Learn Hardcore Greek: Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα και, χάρη σε αυτόν, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά. - I plug the charger into the socket and, thanks to it, I charge the battery while I read Greek.

ο φορτιστής = nominative, used for the subject of the sentence
- e.g. Ο φορτιστής είναι καινούριος. – The charger is new.
τον φορτιστή = accusative, used for the direct object (the thing receiving the action)
- In Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα, the subject is (εγώ) I (implied), and τον φορτιστή is what you are putting somewhere, so it must be in the accusative.

So we say Βάζω τον φορτιστή (I put the charger), not Βάζω ο φορτιστής.

What exactly does βάζω mean here? Is it “I put” or “I am putting”?

Greek βάζω in the present tense can cover both:

I put (habitual, repeated action)
I am putting (action happening right now)

Context decides which English form is best.

In this sentence:

Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα…

you can understand it as:

I put the charger in the socket (whenever I charge the battery) – habitual, or
I’m putting the charger in the socket (now) – describing a current action.

Greek doesn’t have a separate present continuous form like English does (with -ing); the simple present βάζω covers both uses.

What is στην in στην πρίζα? Why not just σε την πρίζα or τη πρίζα?

Στην is a contracted form of the preposition + article:

σε
- την → στην

So:

σε την πρίζα (theoretically)
becomes
στην πρίζα (what people actually say and write)

Σε corresponds roughly to in/on/at depending on context.
Η πρίζα = the socket / power outlet (feminine).

So στην πρίζα literally means “in the socket / at the socket”.

You cannot just say τη πρίζα here, because you need the preposition σε to show where you are putting the charger. Τη μπαταρία is a direct object (“the battery”), but στην πρίζα is a prepositional phrase (“into the socket”).

What does χάρη σε αυτόν mean exactly, and why is it αυτόν and not αυτό?

Χάρη σε αυτόν literally means “thanks to him/it”.

χάρη σε … = thanks to … / due to … / because of (in a positive sense)
αυτόν = “him” or “it” in the masculine accusative singular

The pronoun agrees in gender with the noun it refers to:

It refers to τον φορτιστή (the charger), which is masculine.
- Masculine accusative: αυτόν
- Neuter accusative: αυτό

So:

χάρη σε αυτόν = thanks to him/it (masculine → here: the charger)
If the noun were neuter (e.g. το κινητό), you would say χάρη σε αυτό.

In English we usually say “thanks to it”, but Greek keeps grammatical gender, so it uses αυτόν for a masculine object.

Why are there commas around χάρη σε αυτόν? Are they necessary?

The commas mark χάρη σε αυτόν as a kind of parenthetical / extra comment, similar to “by the way” or “incidentally” in English.

Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα και, χάρη σε αυτόν, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία…

You could think of it as:

I plug in the charger and, thanks to it, I charge the battery…

You can write it without both commas:

Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα και χάρη σε αυτόν φορτίζω τη μπαταρία…

This is also acceptable and a bit more flowing in everyday writing.
With commas, the phrase feels more emphasized, like a small side comment: “— and, thanks to it, — …”

Why is it φορτίζω τη μπαταρία and not something like κάνω φόρτιση?

Both are possible in Greek, but they sound different:

φορτίζω τη μπαταρία = I charge the battery
- φορτίζω is the verb “to charge (electrically)”
- This is the most natural, direct way to say it.
κάνω φόρτιση = literally “I do (a) charging / I make a charge”
- Grammatically correct, but more formal or roundabout.
- You’d see φόρτιση mostly as a noun in technical / written contexts:
  - Η φόρτιση της μπαταρίας διαρκεί δύο ώρες. – The charging of the battery lasts two hours.

In everyday speech, when you mean “I charge the battery,” you normally use the verb:
φορτίζω τη μπαταρία.

Why is it τη μπαταρία and not την μπαταρία?

The full form is την μπαταρία (article + noun, both feminine accusative singular).

In modern spelling, there is a common rule:

την → τη before:
- consonants except: κ, π, τ, μπ, ντ, γκ, ξ, ψ
την is usually kept before those “strong” consonants (and vowels).

However, usage in real life is mixed, and both forms are understood and often accepted in writing.

