Η γενική πρόβα είναι πριν από την πρεμιέρα.

to be

Breakdown of Η γενική πρόβα είναι πριν από την πρεμιέρα.

• πριν από: before
• η γενική πρόβα: the dress rehearsal
• η πρεμιέρα: the opening night; premiere

Questions & Answers about Η γενική πρόβα είναι πριν από την πρεμιέρα.

Why is it η γενική πρόβα? What is η doing here?

η is the feminine singular definite article in the nominative case, so it means the. The noun πρόβα is feminine, and the adjective γενική matches it in gender, number, and case. So:

• η = the
• γενική = feminine singular nominative form of general
• πρόβα = rehearsal

Greek articles are used very often, and in a sentence like this the definite article sounds natural.

Why does the adjective come before the noun in γενική πρόβα?

In Greek, adjectives can often come before or after the noun, depending on style, emphasis, and fixed usage. Here, γενική πρόβα is the normal, established expression. It is the usual way to say dress rehearsal. Even though Greek is flexible in many places, some adjective + noun combinations are simply much more natural in one order than the other.

Does γενική πρόβα literally mean general rehearsal?

Yes, literally it means general rehearsal, but in actual usage it corresponds to dress rehearsal in English. It refers to the final full rehearsal before the public performance or opening. So this is a good example where the most natural English translation is not word-for-word.

What does είναι mean here?