Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά, κάνω πρώτα ένα μικρό διάλειμμα και μετά συνεχίζω.

Όταν means when or whenever. It introduces a time clause.

In this sentence, it has a habitual meaning: whenever I face a lot of work.

αν means if, so it would make the sentence conditional instead of temporal. Compare:

• Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά... = When/Whenever I face a lot of work...
• Αν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά... = If I am facing a lot of work...

So όταν is the natural choice here.

Because the sentence describes a general habit or usual routine.

Greek uses the present tense for things that happen regularly:

• αντιμετωπίζω = I face / I am facing
• κάνω = I do / I make
• συνεχίζω = I continue

Together, they mean something like Whenever this happens, this is what I do.

If you were talking about a single future occasion, Greek would usually change the form, for example:

• Όταν αντιμετωπίσω πολλή δουλειά, θα κάνω...

That would mean When I face a lot of work, I will...

αντιμετωπίζω literally means I face. Depending on context, it can also mean:

• I deal with
• I confront
• I am faced with

With δουλειά, it means something like face a lot of work or have a lot of work to deal with.

It sounds a bit more formal or deliberate than just έχω meaning I have.

Because δουλειά is a feminine singular noun, and πολύς meaning much/a lot of changes form to agree with the noun.

Its basic forms are:

• masculine: πολύς
• feminine: πολλή
• neuter: πολύ

So:

• πολλή δουλειά = a lot of work
• πολύ νερό = a lot of water

You may hear πολύ δουλειά in casual speech, but standard grammar prefers πολλή δουλειά.

Because δουλειά here works like an uncountable noun, just like English work.

So πολλή δουλειά means a lot of work, not many works.

If you wanted to talk about separate jobs, tasks, or chores, Greek might use:

• δουλειές
• εργασίες

So:

• πολλή δουλειά = a lot of work
• πολλές δουλειές = many chores/jobs

Because κάνω διάλειμμα is the normal Greek expression for take/have a break.

Even though English uses take, Greek commonly uses κάνω in expressions like this. So word-for-word it looks like I do/make a small break, but naturally it means I take a short break.

Also:

• μικρό = small / short
• διάλειμμα = break

A slightly different but similar phrase would be κάνω ένα σύντομο διάλειμμα, meaning I take a brief break.

Yes. These are time-order words:

• πρώτα = first
• μετά = then / afterwards

They show the sequence of actions:

1. break
2. continue

Their position is somewhat flexible. For example, these are all natural:

• κάνω πρώτα ένα μικρό διάλειμμα
• πρώτα κάνω ένα μικρό διάλειμμα
• μετά συνεχίζω
• συνεχίζω μετά

The meaning stays similar, but the emphasis shifts a little depending on placement.

Here και μετά means and then.

It links the two actions smoothly:

• first I take a break
• and then I continue

Greek often uses και μετά very naturally in this kind of sequence. The sentence could still work without και, but with it, it sounds more connected and conversational.

Because Greek usually drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here the endings tell you it is I:

• αντιμετωπίζω
• κάνω
• συνεχίζω

So Greek does not need εγώ.

You would add εγώ only for emphasis or contrast, for example:

• Εγώ κάνω διάλειμμα, αλλά η αδερφή μου συνεχίζει.

That means I take a break, but my sister keeps going.

διάλειμμα is a neuter singular noun.

Because it is the direct object of κάνω, it is in the accusative case. In neuter singular, the nominative and accusative usually look the same, so you see:

• ένα = a
• μικρό = small
• διάλειμμα = break

The article and adjective agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

So all three match:

• ένα → neuter singular
• μικρό → neuter singular
• διάλειμμα → neuter singular

No. συνεχίζω can be used either:

• with an object: συνεχίζω τη δουλειά = I continue the work
• without an object: συνεχίζω = I continue / I keep going

In this sentence, the object is simply understood from the context. The meaning is basically then I continue with the work.

If you wanted to make it explicit, you could say:

• και μετά συνεχίζω τη δουλειά μου

Yes. It is standard to put a comma after an opening clause with όταν.

So:

• Όταν αντιμετωπίζω πολλή δουλειά, κάνω πρώτα...

This helps separate the time/background part from the main action.

It is similar to English punctuation in sentences like:

• When I have a lot of work, I first take a short break...

So the comma is both normal and helpful here.