Κι ας καθυστερήσει ο φίλος μου, εμείς θα αρχίσουμε το φαγητό στην ώρα μας.

In this sentence, κι ας introduces a concession. It means something like even if, even though, or regardless of whether.

So Κι ας καθυστερήσει ο φίλος μου means: Even if my friend is late.

Here, ας is not really being used in its basic let sense. The whole expression κι ας + verb works as a fixed pattern.

Κι is just a shortened form of και. It is very common before a vowel, and ας begins with a vowel sound.

So:

• και ας
• κι ας

mean the same thing here.

Κι ας is the more natural flowing form in this sentence.

Because after ας Greek uses a subjunctive-type form, not the ordinary present indicative.

• καθυστερεί = he is late / he is delaying
• καθυστερήσει = the form used here after κι ας, meaning if he ends up being late / even if he is late

So κι ας καθυστερήσει is the correct pattern.

No. Even though it comes from the aorist stem, it is not past here.

In Greek, the so-called aorist form often shows aspect rather than past time by itself. After words like ας, να, αν, and θα, it can refer to the present or future.

So here καθυστερήσει means a possible future event, not something in the past: if he is late / if he ends up arriving late.

Greek word order is much more flexible than English word order.

So:

• καθυστερήσει ο φίλος μου

is perfectly natural.

Greek often puts the verb before the subject, especially in clauses like this. English usually prefers my friend is late, but Greek does not need to keep that same order.

Yes, it could be left out grammatically.

Greek often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person:

• θα αρχίσουμε already means we will start

But εμείς is included here for contrast and emphasis:

• He may be late, but we will start on time.

So εμείς gives the sense of as for us or we, however.

Θα is the future particle, so θα αρχίσουμε means we will start.

The form αρχίσουμε is the perfective non-past form used after θα. Greek commonly forms the simple future this way:

• θα + perfective form

So:

• θα αρχίσουμε = we will start

Because the sentence is talking about one definite action: the moment of starting the meal.

• θα αρχίσουμε = we will start once
• θα αρχίζουμε = more like we will be starting or we will start habitually

Here the perfective form αρχίσουμε is the natural choice because it refers to a single completed beginning.

Greek uses the definite article more often than English does.

So το φαγητό can mean:

• the food
• the meal

In this sentence it most naturally means the meal / the eating as a specific thing everyone knows about. English might simply say start eating or start the meal, but Greek very naturally says αρχίζουμε το φαγητό.

Literally, it means at our time.

Idiomatic English would usually be:

• on time
• at the time we planned
• at the proper time for us

The μας adds an important nuance: we will follow our schedule, not wait and shift everything because the friend is late.

So it is not just about clock time in general; it also suggests our own planned time.

That would make it a more neutral condition:

• Αν καθυστερήσει ο φίλος μου, ... = If my friend is late, ...

But:

• Κι ας καθυστερήσει ο φίλος μου, ... = Even if my friend is late, ...

So κι ας is stronger and more dismissive of the obstacle. It means the lateness will not change the plan.