Ο μικροπωλητής από τη μία χαμογελά, από την άλλη δεν παζαρεύει.

It means on the one hand ... on the other hand.

This is a very common Greek structure used to present a contrast between two sides of a situation. In this sentence:

• από τη μία χαμογελά
• από την άλλη δεν παζαρεύει

the idea is that the street vendor seems friendly, but at the same time he is not willing to bargain.

A very natural English equivalent is:

• On the one hand, he smiles; on the other hand, he doesn’t bargain.

Sometimes in smoother English you might simply say:

• He smiles, but he doesn’t bargain.

Both phrases contain the feminine singular accusative article:

• τη = a shortened spoken/written form of την
• την = the full form

So:

• από τη μία
• από την άλλη

are grammatically parallel. Greek often drops the final -ν of την before certain consonants, especially in everyday usage. That is why you see τη μία instead of την μία.

So there is no difference in meaning here—just a normal spelling/pronunciation variation.

Because this expression is shorthand for something like:

• από τη μία πλευρά, από την άλλη πλευρά

which means from the one side, from the other side.

The noun πλευρά (side) is feminine, so the words connected with it are also feminine:

• η μία πλευρά
• η άλλη πλευρά

In the sentence, πλευρά is omitted because it is understood, but the feminine form remains.

Μικροπωλητής means street vendor, peddler, or small seller.

It is made up of:

• μικρο- = small
• πωλητής = seller

So literally it is something like small-scale seller.

In real usage, it usually refers to someone selling goods in a market, on the street, or in a small informal way.

Ο μικροπωλητής is the masculine singular nominative form, because it is the subject of the sentence.

Breakdown:

• ο = the for masculine singular nominative nouns
• μικροπωλητής = masculine singular noun meaning street vendor

Since the vendor is doing the actions:

• χαμογελά
• δεν παζαρεύει

he is the subject, so nominative is required.

Χαμογελά is the 3rd person singular present tense of χαμογελώ (to smile).

So it means:

• he smiles
• she smiles
• it smiles

Here it refers to ο μικροπωλητής, so:

• the street vendor smiles

In Modern Greek, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows the person and number.

Because Greek is a pro-drop language, which means subject pronouns are often left out when they are already clear from the verb form.

So Greek normally says:

• χαμογελά = he/she smiles
• δεν παζαρεύει = he/she doesn’t bargain

Since ο μικροπωλητής is already given as the subject, adding αυτός would usually be unnecessary unless you want special emphasis.

Here παζαρεύει means bargains, haggles, or negotiates the price.

So:

• δεν παζαρεύει = he doesn’t bargain / he won’t haggle

The verb comes from παζαρεύω.

Depending on context, it can mean:

• to negotiate over price
• to haggle in a market
• more generally, to bargain

In this sentence, the idea is probably that the vendor may smile and act friendly, but he is not willing to lower the price.

In Greek, δεν is the normal particle used to negate verbs in non-subjunctive forms, especially the present and past indicative.

So:

• παζαρεύει = he bargains
• δεν παζαρεύει = he does not bargain

Greek places δεν directly before the verb (or before the verb phrase).

No. It can be literal, but very often it is idiomatic.

Literal use:

• από τη μία πλευρά του δρόμου, από την άλλη πλευρά
  = from one side of the road, from the other side

Idiomatic use:

• από τη μία θέλω να φύγω, από την άλλη φοβάμαι
  = on the one hand I want to leave, on the other hand I’m afraid

In your sentence, it is clearly idiomatic: it introduces a contrast between two aspects of the vendor’s behavior.

The comma separates the two contrasting parts:

• Ο μικροπωλητής από τη μία χαμογελά,
• από την άλλη δεν παζαρεύει.

This mirrors the contrast created by από τη μία ... από την άλλη.

In English, we also often use punctuation in the same way:

• On the one hand, the street vendor smiles; on the other hand, he doesn’t bargain.

So the comma helps mark the shift from one side of the contrast to the other.

Yes, but it would be a slightly different structure.

For example:

• Ο μικροπωλητής χαμογελά, αλλά δεν παζαρεύει.

This means:

• The street vendor smiles, but he doesn’t bargain.

That is simpler and more direct.

By using από τη μία ... από την άλλη, the speaker presents the contrast in a more balanced, almost reflective way, as if weighing two aspects of the same person or situation.

Yes, in Modern Greek they are usually the same in meaning.

• μία is the more fully written form
• μια is a very common simplified spelling

Both can mean one or a/an, depending on context.

In this expression, you may see:

• από τη μία
• από τη μια

Both are common.

A few natural translations are possible, depending on tone:

• The street vendor smiles, but he doesn’t haggle.
• On the one hand, the street vendor smiles; on the other hand, he doesn’t bargain.
• The vendor may be smiling, but he’s not negotiating.

The most literal version keeps the on the one hand / on the other hand structure, but in everyday English a simpler but sentence is often more natural.

It is pronounced roughly:

• mee-kro-po-lee-TIS

The ending -τής is very common in Greek for masculine nouns referring to a person who does something or has a role.

Examples:

• πωλητής = seller
• μαθητής = student
• οδηγητής = driver

So μικροπωλητής follows a very common noun pattern. It is masculine, and in the singular nominative it ends in -τής.

It can be used in more than one way.

Very commonly it is used without a direct object in the sense of haggle / bargain:

• Δεν παζαρεύει.
• He doesn’t haggle.

But it can also be used with an object or in a fuller expression, depending on context:

• παζαρεύει την τιμή = he bargains over the price
• παζαρεύει για την τιμή = he negotiates about the price

So the sentence uses a shorter, very natural version where the thing being bargained over is understood.