Learn Hardcore Greek: Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία. - I want extra time in order to finish the assignment.

In a context like asking for an extension, χρειάζομαι sounds a bit more “objective”, while θέλω feels slightly more personal, but both are common.

What is the nuance of επιπλέον χρόνο? Is it the same as “more time”?

Επιπλέον χρόνο means “additional time / extra time”.

επιπλέον = additional, extra, in addition
χρόνο = time (accusative singular of ο χρόνος)

In many contexts it matches English “more time”, but in Greek you have several options:

επιπλέον χρόνο – additional time (a bit more neutral/formal)
περισσότερο χρόνο – more time (literally “more time”, very common)
παραπάνω χρόνο – some extra time / more time (more colloquial)

All three can fit here:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο…
Θέλω περισσότερο χρόνο…
Θέλω λίγο παραπάνω χρόνο…

They all mean roughly “I want more / extra time”, with small differences in tone (formal vs colloquial).

Why is it χρόνο and not χρόνος?

Greek is an inflected language: nouns change form depending on their case and role in the sentence.

ο χρόνος – “(the) time” (nominative, subject form)
τον χρόνο – “(the) time” (accusative, object form)

In Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο, χρόνο is the direct object of the verb θέλω (“I want what? time”), so it must be in the accusative.

Here it appears without the article:

επιπλέον χρόνο = extra time (in general, unspecified)
τον επιπλέον χρόνο = the extra time (more specific)

So:

Nominative: ο χρόνος (subject)
Accusative: τον χρόνο / χρόνο (object, with/without article)

Why is there no article before επιπλέον χρόνο, but there is one before την εργασία?

In Greek, the article is not always required with abstract or uncountable nouns when you speak in a more general or indefinite way.

επιπλέον χρόνο = (some) extra time (not a specific, already-defined amount)
την εργασία = the assignment / the piece of work (a specific one, known in context)

By using την εργασία, the speaker is referring to a particular assignment (e.g., the homework, the project).

You could say:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω μια εργασία. = I want extra time to finish an assignment. (any assignment, not specific)

So:

No article → more general or indefinite.
Article → specific, identifiable thing.

What is the function of για να in this sentence? Is it like “to” in English?

Για να introduces a clause of purpose, similar to “in order to / to” in English.

για = for
να = particle that introduces the subjunctive mood

Together, για να + verb = “in order to do X / to do X (purpose)”.

In για να τελειώσω την εργασία:

literally: “for that I finish the assignment”
idiomatically: “(in order) to finish the assignment”

So the whole sentence means:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία.
= I want extra time to finish the assignment.

Why is the verb τελειώσω and not τελειώνω?

Τελειώσω is the subjunctive aorist form of the verb τελειώνω (“to finish”).

In Greek, when you use να / για να plus a verb, you typically use the subjunctive. Greek also has aspect (kind of like “completed vs ongoing”):

να τελειώνω – subjunctive, imperfective aspect → focusing on the process: to be finishing
να τελειώσω – subjunctive, aorist aspect → focusing on completion: to finish (completely)

Because the meaning is “to finish (get it done)”, Greek prefers the aorist subjunctive:

για να τελειώσω την εργασία = in order to finish the assignment (bring it to completion)

Using να τελειώνω here would sound strange, like focusing on the ongoing action rather than the result.

What verb is τελειώσω from, and how is it formed?

Τελειώσω comes from τελειώνω (I finish, I’m finishing).

Present tense (imperfective):

(εγώ) τελειώνω – I (am) finish(ing)
(εσύ) τελειώνεις – you finish
(αυτός/η/ο) τελειώνει – he/she/it finishes
etc.

Subjunctive aorist (used after να / για να for a completed action):

να τελειώσω – that I finish
να τελειώσεις – that you finish
να τελειώσει – that he/she/it finish
etc.

So here:

για να τελειώσω = for (me) to finish.

Why is it την εργασία and not η εργασία?

Again this is a case change: την is the accusative singular feminine article.

