Learn Hardcore Greek: Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα στη δουλειά.

Many verbs in Greek (προσπαθώ, θέλω, μπορώ, πρέπει, etc.) are often followed by να + verb instead of a bare infinitive, because modern Greek doesn’t really use an infinitive the way English does. The να construction is how Greek expresses “to do something” after another verb.

Why is it διαχειρίζομαι and not some form like διαχειρίζω?

Διαχειρίζομαι is one of those Greek verbs that:

Use middle/passive endings (ending in -ομαι),
But have an active meaning (“I manage / I handle”).

There is no commonly used active form *διαχειρίζω in modern Greek; you always use διαχειρίζομαι for “I manage / I handle” something.

Grammatically:

Present, 1st person singular: διαχειρίζομαι = I manage
Past (imperfect): διαχειριζόμουν = I was managing
Aorist subjunctive: διαχειριστώ = (that) I manage (once / as a whole action)

So in this sentence, διαχειρίζομαι is the normal, correct form.

What is the difference between να διαχειρίζομαι and να διαχειριστώ?

This is an aspect difference, very important in Greek:

να διαχειρίζομαι = imperfective subjunctive
– focuses on ongoing, repeated, or habitual action
– “to be managing / to manage (in general / as a habit)”
να διαχειριστώ = perfective (aorist) subjunctive
– focuses on a single, complete action or attempt
– “to manage (once / to get it done)”

In your sentence:

Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα στη δουλειά.
→ “I’m trying to manage my time better at work (in general, as an ongoing improvement).”

If you said:

Προσπάθησα να διαχειριστώ τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα χτες.
→ “I tried to manage my time better yesterday (on that specific occasion).”

So να διαχειρίζομαι fits better here because you’re talking about a general, ongoing effort, not a one‑time event.

Why do we say τον χρόνο μου and not just χρόνο μου or ο χρόνος μου?

Several things are happening here:

Case and article
- Τον χρόνο is accusative (direct object) with the definite article, masculine singular:
  - nominative: ο χρόνος
  - accusative: τον χρόνο
- In Greek, a definite direct object almost always takes the article, so:
  - διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου = I manage my time
Position of the possessive
- In Greek: article + noun + possessive clitic
  → τον χρόνο μου
- Literally: “the time my”.
Why not ο χρόνος μου?
- ο χρόνος μου is nominative, so it would be the subject, meaning “my time (does something)”.
- Here, time is the object (what you manage), so you need accusative: τον χρόνο μου.

So τον χρόνο μου is the correct and natural way to say “my time” when it is the direct object.

Why is the possessive μου after the noun (τον χρόνο μου) and not before it like in English?

Greek uses postposed clitic possessives, so the structure is:

article + noun + possessive
→ τον χρόνο μου = my time
→ τη δουλειά μου = my job / my work
→ το αυτοκίνητό μου = my car

You normally don’t say something like *μου ο χρόνος.

If you want to put extra emphasis on “my”, Greek often uses δικός:

ο δικός μου χρόνος = my time (as opposed to someone else’s)
η δική μου δουλειά = my job

But for a neutral “my time”, the regular order is: τον χρόνο μου.

Why is it καλύτερα and not καλύτερο in this sentence?

Κατάλληλη μορφή depends on what you’re modifying:

καλύτερος / καλύτερη / καλύτερο = adjective (“better” as a quality of a noun)
καλύτερα = adverb (“better” as a way of doing something)

Here, καλύτερα describes how you manage your time:

διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα
→ I manage my time better (i.e. in a better way)

If you used an adjective (καλύτερος / -η / -ο), it would need to agree with a noun:

καλύτερη δουλειά = a better job
καλύτερος προγραμματισμός = better planning

In your sentence you’re modifying the verb, so you need the adverb: καλύτερα.

What does στη in στη δουλειά mean exactly, and where does it come from?

