Learn Hardcore Greek: Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά και δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό. - I fill in the application electronically and state that I want to study abroad.

Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά και δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό.

I fill in the application electronically and state that I want to study abroad.

Breakdown of Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά και δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό.

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Questions & Answers about Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά και δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό.

What tense are συμπληρώνω and δηλώνω, and how should I translate them into English?

Both συμπληρώνω and δηλώνω are in the present tense, 1st person singular.

Greek present tense covers both:

English simple present: I fill in / I declare
English present continuous: I am filling in / I am declaring

So in context, you can understand it as:

“I fill in the application electronically and I declare that…” or
“I am filling in the application electronically and I declare that…”

The Greek form itself doesn’t force you to choose between those two English aspects; context decides.

Why is there no εγώ (“I”) in the sentence? Is it optional?

In Greek, subject pronouns (like εγώ = I) are usually omitted, because the verb ending already shows the person.

Συμπληρώνω → the ending -ω tells you it is 1st person singular (I).
So εγώ is normally not needed.

You would include εγώ only for emphasis or contrast:

Εγώ συμπληρώνω την αίτηση, όχι εσύ.
I am filling in the application, not you.

In this neutral statement, leaving εγώ out is the natural choice.

Why is it την αίτηση and not just αίτηση? What form is this?

Την αίτηση is the definite direct object of the verb συμπληρώνω.

The basic form is η αίτηση – “the application” (nominative, feminine).
As a direct object, it goes to the accusative case:
- η αίτηση → την αίτηση

So:

Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση. = I fill in the application.

Also, αίτηση ends in -ση, and nouns in -ση are almost always feminine in Modern Greek, which explains the article η/την.

What exactly does ηλεκτρονικά mean, and why is it in that form?

Ηλεκτρονικά here is an adverb meaning “electronically”.

In Greek, many adverbs are formed from adjectives using the neuter plural form:

ηλεκτρονικός (electronic, masc. sg. adjective) → ηλεκτρονικά (electronically, adverb)
γρήγορος (fast) → γρήγορα (quickly)
καλός (good) → καλά (well)

So συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά = I fill in the application electronically.

You could also hear more informal alternatives like:

συμπληρώνω την αίτηση online
συμπληρώνω την αίτηση μέσω ίντερνετ
but ηλεκτρονικά is standard and neutral.

Can ηλεκτρονικά go in a different place in the sentence?

Yes. Greek word order is flexible, especially with adverbs. All of these are grammatical, with small differences in emphasis:

Συμπληρώνω την αίτηση ηλεκτρονικά.
Συμπληρώνω ηλεκτρονικά την αίτηση.
Ηλεκτρονικά συμπληρώνω την αίτηση.

Rough tendencies:

After the object (original sentence) is very common and neutral.
Putting ηλεκτρονικά first (Ηλεκτρονικά συμπληρώνω…) gives it more emphasis: Electronically is how I am filling in the application…

Why is δηλώνω used here instead of λέω? Do they mean the same thing?

Both relate to “saying,” but δηλώνω is more formal and official than λέω.

δηλώνω = I declare / I state / I formally say
Used in forms, official documents, legal or bureaucratic language.
λέω = I say / I tell
Everyday, general verb for saying.

In an application context, δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω… sounds appropriate and official, like the standard language of forms.
Λέω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω… would sound more informal and less like the wording of a written declaration.

What does ότι do here, and how is it different from πως or ό,τι?

In this sentence, ότι is a conjunction meaning “that”, introducing a clause:

δηλώνω ότι θέλω να σπουδάσω…
= I declare that I want to study…

Compare:

ότι (conjunction, that)
- Usually no comma before it.
- δηλώνω ότι θέλω… = I declare that I want…
πως (also “that”)
- Often more colloquial.
- δηλώνω πως θέλω… ≈ I declare that I want… (same meaning here).
ό,τι (with comma; pronoun “whatever / anything that”)
- Very different meaning:
- Κάνε ό,τι θέλεις. = Do whatever you want.

So in your sentence, it must be ότι (or optionally πως), not ό,τι.

Why is it θέλω να σπουδάσω and not just θέλω σπουδάζω?

After θέλω (I want), Greek normally uses να + subjunctive:

θέλω να σπουδάσω = I want to study.

The pattern is:

θέλω να
- (subjunctive form of the verb)

Θέλω σπουδάζω is incorrect; you need the particle να and the correct subjunctive form (σπουδάσω or σπουδάζω, depending on aspect – see next question).

Why is it να σπουδάσω and not να σπουδάζω? What’s the difference?

Both are subjunctive, but they differ in aspect:

να σπουδάσω → aorist subjunctive (focus on the whole event, completion)
να σπουδάζω → present subjunctive (focus on ongoing / repeated action)

In this sentence, you’re talking about:

embarking on a course of study abroad as a planned future course/program, a “single” event in your life → να σπουδάσω fits.

If you said:

Θέλω να σπουδάζω στο εξωτερικό.
it would sound more like I want to be studying abroad (as an ongoing state), which is not wrong, but less natural in the context of a formal application declaration.

So:

θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό ≈ I want to (go and) study abroad (do a degree, etc.).

If να σπουδάσω talks about a future action, why don’t we use θα σπουδάσω?

Θα σπουδάσω is a future tense form:

θα σπουδάσω = I will study.

But after verbs like θέλω, Greek uses να + subjunctive, not θα:

θέλω να σπουδάσω = I want to study.

Compare:

Θα σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό.
I will study abroad. (simple future statement)
Θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό.
I want to study abroad. (expresses desire, not a plain prediction)

So να here is required by the verb θέλω, and the future meaning comes from the context (a future plan), not from θα.

What exactly does στο εξωτερικό mean, and how is it formed?

Στο εξωτερικό is the standard way to say “abroad”.

Grammatically:

σε (in/at/to) + το (the, neuter) → στο
εξωτερικό literally “the outside / the foreign (part)”, a neuter form used as a noun.

So:

στο εξωτερικό = in/to the outside (world) → abroad

It’s a fixed expression. You normally:

must keep the article: στο εξωτερικό, not σε εξωτερικό.
use it for going, being, or living abroad:
- Θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό. – I want to study abroad.
- Μένω στο εξωτερικό. – I live abroad.

Using στον εξωτερικό would mean something like “in the external (masc.) [space/area/etc.]” and would need another noun: στον εξωτερικό χώρο = in the outdoor area.

What is the difference between σπουδάζω, διαβάζω, and μαθαίνω?

They all relate to learning, but in different ways:

σπουδάζω
= to study in the sense of being enrolled in higher education (university/college, etc.), or doing formal studies.
- Σπουδάζω ιατρική. – I study medicine (at university).
διαβάζω
= to read / to study (for school, exams).
- Διαβάζω ένα βιβλίο. – I’m reading a book.
- Διαβάζω για τις εξετάσεις. – I’m studying for the exams.
μαθαίνω
= to learn / to find out.
- Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. – I’m learning Greek.
- Μόλις το έμαθα. – I just found it out.

So in the sentence θέλω να σπουδάσω στο εξωτερικό, the idea is specifically doing formal studies (a degree, etc.) abroad, not just casually learning something.