Learn Hardcore Greek: Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι. - If I save enough, I will be able to go to Greece every summer.

In Greek, the present tense is often used in the if-clause (after αν) when we talk about a general or repeated condition, especially with a future result.

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά…
= If I save enough (as a regular habit / in general)…

If you said:

Αν θα αποταμιεύσω αρκετά… – this is actually wrong in standard Greek. You don’t use θα after αν.
Αν αποταμιεύσω αρκετά… (aorist subjunctive, without θα)
= If I manage to save enough (on one particular occasion)…

So:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά suggests whenever I save enough / as long as I keep saving enough (habitual).
Αν αποταμιεύσω αρκετά suggests if I succeed in saving enough once (one-time event).

In this sentence, because the result is “go to Greece every summer” (repeated action), it’s natural to use αποταμιεύω (present, habitual).

What is the difference between αν and όταν, and why is αν used here?

αν = if → expresses condition (it may or may not happen).
όταν = when → expresses time (we assume it will happen or happens regularly).

So:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά…
= If I save enough… (it’s not guaranteed)
Όταν αποταμιεύω αρκετά…
= When I save enough… (suggests it does/will happen, just a matter of when)

Since the speaker is talking about a condition that allows them to go to Greece, αν is the natural choice.

Why do we have θα μπορώ and not θα μπορέσω?

Both come from the verb μπορώ (to be able), but they differ in aspect and meaning:

θα μπορώ (future of the imperfective):
Describes a state or ability over a period of time, often repeated or continuous.
→ I will be able (in general / on an ongoing basis)
θα μπορέσω (future of the aorist):
Describes one specific act of being able.
→ I will manage (on one specific occasion)

In the sentence:

θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι
= I will be able to go to Greece every summer (as an ongoing possibility, year after year).

If you said:

…θα μπορέσω να πάω στην Ελλάδα το καλοκαίρι.
= I’ll be able to go to Greece this summer (one time).

So θα μπορώ fits better with the idea of repeated summers.

Why is it να πηγαίνω and not να πάω?

This is again a question of aspect:

να πηγαίνω (imperfective):
Used for repeated, habitual, or ongoing actions.
→ to go (regularly / be going)
να πάω (aorist):
Used for a single, complete action.
→ to go (once / on one occasion)

In the sentence we have:

…θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι.
→ I will be able to go to Greece every summer (repeated action).

If you said:

…θα μπορέσω να πάω στην Ελλάδα το καλοκαίρι.
→ I’ll be able to go to Greece this summer (one trip).

So να πηγαίνω matches κάθε καλοκαίρι (every summer) and expresses habitual going.

Can I change the word order, for example: Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ κάθε καλοκαίρι να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα?

Yes, that word order is natural in Greek:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι.
Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ κάθε καλοκαίρι να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα.

Both are correct and mean the same thing. Greek word order is relatively flexible; you usually place elements you want to emphasize a bit earlier.

Putting κάθε καλοκαίρι earlier can slightly highlight the “every summer” part, but it’s a nuance, not a big change in meaning.

What exactly is στην in στην Ελλάδα?

στην is a contraction of:

σε (preposition = in, at, to)
την (feminine singular accusative article = the)

So:

σε + την Ελλάδα → στην Ελλάδα
= to/in Greece

This kind of contraction is very common:

σε + τον → στον (e.g. στον δρόμο – in/on the street)
σε + το → στο (e.g. στο σπίτι – at home)
σε + τις → στις (e.g. στις διακοπές – on vacation)

Why is it κάθε καλοκαίρι and not something like κάθε χρόνο το καλοκαίρι?

Both are possible, but they’re used a bit differently:

κάθε καλοκαίρι
= every summer (by itself, already implies each year in the summer).
κάθε χρόνο το καλοκαίρι
= every year, in the summer → a bit more explicit/wordy.

In everyday speech, κάθε καλοκαίρι is simpler and fully clear. You’d use the longer form if you really wanted to stress “every single year, and specifically in the summer”, but usually κάθε καλοκαίρι is enough.

Is αποταμιεύω a common everyday verb, or is it more formal? Could I say something more colloquial?

Αποταμιεύω is perfectly normal Greek, but it can sound a bit formal or “bank-talk” in some contexts, because it’s close to “to deposit / to put into savings”.

Everyday alternatives include:

μαζεύω λεφτά = collect/gather money → very common and informal
- Αν μαζεύω αρκετά λεφτά, θα μπορώ…
βάζω λεφτά στην άκρη = put money aside
- Αν βάζω λεφτά στην άκρη, θα μπορώ…

So the original is correct and natural, but in casual speech people might more often say μαζεύω λεφτά or βάζω λεφτά στην άκρη.

Can the conditional also be expressed with Αν αποταμιεύσω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω…? How would that differ?

Yes, that sentence is grammatically correct, but the nuance changes:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω…
→ If I save enough (regularly, as a habit), I’ll be able to go… (every summer).
Αν αποταμιεύσω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω…
→ If I (eventually) manage to save enough (once), I’ll then be in a position to go every summer.

So:

αποταμιεύω = emphasizes the ongoing habit of saving.
αποταμιεύσω = emphasizes the completion of saving enough at some point.

Both are understandable; the original one fits very naturally with the idea of a long-term habit that supports an ongoing ability.

Could we leave out μπορώ and just say: Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι?

Yes, that is also correct:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι.

This means:

If I save enough, I’ll go to Greece every summer.

The difference is:

With θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω = I will be able to go → focuses on ability/possibility.
With just θα πηγαίνω = I will go → sounds more like a promise or plan: given that condition, I will in fact go.

Both are okay; it depends on whether you want to stress having the means (I’ll be able to) or the resulting action (I’ll go).

Why is there a comma before θα μπορώ?

In Greek, as in English, we usually put a comma between:

the if-clause (hypothesis) and
the main clause (result),

when the if-clause comes first:

Αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά, θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω…
= If I save enough, I will be able to go…

If you reverse the order, you normally don’t use a comma:

Θα μπορώ να πηγαίνω στην Ελλάδα κάθε καλοκαίρι αν αποταμιεύω αρκετά.
= I’ll be able to go to Greece every summer if I save enough.