Στη is a contracted form of:

σε (preposition: in / at / to)
τη(ν)
(feminine accusative singular article: the)

So:

σε τη δουλειά → στη δουλειά

Meaning-wise, στη δουλειά can be translated as:

at work
in/at the job/workplace (depending on context)

So in the whole sentence:

στη δουλειά = “at work”.

Can I also say στην δουλειά instead of στη δουλειά?

Yes, στη δουλειά and στην δουλειά are both seen, but στη δουλειά is more common in modern spelling.

The -ν at the end of την / στην:

is obligatory before vowels and some consonants (κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ),
and optional before many other consonants.

Since δουλειά starts with δ, the ν is optional:

στη δουλειά (very common)
στην δουλειά (more conservative / careful / older style spelling)

In everyday modern usage, στη δουλειά is perfectly standard.

Where is the “I” in the sentence? Why isn’t εγώ written?

Greek usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person.

Προσπαθώ = I try / I am trying
(1st person singular is clear from the ending -ώ)

So including εγώ is optional and adds emphasis:

Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι… = I try to manage…
Εγώ προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι… = I am the one who tries to manage… (contrast or emphasis)

In your neutral sentence, it’s completely natural to omit εγώ.

Is προσπαθώ “I try” or “I am trying”? Which one is right?

Both translations are possible. Greek present tense covers:

habitual / general present: “I try”
progressive / ongoing: “I am trying”

So Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα στη δουλειά can mean:

“I try to manage my time better at work.” (general habit / intention) or
“I am trying to manage my time better at work.” (right now / these days)

Context decides which English tense feels more natural. Greek doesn’t grammatically distinguish them here.

Could the word order be προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι καλύτερα τον χρόνο μου? Is that still correct?

Yes, that order is also correct:

Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα στη δουλειά.
Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι καλύτερα τον χρόνο μου στη δουλειά.

Both are grammatical and natural.

Greek has relatively flexible word order. Moving καλύτερα earlier can slightly change the emphasis:

διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα
→ neutral: “I manage my time better.”
διαχειρίζομαι καλύτερα τον χρόνο μου
→ a bit more focus on how you do the managing.

But in everyday speech, both orders sound fine and mean essentially the same thing.

How do you pronounce διαχειρίζομαι?

Syllable breakdown: δια‑χει‑ρί‑ζο‑μαι

IPA (approx.): [ðiaçiˈrizome]

Approximate English guide:

δι = δ is like th in this → “thee”
α = “a” as in “father” → “ah”
δια together ≈ “thee‑ah”
χ before ε / ι / αι / ει / οι / υι is a soft ch, like the German ich sound, or a stronger h:
- here χ
  - ε / ι → a breathy h sound: “hee” but rougher
ρι = “ree”
ζο = “zo” (like “zoh”)
μαι = pronounced here as “meh”

So a rough English approximation: thee‑ah‑hee‑REE‑zo‑meh, with the stress on ΡΙ (the -ρίζ- syllable).

Does δουλειά mean “work” or “job”, or both?

Δουλειά can mean both, depending on context:

work in general:
- Έχω πολλή δουλειά. = I have a lot of work.
job / employment:
- Έχω καλή δουλειά. = I have a good job.
at work / at my job:
- Είμαι στη δουλειά. = I’m at work.

In your sentence, στη δουλειά naturally means “at work / at my job”.

Is there any difference between δουλειά and εργασία?

Yes, mainly in register (formality) and tone:

δουλειά
- More colloquial / everyday
- Very common in spoken language
- Can mean work, job, task
εργασία
- More formal / written or technical
- Used for formal “work”, “occupation”, “project”, “assignment”
- Common in academic, legal, or official contexts

Your sentence:

Προσπαθώ να διαχειρίζομαι τον χρόνο μου καλύτερα στη δουλειά.

is perfectly natural, everyday language. Using στην εργασία would sound more formal or bureaucratic:

…στην εργασία = “at (my) work / at the workplace” in a more formal style.