Learn Hardcore Greek: Αύριο θέλω να κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο. - Tomorrow I want to apply for a scholarship at the university.

Θέλω να κάνω… literally: “I want that I do…”
The whole phrase να κάνω αίτηση (“that I make an application”) acts as the object of θέλω (“I want”).

So grammatically:

θέλω = main verb (I want)
να κάνω αίτηση… = subordinate clause in the subjunctive, functioning like “to apply…” in English.

Why do we say θέλω να κάνω and not just θέλω κάνω?

In Modern Greek, almost all verbs that take another verb as their complement require a particle, usually να or θα or ας.

After θέλω, you must use να before the next verb:

✅ Θέλω να κάνω αίτηση.
❌ Θέλω κάνω αίτηση. (incorrect)

So the pattern to remember is:

θέλω + να + [verb in the subjunctive]

What does κάνω αίτηση literally mean, and is it the normal way to say “apply”?

Literally, κάνω αίτηση means “I make an application”.

In practice, it is exactly how you say “I apply” in everyday Greek in this kind of context:

κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία = “I apply for a scholarship”
κάνω αίτηση για δουλειά = “I apply for a job”

There are more formal verbs like αιτούμαι, υποβάλλω αίτηση, but:

κάνω αίτηση is the most common and neutral phrase in spoken and informal written Greek.

Why is αίτηση in that form? What case is it?

Αίτηση is in the accusative singular form:

Nominative: η αίτηση (the application – subject)
Accusative: την αίτηση (the application – object)

In the sentence:

να κάνω αίτηση → αίτηση is the direct object of κάνω, so it is in the accusative case.

The article την is just omitted (see the next question), but the noun form is still accusative.

Why is there no article before υποτροφία? Why not μια υποτροφία or την υποτροφία?

Greek can omit the article when something is meant in a general / indefinite sense, especially after για (“for”) and with abstract or “countable-but-general” nouns.

για υποτροφία = “for (a) scholarship” in a general, non-specific way.
It doesn’t matter which exact scholarship, just the idea of getting one.

You could say:

για μια υποτροφία = “for a scholarship” (slightly more specific: one scholarship)
για την υποτροφία = “for the scholarship” (a specific, known scholarship)

In this sentence, για υποτροφία is the most natural because we are speaking in general about applying for a scholarship, not a particular one previously identified.

What does για do in για υποτροφία? Why do we need it?

Για is a preposition that often corresponds to “for” in English, marking purpose, goal, or target.

αίτηση για υποτροφία = an application for a scholarship
φάρμακο για τον πονοκέφαλο = medicine for a headache
εισιτήριο για την Αθήνα = ticket to Athens

Here, για links αίτηση (application) with its purpose or target: the υποτροφία (scholarship).

What is the gender and basic forms of υποτροφία?

Υποτροφία is feminine. Basic singular forms:

Nominative: η υποτροφία – the scholarship (subject)
Genitive: της υποτροφίας – of the scholarship
Accusative: την υποτροφία – the scholarship (object)

In the sentence, για υποτροφία uses the accusative (without the article).

Plural (for reference):

Nominative: οι υποτροφίες
Accusative: τις υποτροφίες

What does στο in στο πανεπιστήμιο mean? Is it one word?

Στο is a contraction of:

σε + το = στο

So literally:

σε = in / at / to
το πανεπιστήμιο = the university
στο πανεπιστήμιο = at/to the university

This pattern is very common:

σε + τον = στον
σε + τη(ν) = στη(ν)
σε + το = στο

Why is it στο πανεπιστήμιο and not σε πανεπιστήμιο without the article?

With places and institutions like πανεπιστήμιο, Greek almost always uses the definite article when you mean a real, concrete place:

στο πανεπιστήμιο = at (the) university, i.e. at the university as an institution/place.

Using it without the article:

σε πανεπιστήμιο

would sound strange in most contexts, like “at a university (some university or other)”, and is rarely used unless you are making a very specific contrast (e.g. “σε σχολείο ή σε πανεπιστήμιο;” – “in school or at a university?”).

So in everyday speech, στο πανεπιστήμιο is the natural choice.

What is the gender and basic forms of πανεπιστήμιο?

Πανεπιστήμιο is neuter. Basic singular forms:

Nominative: το πανεπιστήμιο – the university (subject)
Genitive: του πανεπιστημίου – of the university
Accusative: το πανεπιστήμιο – the university (object)

With σε + το you get στο πανεπιστήμιο (“at/to the university”).

Plural (for reference):

Nominative: τα πανεπιστήμια
Accusative: τα πανεπιστήμια

Can Αύριο be put in a different position, like in English?

Yes. Time expressions such as αύριο are flexible in Greek word order. All of these are possible:

Αύριο θέλω να κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο.
Θέλω αύριο να κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο.
Θέλω να κάνω αύριο αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο.
Θέλω να κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο αύριο.

The differences are mostly about rhythm and emphasis, not grammar.
Putting Αύριο at the beginning slightly emphasizes “tomorrow”.

Which verb tense or mood is θέλω and which is κάνω here?

θέλω is present indicative: “I want”.
κάνω after να is in the subjunctive mood.

So grammatically:

Αύριο θέλω… = “Tomorrow I want…” (present tense, about a future desire/plan)
να κάνω αίτηση… = “to apply / that I apply” (subjunctive, an action that is desired, not yet real)

If you wanted to say “I wanted to apply”, you would change only θέλω:

Αύριο ήθελα να κάνω αίτηση… = “Tomorrow I wanted to apply…” (in reported speech or narrative context).

Could I say Αύριο θα κάνω αίτηση για υποτροφία στο πανεπιστήμιο instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, that is correct Greek, but with a slightly different nuance.

Αύριο θέλω να κάνω αίτηση…
- Focus on your desire/intention: “Tomorrow I want to apply…”
Αύριο θα κάνω αίτηση…
- Focus on the fact that it will happen: “Tomorrow I will apply…” (a more definite plan or prediction)

In many contexts they can be used interchangeably, but:

θέλω να… highlights what you want.
θα κάνω… highlights what will happen (future action).