Αν φτάσουμε έγκαιρα στο νοσοκομείο, δεν θα περιμένουμε πολλή ώρα στην ουρά.

Because in Greek, a future condition is normally expressed with:

• αν + subjunctive in the if-clause
• θα + verb in the main clause

So:

• Αν φτάσουμε... = If we arrive...
• δεν θα περιμένουμε... = we won’t wait...

You do not normally say αν θα φτάσουμε for this kind of sentence.

Also, φτάσουμε here is the aorist subjunctive form, which is very common after αν when talking about a future event viewed as a whole.

φτάσουμε is:

• 1st person plural
• aorist subjunctive
• from the verb φτάνω = to arrive / to reach

So it means (that) we arrive / we reach, but in this sentence, after αν, it is best understood as:

• if we arrive

The ending -ουμε here does not make it present tense. In this case, it is part of the subjunctive form.

This is about aspect, not just time.

• φτάσουμε is aorist because arrival is seen as a single completed event: if we arrive
• περιμένουμε is used in the future with θα because it describes the action of waiting: we will wait

Greek often uses the aorist subjunctive after αν when the action is a one-time event in the future.

So the sentence presents this sequence:

1. we arrive
2. we won’t wait long

That is why φτάσουμε feels natural here.

Because Greek usually leaves subject pronouns out when they are clear from the verb ending.

Here:

• φτάσουμε already means we arrive
• περιμένουμε already means we wait / we will wait

So adding εμείς would usually only be for emphasis or contrast, such as:

• Αν φτάσουμε έγκαιρα..., εμείς δεν θα περιμένουμε πολύ.

But in a normal sentence, the pronoun is unnecessary.

Both can relate to time, but they are not exactly the same.

• έγκαιρα = in time / on time / promptly
• νωρίς = early

In this sentence, έγκαιρα is better because the idea is:

• arriving in time so we avoid waiting too long

If you used νωρίς, it would stress arriving early, which is similar in some contexts, but not identical.

So:

• έγκαιρα focuses on being timely
• νωρίς focuses on being earlier than expected

στο is a contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• σε = to / at / in
• το νοσοκομείο = the hospital
• στο νοσοκομείο = to the hospital / at the hospital

After verbs of motion like φτάνω, Greek commonly uses σε + article + noun:

• φτάνω στο σπίτι = I arrive at home
• φτάνω στο αεροδρόμιο = I arrive at the airport

So φτάσουμε στο νοσοκομείο means we arrive at the hospital.

In Greek, the negative particle comes before θα.

So the correct order is:

• δεν θα περιμένουμε = we will not wait

Not:

• θα δεν περιμένουμε ❌

This is the normal pattern:

• θα πάω = I will go
• δεν θα πάω = I will not go

So the negation wraps the future expression from the front.

Because ώρα is a feminine noun, and here πολλή is an adjective agreeing with it.

• πολλή ώρα = a long time
• ώρα = feminine singular
• so the adjective must also be feminine singular: πολλή

Compare:

• πολύ νερό = a lot of water
  (νερό is neuter, so πολύ is correct)

But:

• πολλή ώρα = a long time
  (ώρα is feminine, so πολλή is correct)

This is a very common expression in Greek.

No. Although πολλή comes from the word for much/many, the expression πολλή ώρα usually means:

• a long time

It does not necessarily mean several separate hours. It is just the normal Greek way to say that something lasts long.

Examples:

• Περίμενα πολλή ώρα. = I waited a long time.
• Δεν θα πάρει πολλή ώρα. = It won’t take long.

So in your sentence, δεν θα περιμένουμε πολλή ώρα means we won’t wait long.

Yes. ουρά literally also means tail, but it is very commonly used to mean:

• queue
• line

So:

• στην ουρά = in the queue / in line

And στην is just:

• σε + την = στην

This expression is extremely common:

• Περιμένω στην ουρά. = I’m waiting in line.

So the image is similar to English: a line of people one behind another, like a tail.

Because Greek normally separates the if-clause from the main clause with a comma when the conditional clause comes first.

So:

• Αν φτάσουμε έγκαιρα στο νοσοκομείο, δεν θα περιμένουμε πολλή ώρα στην ουρά.

This is similar to English:

• If we arrive at the hospital in time, we won’t wait long in line.

If the clauses are reversed, punctuation can change, just as in English.

Not with the same meaning.

• αν = if
• όταν = when

So:

• Αν φτάσουμε... = If we arrive...
  This means it is a condition.

But:

• Όταν φτάσουμε... = When we arrive...
  This means the speaker assumes the arrival will happen.

So the choice depends on meaning:

• αν = possible condition
• όταν = expected future event

Normally, no—not for this meaning.

Αν φτάσουμε is the natural form because it refers to a future completed event: if we arrive.

αν φτάνουμε would sound odd here because the present/imperfective form usually suggests:

• repeated action
• ongoing action
• a different nuance

For a single future arrival at the hospital, αν φτάσουμε is the standard choice.

Yes, το νοσοκομείο is a neuter noun.

You can often recognize neuter nouns by endings like:

• -ο
• -ι
• -μα
• and many nouns in -είο, like νοσοκομείο

So here:

• το νοσοκομείο = the hospital
• στο νοσοκομείο = to/at the hospital

The article το is your clearest signal that the noun is neuter.

Yes. The Greek present tense often covers both simple and continuous meanings.

So:

• περιμένουμε can mean we wait
• or we are waiting

In this sentence, because of θα, it becomes future:

• θα περιμένουμε = we will wait
• δεν θα περιμένουμε = we will not wait

Greek does not need a separate future continuous form here the way English sometimes prefers one.