Before μπ (as in μπαταρία), many speakers still say [ti ba.taˈri.a] (no audible n), but they write either:

την μπαταρία (more traditional/explicit), or
τη μπαταρία (more simplified modern spelling).

In your sentence, τη μπαταρία is completely acceptable in contemporary Greek. Just remember that τη(ν) is the accusative feminine article, matching η μπαταρία.

Why is there no article before ελληνικά in διαβάζω ελληνικά?

When you talk about languages after verbs like μιλάω (speak), ξέρω (know), μαθαίνω (learn), διαβάζω (study/read), Greek often omits the article, just like English:

Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. – I’m learning Greek.
Μιλάω αγγλικά. – I speak English.
Διαβάζω ελληνικά. – I’m reading/studying Greek.

If you add the article and say τα ελληνικά, it usually treats the language more as a school subject or a “set of things”:

Τα ελληνικά είναι δύσκολα. – Greek (the language) is difficult.
Κάνω τα ελληνικά μου. – I’m doing my Greek (homework).

So:

διαβάζω ελληνικά – I read/study (the) Greek language (no article needed)
τα ελληνικά – “the Greek language” as a named entity / subject.

Why is ελληνικά (neuter plural) used to mean “Greek (language)”?

Ελληνικά is the neuter plural form of the adjective ελληνικός, -ή, -ό (Greek).

In Greek, many languages are referred to using an adjective in the neuter plural, functioning as a noun:

αγγλικά – English
γαλλικά – French
γερμανικά – German
ισπανικά – Spanish
ελληνικά – Greek

Historically and grammatically, this can be understood as “Greek things / Greek words,” but to a modern speaker it simply means “Greek (language)”.

So in διαβάζω ελληνικά, ελληνικά is an adjective used as a noun: you are reading/learning the Greek language.

What is the difference between ενώ and όταν or καθώς? Why ενώ here?

In this sentence:

… φορτίζω τη μπαταρία ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά.

ενώ means “while” in the sense of two actions happening at the same time.

ενώ – while, whereas
- Focus on simultaneity of actions
- Also can contrast two facts:
  - Εγώ δουλεύω, ενώ εσύ κοιμάσαι. – I work, while you sleep.
όταν – when
- More neutral for time:
  - Όταν διαβάζω ελληνικά, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία. – When I read Greek, I charge the battery (whenever that happens).
καθώς – as / while
- Also expresses simultaneity, often a bit more descriptive or literary:
  - Καθώς διαβάζω ελληνικά, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία.

Here ενώ is natural and clear: it simply says you are charging the battery at the same time as you are reading Greek.

How flexible is the word order in this sentence? Could I move ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά to the beginning?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible, and you can move clauses around without changing the basic meaning, as long as the grammar and connectors stay correct.

Your original sentence:

Βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα και, χάρη σε αυτόν, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά.

Possible variants:

Ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά, βάζω τον φορτιστή στην πρίζα και, χάρη σε αυτόν, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία.
Ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά, φορτίζω τη μπαταρία, χάρη στον φορτιστή που βάζω στην πρίζα.
Φορτίζω τη μπαταρία, ενώ διαβάζω ελληνικά, χάρη στον φορτιστή που βάζω στην πρίζα.

All are grammatical; the changes mainly affect emphasis and style.
The original is quite natural: it presents actions in a logical chronological order (plug in → thanks to it → charge → while reading).

How do you pronounce some of the tricky parts like βάζω, μπαταρία, and χάρη?

Approximate pronunciation (using English-based hints):

βάζω → VA-zo
- β = like English v
- ζ = like English z in zoo
- Stress on the first syllable: ΒΆ-ζω
μπαταρία → ba-ta-REE-a
- μπ at the beginning of a word is pronounced like b
- So μπα sounds like ba
- Stress on -ρί-: μπαταΡΊα → ba-ta-REE-a
χάρη → HA-ree
- χ is like the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach (a throaty h sound)
- Stress on χά: ΧΆ-ρη

Full sentence with stress indicated (capital letters show stress):

ΒΆζω τον φορτισΤΉ στην ΠΡΊζα και, ΧΆρη σε αυΤΌν, φορΤΊζω τη μπαταΡΊα Ενώ διαΒΆζω ελληΝΙΚΆ.