Αν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, τα καταφέρνω στα ελληνικά.

every day

Breakdown of Αν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, τα καταφέρνω στα ελληνικά.

• σε: in
• αν: if
• προσπαθώ: to try

Questions & Answers about Αν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, τα καταφέρνω στα ελληνικά.

What does Αν mean here, and how is it different from Όταν?

Αν means if and introduces a condition: if this happens, then that happens.

So:

• Αν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, τα καταφέρνω στα ελληνικά.
  = If I try every day, I do well in Greek.

Όταν usually means when (in the sense of whenever / every time that), and focuses more on time than on condition:

• Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, τα καταφέρνω στα ελληνικά.
  = When(ever) I try every day, I do well in Greek.

They often overlap in meaning in general truths, but:

• Αν emphasizes the condition.
• Όταν emphasizes the time / circumstance.

Why is προσπαθώ in the present tense and not something like θα προσπαθώ?

Προσπαθώ is present tense, imperfective aspect, and here it expresses a general, repeated habit:

• Αν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα… = If I regularly / habitually try every day…

Using θα προσπαθώ (future continuous) would change the meaning to something like:

• Αν θα προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα – This is not natural Greek in this context.

For general conditional statements (things that are generally true or habitual), Greek normally uses:

• Αν
  • present → present
    e.g. Αν διαβάζω πολύ, γράφω καλύτερα.
    If I study a lot, I write better.

How is προσπαθώ conjugated, and what does it literally mean?