Learn Hardcore Greek: Όπως κι αν γίνει, ξέρω ότι οι σπουδές, η φροντίδα των δικών μου και η δική μου προσπάθεια θα στηρίζουν πάντα το μέλλον μου. - However it turns out, I know that my studies, my family’s care and my own effort will always support my future.

όπως = as, like, however
και αν → κι αν (see next question) = literally “and if”, but together they function like “even if / no matter if”
γίνει = “(it) may become / may happen”, the subjunctive form of γίνομαι (to become, to happen)

So όπως κι αν γίνει literally is “however it (may) happen / become, even if it happens in any way”, i.e. “no matter what happens”.

Why is it γίνει and not γίνεται after όπως κι αν?

Γίνει is the subjunctive (aorist subjunctive) form of γίνομαι, and it is required after κι αν / και αν when you express uncertainty, possibility, or a hypothetical future situation.

γίνει: subjunctive, used in clauses like:
- αν γίνει = if it happens
- όπως κι αν γίνει = however it may happen
γίνεται: indicative, present tense, “it is happening / it happens” as a statement of fact:
- Τι γίνεται εδώ; = What’s going on here?
- Αυτό γίνεται κάθε μέρα. = This happens every day.

Because the sentence is about an unknown future situation (“whatever might happen”), Greek needs the subjunctive: γίνει, not γίνεται.

What is the difference between κι and και here?

Κι is simply a phonetic/orthographic variant of και. They are the same word: “and”.

The rule of thumb:

και is the basic form.
κι is used before a vowel sound for smoother pronunciation, to avoid the hiatus between vowels.

Here we say:

όπως κι αν (και + αν → κι αν)

So in this sentence, κι does not add any special meaning; it is just και written in its euphonic form.

Why is there a comma after Όπως κι αν γίνει?

Όπως κι αν γίνει is a subordinate clause (a dependent clause) that comes before the main clause ξέρω ότι ….

Greek punctuation usually separates an initial subordinate clause from the main clause with a comma, just as in English:

Όπως κι αν γίνει, ξέρω ότι …
= Whatever happens, I know that …

So the comma marks the separation between:

the condition / concession: Όπως κι αν γίνει
the main statement: ξέρω ότι οι σπουδές … θα στηρίζουν πάντα το μέλλον μου.

Why is οι σπουδές plural, and what does it imply?

Οι σπουδές is grammatically plural and feminine. In Greek, the word σπουδές almost always appears in the plural when it means “(someone’s) studies / university studies / academic education.”

οι σπουδές μου = my studies (usually: my higher education)

The singular η σπουδή exists but is rare and has a more technical or older feel (e.g. φιλολογικές σπουδές vs η σπουδή του φαινομένου).

So οι σπουδές here is the normal way to say “my studies”, and the plural does not mean multiple separate degrees; it’s just the conventional form.

Why is there a definite article in οι σπουδές? Could it be just σπουδές?

In Greek, abstract or general nouns frequently take the definite article, especially when they refer to specific, known things in context.

οι σπουδές (μου) = my specific studies, my course of study
σπουδές without article would sound either more indefinite or telegraphic.

In this sentence, we are talking about concrete, personal studies that the speaker has in mind, so the article οι is natural and idiomatic.

You could omit the article in some contexts, but οι σπουδές is stylistically better here.

What exactly does η φροντίδα των δικών μου mean? Who are οι δικοί μου?

Η φροντίδα των δικών μου literally means “the care of my own (people)”.

η φροντίδα = the care
οι δικοί μου = literally “my own (ones), my own people”

In everyday Greek, οι δικοί μου commonly means:

my family,
my close relatives, or more broadly
my loved ones / my people.

So η φροντίδα των δικών μου = “taking care of my family / my loved ones.”

The των shows genitive plural, because we are talking about the care of them:

η φροντίδα ποιων; → των δικών μου
(the care of whom? → of my own people)

Why is it των δικών μου and not των δικοί μου?

Δικός, -ή, -ό is a possessive adjective/pronoun that agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it replaces or refers to.

