Learn Hardcore Greek: Σκέφτομαι αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου ή αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό μετά το πτυχίο. - I am thinking about whether I will stay in my country or live abroad after my degree.

In modern Greek, the verb is normally used as σκέφτομαι, not σκέφτω, when it means “I think / I am thinking” in the sense of thinking about something, considering, wondering.

σκέφτομαι is in the so‑called middle/passive form, but in meaning it is active:
- Σκέφτομαι αν θα μείνω… = I’m thinking / I’m wondering whether I’ll stay…
A form σκέφτω is practically never used in everyday modern Greek with this meaning. You might see it in some dictionaries as an old/active form, but in practice you should learn and use σκέφτομαι.

So, for talking about thoughts, decisions, plans, etc., the correct everyday verb is σκέφτομαι.

What does αν mean here? Is it “if” or “whether”? And how is it different from εάν or άμα?

In this sentence αν is best understood as “whether”:

Σκέφτομαι αν θα μείνω… = I’m wondering whether I’ll stay…

In English you could also say “I’m thinking if I’ll stay…”, but in careful English “whether” is more natural after “I’m thinking / I’m wondering”.

About the similar words:

αν – the most common everyday form for if / whether.
εάν – a more formal or “full” form; in speech it usually becomes αν. Meaning is the same.
άμα – very colloquial; roughly “if / when” in spoken language.

In this sentence, αν is perfectly natural and the most typical choice.

Why is it αν θα μείνω and not just αν μείνω? Is θα really needed after αν?

Both patterns exist, but they are used a bit differently:

αν μείνω literally = “if I stay” → more like a condition.
αν θα μείνω = “whether I will stay” → more about which future option will happen.

Here the speaker is not setting a condition; they are hesitating between two possible futures (stay or live abroad). So:

Σκέφτομαι αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου…
I’m thinking about whether I’ll stay in my country…

sounds more natural than αν μείνω.

So θα is not grammatically “obligatory” after αν, but including θα emphasizes the future choice / decision.

What exactly is μείνω (in θα μείνω)? Why not μένω?

Greek future is formed with θα + a non‑past form. The choice of form shows aspect:

θα μείνω – uses the aorist stem (μείνω), so it is simple future:
- I will stay (once / as a single event or choice).
θα μένω – uses the present stem (μένω), so it is future continuous / repeated:
- I will be staying / I’ll tend to stay / I’ll keep living (over time).

In this sentence, the person is thinking of a one‑time life decision: stay in their country vs go abroad. So the simple future form θα μείνω (with μείνω) is the natural choice.

Why is it στη χώρα μου and not σε τη χώρα μου or στην χώρα μου?

Several things are going on here:

Contraction of preposition + article
- σε + τη → στη
  So instead of σε τη χώρα, Greek almost always contracts to στη χώρα.
The -ν at the end of την is often dropped before many consonants in modern Greek, including χ:
- full form: στην χώρα
- usual modern form: στη χώρα

In everyday standard Greek, στη χώρα μου is the normal written and spoken form.
σε τη χώρα μου is grammatically possible in theory but sounds wrong/unnatural, because native speakers almost always use the contraction (στη).

Why is μου placed after χώρα (in η χώρα μου) instead of before it, like in English “my country”?

Greek has weak (clitic) possessive pronouns that usually come after the noun:

η χώρα μου = my country
το βιβλίο σου = your book
η μητέρα του = his / her mother

This post‑position is the normal, neutral way to express possession.

If you want to emphasize the possessor (e.g. my country, not someone else’s), you use a stronger form:

η δική μου χώρα = my own country

But in neutral statements like this sentence, you should say η χώρα μου, not μου η χώρα.

Why do we repeat αν in …στη χώρα μου ή αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό… instead of just saying …στη χώρα μου ή θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό…?

Repeating αν makes the two options feel balanced and clearly parallel:

αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου
(ή) αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό

In Greek this repetition is very natural and common in “whether X or whether Y” structures.

You could say:

Σκέφτομαι αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου ή θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό.

That is not wrong, but many speakers find the version with the repeated αν smoother and clearer, especially in careful speech or writing.

What is the difference between ζω and ζήσω in αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό?

Again it’s a matter of aspect and tense formation:

ζω – present stem, present tense:
- Ζω στην Ελλάδα. = I live in Greece (now / generally).
ζήσω – aorist (non‑past) stem, used with θα for simple future:
- Θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό. = I will live abroad (at some point in my future).

So θα ζήσω here is a future plan / decision.
If you said θα ζω στο εξωτερικό, that would sound more like “I will be living abroad (for an extended or habitual period)”, with more emphasis on the ongoing state rather than the one‑time decision.

Why do we say στο εξωτερικό with the article, and what does it mean exactly?

Στο εξωτερικό is:

σε + το εξωτερικό → στο εξωτερικό

Literally it is “in the outside / in the exterior”, but in modern Greek it is a fixed expression meaning “abroad / in a foreign country (or countries)”.

Points to note:

It uses the definite article το, but in English we usually translate it without an article:
- Ζω στο εξωτερικό. = I live abroad.
It does not refer to one specific country; it just means outside one’s own country, wherever that may be.

So in this sentence, στο εξωτερικό = “abroad”, in a general sense.

Why is it μετά το πτυχίο and not something like μετά πτυχίο or μετά το πτυχίο μου?

μετά as a preposition
When μετά means “after” and is followed by a noun, it normally takes the accusative with an article:
- μετά το μάθημα = after the class
- μετά τις διακοπές = after the holidays
So μετά το πτυχίο (“after the degree”) follows this regular pattern.
Possessive μου can be omitted if it’s obvious
If you’re talking about your own studies, it is usually clear that το πτυχίο is your degree:
- μετά το πτυχίο = after (my) degree / after graduating
You can say μετά το πτυχίο μου to make it explicit, and that is also correct.
But Greek often omits the possessive when the owner is obvious from context, especially with things like το σπίτι (one’s house), τη δουλειά (one’s job), το πτυχίο (one’s degree).

Could we change the order and say Σκέφτομαι αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό ή αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου? Would that change the meaning?

Yes, you can absolutely reverse the order:

Σκέφτομαι αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό ή αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου.

The basic meaning is the same: you are hesitating between living abroad or staying in your country.

The only difference is a slight shift of focus:

In the original, the first option you mention is staying in your country.
In the altered version, the first option is living abroad.

In practice, both are perfectly natural; you choose the order that matches what you want to present first or emphasize slightly more.

Is σκέφτομαι αν… the only way to say “I’m wondering whether…” in Greek?

No. Σκέφτομαι αν… is very common and natural, but there are other options:

Αναρωτιέμαι αν θα μείνω στη χώρα μου ή αν θα ζήσω στο εξωτερικό.
= I’m wondering whether I’ll stay in my country or live abroad.
(αναρωτιέμαι focuses even more clearly on “wondering”.)
Δεν ξέρω αν θα μείνω… ή αν θα ζήσω…
= I don’t know whether I’ll stay… or live…
Έχω δίλημμα αν θα μείνω… ή αν θα ζήσω…
= I’m in doubt / I have a dilemma whether I’ll stay… or live…

In your sentence, Σκέφτομαι αν… is a very natural everyday way to express the idea that you are thinking seriously about two possible future paths.