Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα, κι έτσι δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

Because δουλειά is a feminine singular noun, and πολλή is the feminine singular form of πολύς / πολλή / πολύ (much / many / a lot of).

• πολλή δουλειά = a lot of work
• πολύ νερό = a lot of water (neuter noun, so πολύ)
• πολλός κόσμος = a lot of people / many people (masculine noun, so πολλός)

So the adjective has to agree with the noun in gender and number.

Here, δουλειά means work in the general sense of things to do, workload, or tasks, not necessarily just a job.

So Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα means something like:

• I have a lot of work today
• I’m very busy today
• I have a lot to do today

In Greek, δουλειά can mean:

• job / employment
• work
• task
• business / matter in some contexts

Here it clearly means workload.

Greek usually does not need subject pronouns unless you want emphasis or contrast.

That is because the verb ending already shows who the subject is:

• έχω = I have
• έχεις = you have
• έχει = he/she/it has

So Έχω πολλή δουλειά already means I have a lot of work.

You could say Εγώ έχω πολλή δουλειά if you wanted emphasis, for example:

• Εγώ έχω πολλή δουλειά, αλλά αυτός όχι. = I have a lot of work, but he doesn’t.

κι έτσι means and so, so, or therefore.

The word κι is just a shortened form of και (and). In everyday Greek, και often becomes κι before a vowel sound, and έτσι starts with a vowel.

So:

• και έτσι
• κι έτσι

Both are possible, but κι έτσι sounds more natural and fluid in speech.

In this sentence, κι έτσι links the first idea to the result:

• I have a lot of work today, and so / therefore I don’t have time...

Not exactly. προλαβαίνω is a very common Greek verb that means things like:

• to have enough time
• to manage to
• to make it in time
• to get a chance to

In this sentence, δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω means:

• I don’t have time to go
• I can’t manage to go
• I won’t make it to go

So it is broader than just the English verb have time. It often suggests that because of time pressure or circumstances, you cannot fit something in.

Examples:

• Δεν προλαβαίνω να φάω. = I don’t have time to eat.
• Πρόλαβες το λεωφορείο; = Did you catch the bus in time?

Because after προλαβαίνω, Greek normally uses να + verb.

So:

• προλαβαίνω να πάω = I manage / have time to go
• δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω = I don’t manage / don’t have time to go

The particle να introduces a dependent verb, somewhat like English to in to go, although it does not work exactly the same way in Greek grammar.

This pattern is extremely common:

• Θέλω να πάω = I want to go
• Μπορώ να πάω = I can go
• Πρέπει να πάω = I must go
• Δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω = I don’t have time to go

This is about aspect, which is very important in Greek.

• να πάω uses the perfective form
• να πηγαίνω uses the imperfective form

After προλαβαίνω, Greek usually uses the perfective when talking about managing to do something as a single whole action:

• δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο = I don’t have time to go to the gym

The focus is on whether the action can happen at all today.

If you used να πηγαίνω, it would sound more like an ongoing/repeated process, which is not the natural choice here.

So να πάω is the normal and idiomatic form.

Yes. πάω and πηγαίνω are closely connected and both mean go.

In Modern Greek, this verb has forms from two stems:

• πηγαίνω = common imperfective/present-type form
• πάω = common perfective/future/subjunctive-type form

That is why you see things like:

• Πηγαίνω στο γυμναστήριο κάθε Δευτέρα. = I go to the gym every Monday.
• Θα πάω στο γυμναστήριο αύριο. = I will go to the gym tomorrow.
• Θέλω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο. = I want to go to the gym.

So yes, they belong to the same verb system, even though the forms look different.

στο is a contraction of σε + το.

• σε = to / in / at
• το = the (neuter singular article)

So:

• σε το γυμναστήριο becomes στο γυμναστήριο

This is standard in Greek:

• στο = σε + το
• στη = σε + τη
• στην = σε + την
• στον = σε + τον

γυμναστήριο is a neuter noun, so it takes το, hence στο γυμναστήριο.