η εργασία – “the assignment / the work” (nominative, subject)
την εργασία – “the assignment / the work” (accusative, direct object)

In the sentence, την εργασία is the object of τελειώσω (“to finish what?”), so it takes the accusative:

Θέλω… για να τελειώσω την εργασία.
= I want… to finish the assignment.

Mini declension:

Nominative: η εργασία (subject)
Accusative: την εργασία (object)

What exactly does εργασία mean here? Is it “job”, “work”, or “homework”?

Εργασία is a feminine noun with several meanings, depending on context:

Work / labor in general
Job / occupation (less common than δουλειά in everyday speech)
Assignment / homework / project (very common in school, university)

In this sentence, την εργασία most naturally means:

“the assignment / the homework / the piece of coursework”

If you wanted to be more colloquial and general, you could say:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω τη δουλειά.
= I want extra time to finish the work / the job (more casual).

Could I say Θέλω παραπάνω χρόνο or Θέλω περισσότερο χρόνο instead of επιπλέον χρόνο?

Yes. These are all natural:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο… – I want additional/extra time.
Θέλω περισσότερο χρόνο… – I want more time.
Θέλω παραπάνω χρόνο… – I want (a bit) more / extra time.

Differences:

επιπλέον – slightly more formal/neutral, often written.
περισσότερο – standard, very common, neutral.
παραπάνω – a bit more colloquial, feels like “a bit more / extra” in everyday speech.

All three are correct and can be used in this sentence.

Can I change the word order, for example Θέλω για να τελειώσω την εργασία επιπλέον χρόνο?

Greek word order is flexible, but not everything sounds equally natural.

Most natural options here:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία.
Θέλω χρόνο επιπλέον για να τελειώσω την εργασία. (with emphasis on “extra”)

Putting για να τελειώσω… before επιπλέον χρόνο is possible but less natural in neutral speech:

Θέλω, για να τελειώσω την εργασία, επιπλέον χρόνο.
(sounds a bit formal or carefully spoken, with commas in speech)

Θέλω για να τελειώσω την εργασία επιπλέον χρόνο without pauses sounds awkward.
General rule: keep θέλω + [what you want] + για να + [why/purpose] as in the original sentence.

Is για να always necessary, or could I just say να τελειώσω την εργασία?

You can say:

Θέλω να τελειώσω την εργασία. = I want to finish the assignment.

This is a perfectly normal sentence, but the nuance is slightly different:

Θέλω να τελειώσω την εργασία. – focus on my desire to finish it.
Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία. – focus on why I want extra time (the purpose of the extra time).

Για να makes the purpose link clearer: “extra time in order to finish it.”
Without για, να still introduces a subjunctive clause, but the explicit idea of “for / in order to” is a bit less strong.

Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral? How would I say it more politely?

The sentence is neutral and fine in both spoken and written Greek:

Θέλω επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία.

To sound more polite or softer, you can:

Use θα ήθελα (“I would like”) instead of θέλω:
- Θα ήθελα επιπλέον χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία.
Add λίγο (“a little”) to soften the request:
- Θα ήθελα λίγο παραπάνω χρόνο για να τελειώσω την εργασία.
Use a slightly more formal verb for “finish”, like ολοκληρώσω:
- Θα ήθελα λίγο επιπλέον χρόνο για να ολοκληρώσω την εργασία.

All of these sound polite in a school or work context.

How do you pronounce the whole sentence naturally?

Approximate pronunciation (stressed syllables in bold):

Θέλω – THEH-lo (TH as in this, not as in thing)
επιπλέον – eh-pee-PLEH-on (the on is short, almost “on”)
χρόνο – HRO-no (a rough “h” + rolled or tapped r)
για – ya
να – na
τελειώσω – te-lee-YO-so (or te-li-O-so, depending on speaker; stress on -ιώ-)
την – tin
εργασία – er-ga-SEE-a

Spoken smoothly:

ΘΕH-lo eh-pee-PLEH-on HRO-no ya na te-li-Ó-so tin er-ga-SEE-a.

The stress pattern is important:

Θέλω, επιπλέον, χρόνο, τελειώσω, εργασία.