Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί.

A good approximation is:

to ro-BOT lee-toor-GHEE

More precisely:

• Το = to with a clear Greek o sound
• ρομπότ = ro-BOT
• λειτουργεί = lee-toor-GHEE

A few helpful pronunciation notes:

• μπ in ρομπότ sounds like b
• ου in λειτουργεί sounds like oo
• ει sounds like ee
• The stress is shown by the accent marks: ρομπότ, λειτουργεί

Το is the definite article here, meaning the.

Greek uses articles very regularly, so where English says the robot, Greek says το ρομπότ.

In this sentence:

• το = the
• it is neuter singular
• it matches ρομπότ, which is treated as a neuter noun

In Greek, every noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Ρομπότ is treated as neuter, which is why it takes το.

This is very common for:

• inanimate things
• many loanwords
• many nouns ending in a consonant

So you learn it as a unit:

το ρομπότ

not just ρομπότ by itself.

Modern Greek does not normally use a single letter for the b sound. Instead, it usually writes that sound with μπ.

So in ρομπότ:

• μπ = b

This is something English speakers often notice because it looks like two letters but acts like one sound.

Λειτουργεί is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb λειτουργώ, which means to function / to operate / to work.

So:

• λειτουργώ = I function / I operate
• λειτουργεί = it functions / it operates / it works

Because the subject is το ρομπότ, the verb must be in 3rd person singular.

It can mean both, depending on context.

The Greek present tense often covers both:

• a general fact: The robot works
• something happening now: The robot is working

So Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί could mean either:

• the robot works
• the robot is working
• the robot is functioning

Context tells you which is most natural.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English.

The neutral, standard order is:

Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί.

But you may also hear:

Λειτουργεί το ρομπότ.

That can sound more marked, depending on context, such as:

• emphasis
• contrast
• a question-like tone in speech

For a beginner, Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί is the safest default.

Usually, for a normal sentence about a specific robot, το is the natural choice.

So:

• Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί = normal everyday Greek

Without the article, Ρομπότ λειτουργεί sounds less natural in ordinary speech and may feel like:

• a headline
• a label
• very special emphasis
• non-native phrasing

As a learner, it is best to keep the article.

Add δεν before the verb:

Το ρομπότ δεν λειτουργεί.

This means The robot does not work / The robot isn’t working.

So the pattern is:

subject + δεν + verb

Because Greek does not need a subject pronoun when the subject is already stated.

Here, the subject is explicitly given:

το ρομπότ

So there is no need to add a separate word meaning it.

English says:

• The robot works

Greek also simply says:

• Το ρομπότ λειτουργεί

No extra pronoun is needed.