Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.

A natural pronunciation is:

to si-MEE-o sil-lo-GEES EE-ne ko-da

More carefully, with the Greek sounds in mind:

• Το = to
• σημείο = see-MEE-o
• συλλογής = sil-lo-GEES
• είναι = EE-ne
• κοντά = ko-DA

A few helpful sound notes:

• σ is like s
• γ before η/ι/ε/αι has a softer sound than English g
• αι in είναι sounds like e
• the stress marks show which syllable gets emphasis:
  • σημείο
  • συλλογής
  • είναι
  • κοντά

Το is the neuter singular definite article, meaning the.

It is used because σημείο is:

• singular
• neuter
• in the nominative case here, because it is the subject of the sentence

So:

• το σημείο = the point / the spot / the location

Greek articles change depending on gender, number, and case, unlike English the, which stays the same.

Because σημείο is the basic nominative singular form of the noun, and here it is the subject of the sentence.

The pattern is:

• το σημείο = the point / the location
• του σημείου = of the point / location’s
• τα σημεία = the points

In this sentence, the full subject is Το σημείο συλλογής = the collection point.

Because it is in the genitive singular.

The base noun is:

• η συλλογή = the collection

Its genitive singular is:

• της συλλογής = of the collection

So:

• σημείο συλλογής literally means point of collection

This is a very common Greek structure. Where English often uses a noun directly before another noun, Greek often uses:

• noun + genitive noun

Examples:

• στάση λεωφορείου = bus stop = literally stop of bus
• αίθουσα αναμονής = waiting room = literally room of waiting
• σημείο συλλογής = collection point = literally point of collection

Yes, exactly.

English often builds compound nouns by putting one noun in front of another:

• collection point
• bus station
• train ticket

Greek very often expresses this idea with a genitive phrase instead:

• σημείο συλλογής = point of collection
• σταθμός λεωφορείων = station of buses
• εισιτήριο τρένου = ticket of train

So even though the literal structure is different, the natural English meaning is simply collection point.

είναι means is.

It is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb είμαι = to be.

So:

• είμαι = I am
• είσαι = you are
• είναι = he/she/it is

In this sentence:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.
• The collection point is near.

Usually, in a standard sentence like this, no: you normally keep it.

Greek can sometimes omit words that are understood from context, especially in casual speech, signs, or short notes. But in a normal full sentence, you would usually say:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.

Dropping είναι would sound incomplete in most ordinary contexts.

In sentences like this, κοντά is best thought of as an indeclinable word meaning near / close.

It does not change form for gender or number:

• Το σημείο είναι κοντά.
• Η στάση είναι κοντά.
• Τα μαγαζιά είναι κοντά.

It stays κοντά in all of them.

English learners often expect agreement, but here there is none. That is why you do not get different forms like masculine/feminine/neuter versions.

Good question. κοντά can stand on its own and mean:

• near
• close by
• not far

So:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.
• The collection point is near / nearby.

If you want to say what it is near to, Greek usually uses:

• κοντά σε + accusative

For example:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά στο ξενοδοχείο.
• The collection point is near the hotel.

Here:

• σε = to / at / in
• στο = contraction of σε + το

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English, though some orders sound more neutral than others.

The most neutral version is:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.

But you may also see:

• Κοντά είναι το σημείο συλλογής.
• Είναι κοντά το σημείο συλλογής.

These alternatives may sound more marked or emphasize different parts of the sentence.

For a learner, the safest default is:

• subject + είναι + complement
• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά.

Because Greek often leaves out the article in this kind of noun + genitive expression when the phrase is functioning like a set label or compound idea.

So:

• σημείο συλλογής = collection point

If you add the article, you get a more explicitly definite phrase:

• το σημείο της συλλογής = the point of the collection

That can mean something slightly different depending on context, and it does not sound like the usual fixed expression for collection point.

So in this sentence, σημείο συλλογής is the natural compact form.

You would say:

• Το σημείο συλλογής δεν είναι κοντά.

Here:

• δεν = not

It goes before the verb:

• δεν είναι = is not

The simplest way is to keep the same words and use rising intonation in speech, or a question mark in writing:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά;
• Is the collection point near?

Greek uses the same word order very often for statements and yes/no questions. The difference is usually shown by intonation or punctuation.

Note: the Greek question mark looks like a semicolon in English:

• ;

Yes, stress matters a lot in Greek. The written accent marks show where the stress goes.

In this sentence:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά

the stressed syllables are:

• σημείο
• συλλογής
• είναι
• κοντά

If you put the stress in the wrong place, people may still understand you, but it will sound noticeably non-native, and sometimes stress can distinguish words.

Not always. σημείο is a flexible word. Depending on context, it can mean:

• point
• spot
• place
• location
• sign
• mark

In σημείο συλλογής, English often prefers:

• collection point
• pickup point
• sometimes meeting point, depending on context

So the exact English word can change, even though the Greek noun stays σημείο.

Not normally in this context.

κοντά is the natural word for near / nearby in a sentence like this.

The adjective κοντινός / κοντινή / κοντινό means nearby / close too, but it is used differently and must agree with the noun:

• Το κοντινό σημείο = the nearby point
• Η κοντινή στάση = the nearby stop

So:

• Το σημείο συλλογής είναι κοντά. = The collection point is near.
• Το κοντινό σημείο συλλογής = The nearby collection point.

Those are related, but not the same structure.

Three especially useful things:

1. Article + noun agreement

   • το σημείο
   • article and noun match in gender, number, and case

2. Genitive to express a compound idea

   • σημείο συλλογής
   • literally point of collection

3. Indeclinable location word

   • κοντά
   • means near / nearby and does not change form

If you understand those three features, you understand most of the grammar in the sentence.