Learn Hardcore Greek: Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά. - When I try every day, I become better at Greek.

Όταν means when / whenever and introduces a time clause. In this sentence it talks about a general, repeated situation: whenever I try every day, I get better.

Όταν = when (whenever), for time.
Αν = if, for condition.

Compare:

Όταν προσπαθώ, γίνομαι καλύτερος.
When(ever) I try, I get better. (time, habitual)
Αν προσπαθώ, γίνομαι καλύτερος.
If I try, I get better. (condition; less natural here, but possible in some contexts)

Why is the present tense used in προσπαθώ and γίνομαι instead of a future tense?

Greek uses the present tense for general truths and habits, just like English does in When I try every day, I get better at Greek.

προσπαθώ = I try / I am trying (here: I regularly try)
γίνομαι = I become / I get (here: I regularly become)

You could use the future:

Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, θα γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά.

This would sound more like a prediction about what will happen in the future, rather than a general fact about what already happens.

What is the difference between γίνομαι καλύτερος and είμαι καλύτερος?

γίνομαι καλύτερος = I become / I’m getting better (focus on change or progress)
είμαι καλύτερος = I am better (state, result)

In this sentence, the important idea is the process of improvement caused by trying every day, so Greek prefers γίνομαι.

If you said:

Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, είμαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά.

it would still be understandable, but it focuses more on the state (I am better) than on the idea of becoming better.

Why is καλύτερος masculine? What if the speaker is a woman?

Adjectives in Greek agree with the gender of the subject.

γίνομαι = I become
The subject is I, which in Greek has gender (masculine or feminine), even if it’s not written.

So:

A man would say: Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά.
A woman would say: Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερη στα ελληνικά.

καλύτερος = masculine
καλύτερη = feminine
καλύτερο = neuter

Why is it στα ελληνικά and not just ελληνικά?

στα ελληνικά literally means in Greek (language) and is used mostly after verbs like speak, write, read, think etc., to mean in the Greek language.

στα ελληνικά = σε
- τα
  - ελληνικά → contracted to στα
    (in + the + Greek (neuter plural))

Compare:

Μιλάω στα ελληνικά. – I speak in Greek.
Διαβάζω στα ελληνικά. – I read in Greek.

Without στα, ελληνικά by itself usually means Greek (as a language) in general:

Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. – I’m learning Greek.
Ξέρω ελληνικά. – I know Greek.

In this sentence, στα ελληνικά focuses on ability in the Greek language.

What is the difference between ελληνικά, τα ελληνικά, and στα ελληνικά?

ελληνικά
Neutral, general: Greek (as a language)
- Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. – I’m learning Greek.
τα ελληνικά
Literally the Greek (language), used when Greek is the subject or needs emphasis or is contrasted:
- Τα ελληνικά είναι δύσκολα. – Greek is difficult.
στα ελληνικά
In Greek (language), used after verbs like speak, write, read:
- Γράφω στα ελληνικά. – I write in Greek.

In your sentence, στα ελληνικά is natural because we mean I become better in Greek (as a language skill).

Why is there no article before κάθε μέρα?

With κάθε (every), Greek normally does not use an article:

κάθε μέρα – every day
κάθε βράδυ – every evening
κάθε εβδομάδα – every week

Adding an article would be ungrammatical here; η κάθε μέρα is only used in special, emphatic cases and not in this neutral, everyday expression.

Can the word order change, for example: Γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα?

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible. Both are correct:

Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά.
Γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά, όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα.

The main difference is emphasis:

Starting with Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα emphasizes the condition / time.
Starting with Γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά emphasizes the result (getting better at Greek).

Why is there a comma after κάθε μέρα?

The clause with Όταν is a subordinate clause (a dependent clause). In Greek, when it comes first, it is usually followed by a comma:

Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά.

If the όταν-clause comes second, the comma is often optional and depends on style:

Γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα. (no comma, common)
Γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά, όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα. (comma adds a slight pause)

What type of present tense is προσπαθώ here: continuous or simple?

Greek only has one present tense form (προσπαθώ) for both:

English I try (simple present)
English I am trying (present continuous)

The meaning is decided by context. With κάθε μέρα, it clearly expresses a habit:

Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα = When I (make an effort / try) every day → habitual action.

What is the basic form and conjugation of προσπαθώ?

The verb is προσπαθώ (to try). Basic facts:

Dictionary form (1st person singular, present): προσπαθώ
It belongs to the -άω / -ώ type of verbs.

Some present forms:

(εγώ) προσπαθώ – I try
(εσύ) προσπαθείς – you try
(αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) προσπαθεί – he/she/it tries
(εμείς) προσπαθούμε – we try
(εσείς) προσπαθείτε – you (pl./formal) try
(αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) προσπαθούν(ε) – they try

What does γίνομαι look like in other forms?

γίνομαι is a middle-voice verb meaning I become / I get / I am becoming. Some present tense forms:

(εγώ) γίνομαι – I become
(εσύ) γίνεσαι – you become
(αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) γίνεται – he/she/it becomes
(εμείς) γινόμαστε – we become
(εσείς) γίνεστε – you (pl./formal) become
(αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) γίνονται – they become

Here we only need γίνομαι because the subject is I.

How do you pronounce the sentence Όταν προσπαθώ κάθε μέρα, γίνομαι καλύτερος στα ελληνικά?

A rough phonetic guide (using English-friendly spelling):

Όταν → O-tan (stress on O)
προσπαθώ → pros-pa-THO (stress on THO; θ like th in think)
κάθε → KA-the (stress on KA; θ like th in think)
μέρα → ME-ra (stress on ME)
γίνομαι → YEE-no-me (stress on YEE; γ before ι sounds like a soft y / gh)
καλύτερος → ka-LEE-te-ros (stress on LEE)
στα → sta (as in stah)
ελληνικά → e-li-ni-KA (stress on KA)

Main stresses in the full sentence:
Ó-tan prospa-THÓ KÁ-the MÉ-ra, YÍ-no-me ka-LÍ-te-ros sta e-li-ni-KÁ.