Ανταγωνιζόμαστε, αλλά είμαστε φίλοι.

The dictionary form is ανταγωνίζομαι. In Modern Greek, verbs are normally listed in the first person singular form, not in an infinitive form.

So:

• ανταγωνίζομαι = I compete
• ανταγωνιζόμαστε = we compete / we are competing

Because the verb ανταγωνίζομαι belongs to a group of Greek verbs that use middle/passive-style endings but often have an active meaning.

So even though -όμαστε may look passive to an English speaker, here it simply means we compete. It does not mean we are being competed or anything passive like that.

Both are in the present tense.

• ανταγωνιζόμαστε = we compete / we are competing
• είμαστε = we are

In Greek, the present tense can describe:

• something happening right now
• something habitual
• a general truth or ongoing situation

So this sentence could mean either right now we are competing, but we are friends or more generally we compete, but we are friends.

No. Greek usually drops subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb ending.

Here, the endings already show we:

• ανταγωνιζόμαστε
• είμαστε

So εμείς is unnecessary unless you want extra emphasis or contrast.

For example:

• Εμείς ανταγωνιζόμαστε, αλλά είμαστε φίλοι.

This would sound more like We compete, but we are friends with emphasis on we.

Yes. είμαστε is the first person plural form of the irregular verb είμαι (to be).

A few key forms are:

• είμαι = I am
• είσαι = you are
• είναι = he/she/it is
• είμαστε = we are
• είστε = you are
• είναι = they are

So in this sentence, είμαστε φίλοι means we are friends.

φίλοι is the nominative plural form of φίλος.

After είμαστε, Greek uses a predicate noun, and that noun stays in the nominative case. So:

• είμαστε φίλοι = we are friends

Also, φίλοι is the masculine plural form. It is used for:

• a group of men
• a mixed-gender group

If the group were all female, you would expect φίλες instead.

Because είμαστε φίλοι means we are friends in a general sense.

Greek often leaves out the article in this kind of statement, just as English does.

Compare:

• είμαστε φίλοι = we are friends
• είμαστε οι φίλοι = we are the friends

The second version is much more specific and means something different.

αλλά means but. It connects two clauses and shows contrast:

• Ανταγωνιζόμαστε = one idea
• αλλά
• είμαστε φίλοι = contrasting idea

So the sentence sets up a contrast between competing and being friends.

Because αλλά is joining two full clauses, and Greek normally uses a comma before it in this kind of sentence.

So the punctuation in:

• Ανταγωνιζόμαστε, αλλά είμαστε φίλοι.

is standard and natural.

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

The original sentence is neutral and natural:

• Ανταγωνιζόμαστε, αλλά είμαστε φίλοι.

But you could also say:

• Είμαστε φίλοι, αλλά ανταγωνιζόμαστε.

That version is still grammatical, but the emphasis shifts slightly. It foregrounds being friends first.

Very often, yes. With a plural subject and no object stated, ανταγωνιζόμαστε naturally suggests a reciprocal meaning: we compete against each other.

In this sentence, that is probably the most natural interpretation.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

an-da-go-nee-ZO-ma-ste, al-LA, EE-ma-ste FEE-loi

A few helpful points:

• Ανταγωνιζόμαστε is stressed on -ζό-
• αλλά is stressed on the second syllable
• είμαστε is stressed on εί-
• φίλοι is stressed on φί-
• the οι in φίλοι sounds like ee in Modern Greek

So φίλοι sounds roughly like FEE-lee, though the spelling stays οι.