Learn Hardcore Greek: Στην αρχή νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω. - At the beginning I feel a bit stressed, but then I relax.

σε + την αρχή → στην αρχή
- σε = in / at / on (very general preposition)
- η αρχή = the beginning (feminine noun)
- When σε comes before the feminine article την, they contract to στην in normal speech and writing.
  So: σε την αρχή → στην αρχή
Why not στο?
- στο = σε + το (for neuter nouns)
- But αρχή is feminine, so it takes την, not το.
Why not just σε αρχή without article?
In Greek, time expressions like this very often use the definite article:
- Στην αρχή = At the beginning
- Στο τέλος = At the end
  Dropping the article (σε αρχή) would sound incomplete or wrong here.

What is αρχή exactly, and why is it feminine?

Αρχή means beginning, start, or sometimes principle (in other contexts).

Dictionary form: η αρχή (feminine noun)
Ending -ή is a common feminine ending for nouns in modern Greek (e.g. η υπομονή, η στιγμή, η πηγή).

There’s no special logic for “why” it is feminine; noun gender in Greek is mostly grammatical and must be memorized with the article:

Always learn it as η αρχή.

What is the difference between νιώθω and αισθάνομαι? Could I say Στην αρχή αισθάνομαι λίγο αγχωμένος?

Both νιώθω and αισθάνομαι can mean “I feel”.

νιώθω
- Very common in everyday speech.
- Used for physical and emotional states:
  - Νιώθω κουρασμένος. = I feel tired.
  - Νιώθω χαρά. = I feel joy.
αισθάνομαι
- Slightly more formal or a bit more “bookish” in many contexts.
- Also used for physical and emotional sensations:
  - Αισθάνομαι άσχημα. = I feel bad.

In this sentence, νιώθω is perfectly natural and probably more common in casual language.

You could say:

Στην αρχή αισθάνομαι λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
This is grammatically correct and understandable, just with a slightly more formal/neutral flavor compared to νιώθω.

Why is it λίγο αγχωμένος and not αγχωμένος λίγο? Does word order change the meaning?

Both λίγο αγχωμένος and αγχωμένος λίγο are possible, but the usual and most natural order here is:

λίγο αγχωμένος = a bit stressed / slightly stressed

Λίγο is an adverb meaning a little / a bit, and it usually comes before the adjective or verb it modifies:

είμαι λίγο κουρασμένος (I am a bit tired)
νιώθω λίγο άρρωστος (I feel a bit sick)

If you say αγχωμένος λίγο, it is still understandable, but it sounds less neutral and more like you are adding “a bit” as an afterthought or for emphasis:

Είμαι αγχωμένος… λίγο. → “I’m stressed… a bit.”

In normal, neutral speech describing your state, λίγο αγχωμένος is the standard and most natural-sounding order.

What is αγχωμένος grammatically, and how would it change if the speaker is a woman?

Αγχωμένος is an adjective (originally a participle) that means “stressed / anxious”.

It comes from the verb αγχώνομαι = I get stressed / I am stressed.
Forms of the adjective:
- Masculine: αγχωμένος
- Feminine: αγχωμένη
- Neuter: αγχωμένο

So:

If a man is speaking:
- Νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος. = I feel a bit stressed.
If a woman is speaking:
- Νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένη. = I feel a bit stressed.
Talking about a situation or thing (neuter):
- Είναι αγχωτικό. / Είναι αγχωμένο. (slightly different nuance; see next question)

In Greek, adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the noun (here, with the understood “I”, which has natural gender).

What is the difference between αγχωμένος, αγχωτικός, and έχω άγχος?

All are related to stress / anxiety, but they are used differently.

αγχωμένος / αγχωμένη / αγχωμένο
- Describes a person who is stressed:
  - Είμαι αγχωμένος. = I am stressed.
  - Φαίνεσαι αγχωμένη. = You (fem.) look stressed.
αγχωτικός / αγχωτική / αγχωτικό
- Usually describes something that causes stress (stressful):
  - Ήταν μια αγχωτική μέρα. = It was a stressful day.
  - Είναι αγχωτική δουλειά. = It’s a stressful job.
έχω άγχος
- Literally “I have anxiety/stress”; very common way to say “I’m stressed / anxious”:
  - Έχω άγχος για τις εξετάσεις. = I’m stressed/anxious about the exams.

So in your sentence:

νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος focuses on your state (“I feel a bit stressed”).
You could also say, with similar meaning:
Στην αρχή έχω λίγο άγχος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.

Why is the verb in the present tense (νιώθω, χαλαρώνω) when in English we might say “I felt” and “I relaxed”?

