Learn Hardcore Greek: Κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα διαβάζω ένα μικρό κείμενο στα ελληνικά. - Somewhere between work and the break I read a short text in Greek.

So ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα literally is between at-the work and at-the break, but is simply understood as between work and (my) break.

Leaving out σε (i.e. ανάμεσα δουλειά και διάλειμμα) is ungrammatical in standard modern Greek.

Why do we need the articles τη and το (στη δουλειά, στο διάλειμμα) when English just says “between work and break”?

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English, even with abstract or general nouns:

στη δουλειά = at work / during worktime
στο διάλειμμα = during (the) break

English often omits the article (work, school, church, bed) where Greek keeps it:

είμαι στη δουλειά = I’m at work
πάω στο σχολείο = I go to school

You can say ανάμεσα σε δουλειά και διάλειμμα, but it sounds more bare or abstract (like “between work and breaks in general”). For this very natural, everyday meaning, στη δουλειά and στο διάλειμμα with articles are the most idiomatic.

What exactly does κάπου ανάμεσα mean here? Is κάπου necessary?

Κάπου means somewhere / at some point.

ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα = between work and break
κάπου ανάμεσα… = somewhere in between…, at some point between…

So κάπου adds vagueness: not at an exact, fixed time, but somewhere in that interval.

You could say:

Ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα διαβάζω… – between work and break I read… (more neutral)
Κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα διαβάζω… – somewhere between work and break I (manage to) read… (more natural and conversational)

Why is there no subject pronoun εγώ? How do we know it means “I read”?

Greek is a “null subject” language: you usually omit subject pronouns because the verb ending tells you who the subject is.

The verb διαβάζω is 1st person singular present:

(εγώ) διαβάζω = I read / I am reading

Adding εγώ is only needed for emphasis or contrast:

Εγώ διαβάζω ένα μικρό κείμενο… = I’m the one who reads a short text…

In your sentence, the default, natural form is simply διαβάζω without εγώ.

Can I change the word order, for example put διαβάζω at the beginning or move κάπου ανάμεσα?

Yes. Greek word order is relatively flexible. All of these are grammatical, with slightly different emphasis:

Κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα διαβάζω ένα μικρό κείμενο στα ελληνικά.
(Neutral, sets the time-frame first.)
Διαβάζω ένα μικρό κείμενο στα ελληνικά κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα.
(Focuses first on what you do; when comes later.)
Ένα μικρό κείμενο στα ελληνικά διαβάζω κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα.
(More emphasis on “a small text in Greek”.)

Basic rule: as long as groups of words stay internally correct (e.g. ένα μικρό κείμενο, στα ελληνικά, ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα), you can move those groups for emphasis.

Why is it ένα μικρό κείμενο and not ένας μικρός κείμενο?

Greek articles and adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun:

το κείμενο (text) is neuter.
Neuter singular forms:
- definite article: το
- indefinite article: ένα
- adjective: μικρό

So:

το μικρό κείμενο = the small text
ένα μικρό κείμενο = a small text

Ένας / μικρός are masculine forms and cannot be used with κείμενο.

Why is the adjective μικρό placed before the noun (μικρό κείμενο) instead of after it?

In Greek, the normal position of an adjective that directly describes a noun (attributive adjective) is before the noun:

ένα μικρό κείμενο = a small text
ένα ελληνικό κείμενο = a Greek text

You can put the adjective after the noun, but then it often sounds more contrastive or poetic:

ένα κείμενο μικρό – a text that is small (emphasis on “small”)

In everyday speech, you should usually put adjectives before the noun in phrases like this.

What does στα ελληνικά literally mean, and why is ελληνικά plural?

Literally:

σε + τα ελληνικά → στα ελληνικά = in the Greek (language)

In modern Greek, names of languages are usually neuter plural adjectives used as nouns:

τα ελληνικά = Greek (language)
τα αγγλικά = English
τα γαλλικά = French

The phrase στα ελληνικά functions adverbially and is translated as “in Greek”:

διαβάζω στα ελληνικά = I read in Greek
μιλάω στα ελληνικά = I speak in Greek

So even though English just says “in Greek”, Greek expresses it as “in the Greek (language)”, with a plural form.

Could I just say διαβάζω ένα μικρό κείμενο ελληνικά without στα?

No. That would be incorrect.

You have two main patterns:

Use the language word like an adverb (no preposition, no article):
- διαβάζω ελληνικά = I read Greek
- μιλάω ελληνικά = I speak Greek
Use a prepositional phrase with “σε”:
- διαβάζω στα ελληνικά = I read in Greek
- μιλάω στα ελληνικά = I speak in Greek

But you cannot say κείμενο ελληνικά by itself. You either say:

διαβάζω ελληνικά (no object)
or
διαβάζω ένα κείμενο στα ελληνικά (with στα
- article).

In English, “I read” and “I am reading” are different. What does διαβάζω mean here?

Modern Greek has one present tense form that usually covers both English simple present and present continuous:

διαβάζω can mean:
- I read (habitually)
- I am reading (right now / around now)

Context decides which is more natural.
In this sentence (somewhere between work and break), it sounds like a repeated or habitual action:

I (usually) read a short text in Greek somewhere between work and my break.

How do the contractions στη, στο, στα work in general?

They are combinations of the preposition σε (in, at, to) + the definite article:

σε + τον → στον (masculine singular, accusative)
σε + την → στην (feminine singular, accusative)
σε + τη → στη (everyday spelling when the ν is dropped)
σε + το → στο (neuter singular)
σε + τους → στους (masculine/neuter plural)
σε + τις/τα → στις / στα (feminine plural / neuter plural)

In your sentence:

σε + τη δουλειά → στη δουλειά
σε + το διάλειμμα → στο διάλειμμα
σε + τα ελληνικά → στα ελληνικά

These contractions are obligatory in normal speech and writing.

Is there any difference between δουλειά and εργασία, and why is δουλειά used here?

Both can mean work, but their usage is different:

δουλειά
- Very common, everyday word.
- Can mean job, work, or even chore.
- Used in informal and neutral contexts.
- στη δουλειά = at work (where you work).
εργασία
- More formal / technical.
- Can mean work, project, assignment, paper.
- Used in official, academic or formal contexts.

In a natural, everyday sentence about your routine, δουλειά is the normal choice:
Κάπου ανάμεσα στη δουλειά και στο διάλειμμα… sounds natural and colloquial.