly uses a genitive pattern like:

το μάθημα μαθηματικών – the math lesson
το μάθημα φυσικής – the physics lesson
το μάθημα ελληνικών – the Greek (language) lesson

Why is ελληνικών in the genitive plural? Why not ελληνικά or ελληνική?

In Modern Greek, the subject “Greek (language)” is typically:

τα ελληνικά (neuter plural) = “(the) Greek (language)”

To say “lesson of Greek,” Greek often uses the genitive plural of that subject:

τα ελληνικά → των ελληνικών (genitive plural)
μάθημα ελληνικών = literally “lesson of Greek (language)”

So:

ελληνικών is genitive plural of the adjective ελληνικός -ή -ό, used as a noun meaning “Greek (language).”
You do not say μάθημα ελληνικά (that would be nominative) or μάθημα ελληνικής (that would suggest “of the Greek (feminine)” and would usually need an implied γλώσσας, but in practice the school subject is just τα ελληνικά, neuter plural).

Why is it δεν and not μη(ν)? What’s the difference?

Modern Greek has two main negative particles: δεν and μη(ν).

δεν is used with indicative verbs (normal statements and questions):
- Δεν παρατάω το μάθημα. – I’m not giving up the class.
- Δεν είναι δύσκολο. – It is not difficult.
μη(ν) is used mainly with:
- Subjunctive: να μην παρατήσεις – so that you don’t give up
- Imperative: Μην παρατάς! – Don’t give up!
- Certain fixed expressions and non‑finite uses.

Your sentence is a straightforward statement in the indicative, so δεν παρατάω is the correct form.

What does παρόλο που mean, and how is it different from other conjunctions like αν και or ενώ?

παρόλο που = “even though, although”.

In your sentence:

παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο = “even though it is difficult.”

Comparison:

παρόλο που – very clear concessive meaning (“despite the fact that”).
Often a bit stronger or more emphatic than αν και.
αν και – also “although / even though”, slightly more neutral.
ενώ – primarily “while / whereas”, contrasting two facts; in some contexts it can feel like “although,” but its basic idea is contrast in time or situation.

So:

Δεν παρατάω το μάθημα ελληνικών, παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο.
= I’m not giving up, even though it’s difficult.

You could also say:

…αν και είναι δύσκολο – similar meaning, slightly less emphatic.

Why is δύσκολο in the neuter form, not masculine or feminine?

Δύσκολο here is neuter singular, agreeing with an implied “it” that refers back to το μάθημα (neuter).

το μάθημα – neuter singular
So είναι δύσκολο = “it is difficult”, where “it” = το μάθημα ελληνικών.

If the noun were feminine or masculine, the adjective would change:

Η άσκηση είναι δύσκολη. – The exercise (feminine) is difficult.
Ο διάλογος είναι δύσκολος. – The dialogue (masculine) is difficult.

Neuter is used because μάθημα is neuter.

Is the comma before παρόλο που necessary? Could the word order change?

Yes, the comma is normal and natural here.

Δεν παρατάω το μάθημα ελληνικών, παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο.
Main clause first, then concessive clause. Greek normally uses a comma before conjunctions like παρόλο που when they introduce a following subordinate clause.

You can also reverse the order:

Παρόλο που είναι δύσκολο, δεν παρατάω το μάθημα ελληνικών.
= Even though it is difficult, I am not giving up the Greek class.

In that order, the comma comes after the παρόλο που clause. Both orders are correct; it’s just a matter of emphasis and style.