In Greek, the present tense is often used for:

Habitual actions: what usually happens
Narration of typical scenarios in the present (similar to English “When I do X, I feel Y”)

Your sentence:

Στην αρχή νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
is understood as a general, repeated situation:
“At first I (usually) feel a bit stressed, but then I relax.”

If you wanted to refer to one specific past occasion, you’d use the past (aorist/imperfect):

Στην αρχή ένιωσα λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλάρωσα.
= At first I felt a bit stressed, but then I relaxed.

So the present here is natural Greek for describing what generally happens.

What does μετά mean here, and how is it different from other words like ύστερα or αργότερα?

In this sentence, μετά means “afterwards / then” in a time sequence:

…αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω. = “…but then I relax / but afterwards I relax.”

Related words:

ύστερα – very close in meaning to μετά in many contexts; often interchangeable:
- …αλλά ύστερα χαλαρώνω.
αργότερα – means “later (on)”, usually a bit more separated in time:
- Θα φύγω αργότερα. = I’ll leave later.

In your sentence, μετά (or ύστερα) is the most natural choice. Αργότερα would sound like there is a longer delay before you relax.

Can I move μετά to the end and say …αλλά χαλαρώνω μετά? Does the meaning change?

You can say …αλλά χαλαρώνω μετά, and it is grammatically correct, but the emphasis shifts slightly.

…αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
- Normal, neutral order.
- Emphasis on the fact that afterwards (as the next stage) you relax.
…αλλά χαλαρώνω μετά.
- Possible, but sounds a bit more like you are stressing the timing (“I relax later, not now”).
- In some contexts, it could sound a little more contrastive, e.g. “I’m stressed now, I relax later.”

In your original general statement about how you typically feel, …αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω is the most natural and idiomatic word order.

What does χαλαρώνω mean exactly, and what is its basic verb form?

Χαλαρώνω means “I relax / I loosen up / I unwind”.

Dictionary form (1st person present): χαλαρώνω
Aorist (simple past/future stem): χαλαρώσω
- Χαλάρωσα. = I relaxed.
- Θα χαλαρώσω. = I will relax.

Related forms:

Χαλαρώνω τώρα. = I am relaxing now / I relax now.
Χαλαρώνεις όταν βλέπεις τηλεόραση; = Do you relax when you watch TV?

In your sentence, χαλαρώνω is present tense, describing what normally happens after the initial stress:

“…but then I relax (I calm down).”

Why is there a comma before αλλά in …, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω? Is it always required?

In Greek, αλλά means “but” and it usually introduces a contrast between two clauses.

When αλλά joins two independent clauses, it is standard to put a comma before it:
- Νιώθω αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
- Θέλω να έρθω, αλλά δεν μπορώ.
If αλλά is just linking shorter phrases or words, sometimes there is no comma:
- Είναι κουρασμένος αλλά χαρούμενος. = He is tired but happy.

In your sentence, there are two full clauses:

Στην αρχή νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος
(αλλά) μετά χαλαρώνω

So the comma before αλλά is normal and correct.

There is no word for “I” in the Greek sentence. How do we know it means “I feel / I relax”?

Greek verbs show person and number in their endings, so the subject pronoun (I, you, he, etc.) is usually omitted unless needed for emphasis or clarity.

νιώθω = I feel
- (1st person singular)
χαλαρώνω = I relax
- (1st person singular)

So:

Νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος. on its own clearly means “I feel a bit stressed.”

You could add the subject for emphasis:

Εγώ στην αρχή νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
= I at first feel a bit stressed, but then (I) relax.

But in normal speech, the pronoun is dropped because the verb ending already tells you it’s “I”.

Is there any difference between saying Στην αρχή and using Αρχικά?

Both can translate to “at first / initially”, but there is a nuance:

Στην αρχή
- Literally: “at the beginning”
- Slightly more concrete; can refer to the beginning of:
  - a process
  - a period
  - a situation
- Very common in everyday speech:
  - Στην αρχή δεν καταλάβαινα, αλλά μετά έμαθα.
    = At first I didn’t understand, but then I learned.
Αρχικά
- An adverb meaning “initially / at first”
- A bit more formal or neutral, used a lot in written language, explanations, etc.
- Example:
  - Αρχικά ένιωθα αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλάρωσα.

In your sentence, you could say:

Αρχικά νιώθω λίγο αγχωμένος, αλλά μετά χαλαρώνω.
It would be correct, just with a slightly more formal or “structured” feel. Στην αρχή is very natural and conversational.