Ξεκινάω για το αεροδρόμιο σε δέκα λεπτά.

In Greek, the present tense is very often used for a planned or near-future action, just like in English when you say I’m leaving in ten minutes.

So Ξεκινάω literally looks like I start / I leave, but in this context it means I’m leaving / I set off soon.

If you want to make the future more explicit, you could also say:

Θα ξεκινήσω για το αεροδρόμιο σε δέκα λεπτά.

That is also correct, but the original sentence sounds very natural for something already decided.

Here Ξεκινάω means I leave, I set off, or I start out.

The verb ξεκινάω / ξεκινώ can mean:

• to start
• to begin
• to set off / leave for somewhere

In this sentence, because it is followed by για το αεροδρόμιο, the meaning is clearly I’m setting off for the airport.

In this sentence, για means for in the sense of toward / headed to / bound for.

So:

• ξεκινάω για το αεροδρόμιο = I’m leaving for the airport

This is a very common pattern in Greek:

• Φεύγω για το σπίτι. = I’m leaving for home.
• Αναχωρώ για τη Θεσσαλονίκη. = I’m departing for Thessaloniki.

So για here shows the destination.

Greek usually uses the definite article much more often than English does.

So where English says:

• for the airport

Greek naturally says:

• για το αεροδρόμιο

Using the article here is completely normal and expected. In many cases, leaving it out would sound unnatural.

It is in the accusative case, because it is the object of the preposition για.

For this noun, the nominative and accusative singular happen to look the same:

• nominative: το αεροδρόμιο
• accusative: το αεροδρόμιο

So the form does not change visibly here, but grammatically it is accusative.

Literally, σε δέκα λεπτά means in ten minutes.

This is a very common Greek structure:

• σε μία ώρα = in one hour
• σε λίγο = in a little while / soon
• σε δύο μέρες = in two days

Here σε introduces the amount of time before something happens.

Because σε is the normal preposition used in Greek for after a period of time / in X time.

So:

• σε δέκα λεπτά = in ten minutes
• σε πέντε μέρες = in five days

This is different from English word-for-word logic, so it is best learned as a fixed time expression pattern.

Yes, you can, but the nuance is a little different.

• σε δέκα λεπτά = in ten minutes
• μετά από δέκα λεπτά = after ten minutes

In many contexts, they can be very close in meaning. But in a sentence like this, σε δέκα λεπτά is the most natural way to say I’m leaving in ten minutes.

Because Greek is a pro-drop language, which means the subject pronoun is often omitted when the verb already shows who the subject is.

Ξεκινάω already means I leave / I’m leaving, so εγώ is not necessary.

You could say Εγώ ξεκινάω... if you want emphasis, for example:

• Εγώ ξεκινάω σε δέκα λεπτά, όχι τώρα.
  I’m leaving in ten minutes, not now.

But normally, Greek leaves the pronoun out.

Both are correct.

Many Greek verbs have two common forms like this:

• ξεκινάω
• ξεκινώ

They mean the same thing. Ξεκινάω is very common in everyday spoken Greek and often feels a bit more conversational. Ξεκινώ is also standard and widely used.

So you may hear both:

• Ξεκινάω για το αεροδρόμιο...
• Ξεκινώ για το αεροδρόμιο...

Yes, very often.

For example:

• Φεύγω για το αεροδρόμιο σε δέκα λεπτά.

This also means I’m leaving for the airport in ten minutes.

The difference is slight:

• φεύγω focuses more on leaving/departing
• ξεκινάω focuses more on starting out / setting off

In many everyday situations, either one works.

No, Greek word order is fairly flexible.

The neutral order here is:

• Ξεκινάω για το αεροδρόμιο σε δέκα λεπτά.

But you could also hear:

• Σε δέκα λεπτά ξεκινάω για το αεροδρόμιο.
• Για το αεροδρόμιο ξεκινάω σε δέκα λεπτά.

These alternatives may shift the emphasis:

• Σε δέκα λεπτά first emphasizes the time
• Για το αεροδρόμιο first emphasizes the destination

The original order is very natural and neutral.

It is pronounced approximately ae-ro-THRO-mee-o.

A few helpful notes:

• αι sounds like e in modern Greek
• δρ is pronounced together
• the stress is on δρό
• ιο at the end is pronounced as two syllables: mee-o

So the word has five syllables: α-ε-ρο-δρό-μι-ο is how it is written in parts, but in normal speech it flows as aerodromio with the stress on δρό.

It is neutral everyday Greek. It works well in normal conversation.

It is not especially slangy, and it is not especially formal either. You could say it to friends, family, coworkers, or in most ordinary situations.

A slightly more formal version might be:

• Αναχωρώ για το αεροδρόμιο σε δέκα λεπτά.

But in daily speech, Ξεκινάω sounds very natural.