Κοντεύω να αργήσω, γι’ αυτό φεύγω τώρα από το σπίτι.

It is a very common Greek pattern meaning to be close to doing something, to be on the verge of, or to almost do something.

So κοντεύω να αργήσω means that the speaker is getting very close to being late.

A few similar examples:

• Κοντεύω να τρελαθώ. = I’m about to go crazy / I’m almost going crazy.
• Κοντεύει να νυχτώσει. = It’s about to get dark.

Not exactly.

English often uses an infinitive after verbs like to be about to, to want, to try, and so on. Modern Greek usually does not use an infinitive the way English does. Instead, it normally uses να + a finite verb form.

So:

• να αργήσω is not literally a single word like English to be late
• it is a να-clause

In many cases, the best English translation happens to use to, but grammatically Greek is doing something different.

Because αργήσω is the more natural choice here.

• αργήσω = aorist subjunctive
• αργώ = present subjunctive

The difference is about aspect:

• αργήσω presents being late as a single whole event/result
• αργώ would focus more on ongoing or repeated lateness

In this sentence, the speaker means I’m close to ending up late, so the aorist form αργήσω fits better.

No. By itself, αργήσω is not future tense.

Here it is an aorist subjunctive form, used after να.

Greek usually forms the future with θα:

• θα αργήσω = I will be late / I’ll be late

So:

• να αργήσω = subjunctive form
• θα αργήσω = future form

In this sentence, the idea of something about to happen comes from the whole expression κοντεύω να..., not from αργήσω alone.

Because Greek often uses the present tense for something happening right now.

So φεύγω τώρα means:

• I’m leaving now
• I’m heading out now

This is very natural in Greek.

If you said θα φύγω τώρα, that would sound more like:

• I’ll leave now

That is also possible in some contexts, but φεύγω τώρα feels more immediate: the action is already starting.

γι’ αυτό means that’s why, for this reason, or so in the sense of therefore.

It connects the two parts of the sentence:

• I’m close to being late
• γι’ αυτό = for that reason
• I’m leaving now

So it introduces the result or conclusion.

Because it is a contracted form of για αυτό.

The final -α of για is dropped before αυτό, so you get:

• για αυτό → γι’ αυτό

This contracted spelling is very common.

Also, as a fixed phrase, γι’ αυτό usually means that’s why / therefore.

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

So το σπίτι is completely normal here:

• από το σπίτι = from the house / from home

In English, we often say just from home, but Greek usually keeps the article:

• από το σπίτι
• στο σπίτι
• γυρίζω στο σπίτι

Saying από σπίτι in this sentence would not sound correct.

It can mean both, depending on context.

• house when you mean the physical building
• home when you mean the place where someone lives

In this sentence, English would often translate it as home, even though the Greek word is σπίτι.

So από το σπίτι here most likely means from home.

It is understood from the verb endings.

Greek often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed. The verbs already show the person:

• κοντεύω = I am close / I’m about to
• φεύγω = I leave / I’m leaving

So Greek does not need εγώ here.

You could add εγώ for emphasis or contrast, but normally it is omitted.

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

This sentence is natural as it is, but other versions are also possible depending on emphasis. For example:

• Γι’ αυτό φεύγω τώρα από το σπίτι.
• Φεύγω τώρα από το σπίτι, γιατί κοντεύω να αργήσω.

The given sentence puts the reason first and then the action that follows from it. That is a very natural structure in Greek.

Because γι’ αυτό links two clauses and works like a connector meaning that’s why / therefore.

The comma helps separate:

1. the reason: Κοντεύω να αργήσω
2. the result: γι’ αυτό φεύγω τώρα από το σπίτι

Greek punctuation often marks this kind of clause boundary clearly.