Here, των δικών μου refers to (των) δικών μου [ανθρώπων] = “my own people”.

Implied noun: άνθρωποι (people), which is:
- masculine,
- plural,
- genitive (after η φροντίδα = “the care of …”).

So δικός must be:

masculine plural genitive: δικών

Then we add μου, the unstressed possessive pronoun:

των δικών μου = of my own (people)

Των δικοί μου is ungrammatical because δικοί is nominative plural, not genitive.

What extra nuance does η δική μου προσπάθεια have compared to just η προσπάθειά μου?

Both are grammatically correct:

η προσπάθειά μου = my effort
η δική μου προσπάθεια = my own effort / my personal effort

Adding δική (feminine form of δικός) introduces emphasis or contrast:

η προσπάθειά μου: neutral ownership.
η δική μου προσπάθεια:
- stresses that it is my own effort in particular,
- can contrast with someone else’s effort or with other factors.

So in this sentence, η δική μου προσπάθεια highlights the speaker’s personal contribution as a distinct, important factor supporting their future.

Why does the verb appear as θα στηρίζουν (plural)? What is the subject?

The subject of θα στηρίζουν is a compound subject consisting of three coordinated noun phrases:

οι σπουδές
η φροντίδα των δικών μου
η δική μου προσπάθεια

Together they form a plural subject (“my studies, the care for my loved ones, and my own effort”), so the verb must also be plural:

(αυτά) θα στηρίζουν = they will support

That is why we have θα στηρίζουν and not θα στηρίζει.

Why is the future θα στηρίζουν (imperfective) used instead of θα στηρίξουν?

Greek future forms distinguish between imperfective and perfective aspect:

θα στηρίζουν (imperfective):
- suggests ongoing, repeated, or continuous support in the future,
- “they will (keep) supporting / will always support”.
θα στηρίξουν (perfective):
- would suggest a single, completed act of support at some point,
- “they will (once) support / they will give support (at some moment).”

In the sentence, the idea is permanent, continuous backing of the speaker’s future, so the imperfective θα στηρίζουν is the natural choice.

Can the verb be singular, like θα στηρίζει, instead of plural θα στηρίζουν?

In strict, standard grammar, because the subject is clearly plural (three items joined by και), you use a plural verb: θα στηρίζουν.

In some informal speech, Greek speakers sometimes treat such a list as a collective whole and might use a singular verb (e.g. οι κόποι και οι θυσίες μου θα στηρίξουν / θα στηρίζει το μέλλον μου), but:

In careful, written Greek, the plural θα στηρίζουν is preferred and considered correct and more natural here.

What is the function and typical position of πάντα in θα στηρίζουν πάντα το μέλλον μου?

Πάντα means always.

In this sentence:

θα στηρίζουν πάντα το μέλλον μου = “will always support my future.”

Position:

θα στηρίζουν πάντα το μέλλον μου (as in the sentence)
πάντα θα στηρίζουν το μέλλον μου

Both are possible.

Placing πάντα after the verb (θα στηρίζουν πάντα) is very common and sounds natural.
Placing it at the beginning (πάντα θα στηρίζουν) can give slight emphasis to the “always”.

In all cases, πάντα modifies the verb phrase, indicating continuous, permanent support.

Why is μου repeated so many times (δικών μου, δική μου, μέλλον μου)? Could some of them be omitted?

Each μου marks a separate possessive relationship:

των δικών μου → my people / my loved ones
η δική μου προσπάθεια → my own effort
το μέλλον μου → my future

In natural Greek, it is completely normal (and often preferred) to repeat μου with each noun to avoid ambiguity and to keep the rhythm and clarity.

Some reductions are grammatically possible, but they would sound less clear or natural. For example:

η δική μου προσπάθεια θα στηρίζει πάντα το μέλλον μου – if you omitted μου in δική μου, the emphasis would disappear and the phrase would change meaning.

So in this sentence, the repetition of μου is not redundant; it expresses ownership clearly and gives a balanced rhythm to the whole clause.