In Greek, using the article here is normal and expected.

So Greek says:

• πάω στο γυμναστήριο
• literally: I go to the gym

Even when speaking generally about a familiar place or routine destination, Greek often keeps the article where English might sometimes omit it.

This is true with many places:

• πάω στο σχολείο = I’m going to school
• πάω στο σούπερ μάρκετ = I’m going to the supermarket
• πάω στο νοσοκομείο = I’m going to the hospital

So from an English-speaker’s point of view, it is best to learn these as natural Greek expressions rather than trying to match English article use exactly.

Because Greek, like English, often uses the present tense for a situation that is true right now or during the current day.

• Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα = I have a lot of work today
• δεν προλαβαίνω = I don’t have time / I can’t manage

This is a present, current reality. It does not need a future form.

If the speaker were talking specifically about a future day, Greek might use future forms, for example:

• Αύριο θα έχω πολλή δουλειά, οπότε δεν θα προλάβω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο. = Tomorrow I’ll have a lot of work, so I won’t have time to go to the gym.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order, although some versions sound more natural than others depending on emphasis.

The original sentence is very natural:

• Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα, κι έτσι δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

You could also hear variations like:

• Σήμερα έχω πολλή δουλειά, κι έτσι δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο.
  • This puts more emphasis on today.
• Δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο σήμερα, γιατί έχω πολλή δουλειά.
  • This starts with the result and then gives the reason.

So the order can change, but the original is very standard and natural.

It can be, yes. σήμερα is fairly movable.

All of these are possible, with slightly different emphasis:

• Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα.
• Σήμερα έχω πολλή δουλειά.
• Έχω σήμερα πολλή δουλειά.
  
  • possible, but less neutral

The version in the sentence is very natural because it first states the main fact I have a lot of work, then adds the time today.

It is pronounced roughly like:

• ghim-na-STI-rio

A few helpful points:

• γυ here sounds roughly like ghi for an English speaker
• the stress is on στή
• Greek stress matters, so the written accent is important: γυμναστήριο

Syllables:

• γυ-μνα-στή-ρι-ο

Also note that Greek ριο at the end is pronounced clearly, not reduced.

δεν is the standard particle used to negate verbs in many everyday sentences.

So:

• προλαβαίνω = I have time / I manage
• δεν προλαβαίνω = I don’t have time / I don’t manage

It comes directly before the verb:

• δεν έχω
• δεν ξέρω
• δεν πάω
• δεν προλαβαίνω

So in this sentence, δεν simply makes προλαβαίνω negative.

Yes. There are several alternatives, depending on style.

Common options:

• οπότε = so
• γι’ αυτό = that’s why / for this reason
• επομένως = therefore (more formal)
• άρα = so / therefore

Examples:

• Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα, οπότε δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο.
• Έχω πολλή δουλειά σήμερα, γι’ αυτό δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

κι έτσι sounds natural and conversational. It connects the two parts smoothly.

It is most naturally used with να + verb, as in this sentence:

• δεν προλαβαίνω να πάω στο γυμναστήριο

That is the normal way to express I don’t have time to go to the gym.

You may also hear it with nouns in some contexts, but for learners, the safest and most useful pattern is:

• προλαβαίνω να + verb
• δεν προλαβαίνω να + verb

Examples:

• Δεν προλαβαίνω να διαβάσω. = I don’t have time to study/read.
• Δεν προλαβαίνω να μαγειρέψω. = I don’t have time to cook.
• Δεν προλαβαίνω να βγω απόψε. = I don’t have time to go out tonight.

It is neutral everyday Greek. It sounds completely natural in normal conversation.

Nothing in it is slang, overly formal, or unusual. You could say it:

• to a friend
• to a coworker
• in a casual text
• in ordinary conversation

A more formal version might use a connector like επομένως, but the sentence as given is standard, natural spoken Greek.