Η δουλειά είναι εδώ τώρα.

to be

Breakdown of Η δουλειά είναι εδώ τώρα.

• τώρα: now
• η δουλειά: the work
• εδώ: here

Questions & Answers about Η δουλειά είναι εδώ τώρα.

What does the capital Η mean here, and how do I pronounce it?

• Η is the feminine singular definite article, meaning the. It’s pronounced like English “ee” [i], not like the English H sound.
• Don’t confuse Η (article) with ή/Ή (the conjunction meaning or). The conjunction has an accent; the article never does.

How do I pronounce the whole sentence naturally?

• IPA: [i ðuˈlja ˈine eˈðo ˈtora]
• Rough guide: “ee dhou-LYÁ EE-neh eh-DHÓ TÓ-ra”
  • δ = voiced “th” as in “this.”
  • ου = “oo,” ει = “ee.”
  • δουλειά sounds like “dhou-LYÁ” (the λ + ια creates a “lya” sound).
  • Stress the syllables in caps.

Why is the article feminine (η)? How do I know that δουλειά is feminine?

• δουλειά is a feminine noun; many nouns ending in -α or -η are feminine.
• The article agrees: η δουλειά (nom. sg. feminine).

Could I omit the article and just say δουλειά είναι εδώ τώρα?

• That sounds odd. Without an article, it reads like “Work is here now” in a generic or unnatural way.
• If you mean “a job is here now,” say Μια δουλειά είναι εδώ τώρα.
• Often, existence is expressed with υπάρχει: Υπάρχει δουλειά εδώ τώρα (“There is work here now”).

Is the word order fixed? Can I say Τώρα η δουλειά είναι εδώ or Η δουλειά είναι τώρα εδώ?

• Greek word order is flexible. All of these are grammatical.
• Moving τώρα or εδώ changes emphasis slightly: the element placed later often gets more focus.

Why isn’t there an “it” in the sentence? Should I add αυτό?

• Greek is a pro-drop language; you don’t need a subject pronoun. Η δουλειά itself is the subject.
• Αυτό είναι εδώ τώρα means “This is here now,” which is different.

What form of “to be” is είναι? Does it also mean “are”?

• είναι is 3rd person singular “is” and also 3rd person plural “are.”
• Mini paradigm: είμαι, είσαι, είναι, είμαστε, είστε, είναι.

How do I make it negative?

• Put δεν before the verb: Η δουλειά δεν είναι εδώ τώρα (“The work is not here now”).

Can I put εδώ at the front: Εδώ είναι η δουλειά τώρα?

• Yes. Εδώ είναι η δουλειά τώρα front-loads the place (“Here is where the work is now”), highlighting location.

Any spelling traps with δουλειά?

• Don’t confuse δουλειά (“work, job”) with δουλεία (“slavery”). The difference is the stress:
  • δουλειά (stress on the last syllable: -λιά)
  • δουλεία (stress on -λε-ία)

Does δουλειά mean both “work” and “job”? Are there synonyms?

• Yes. δουλειά can mean “work” (activity) or “job” (employment/task).
• More formal εργασία = “work/labor” (official, academic contexts).
• Colloquially, δουλειές can mean “errands/chores” (e.g., Έχω δουλειές = “I have errands”).

Is it okay to have both εδώ and τώρα together? Which order is more natural?

• Yes, both can co-occur. Common patterns: … είναι εδώ τώρα or … είναι τώρα εδώ.
• Place the one you want to emphasize later in the sentence.

How do I say “My job is here now”?

• Η δουλειά μου είναι εδώ τώρα.

What case is δουλειά here? How does it change in other cases?

• Here it’s nominative (subject): η δουλειά.
• Key forms:
  • Genitive sg.: της δουλειάς
  • Accusative sg.: τη(ν) δουλειά (the final -ν of την is usually dropped before δ → τη δουλειά)
  • Nominative pl.: οι δουλειές
  • Genitive pl.: των δουλειών
  • Accusative pl.: τις δουλειές

Is the lack of an accent on the initial Η correct?

• Yes. The article η/Η never takes an accent. The accented one ή/Ή is the conjunction or, which is a different word.