Learn Hardcore Greek: Η μαμά μου είναι στην κουζίνα τώρα.

Η is the uppercase of Greek η (eta), pronounced like “ee” /i/, not like the English H.
Here Η is the feminine definite article “the.”
The article η never takes an accent. The accented form ή (with tonos) is a different word meaning “or.”

Why do we need the article with a possessive: Η μαμά μου and not just Μαμά μου?

In Greek, nouns with possessive clitics (like μου “my”) normally take the definite article: ο/η/το + noun + μου.
Η μαμά μου is the natural way to say “my mom.”
You’d drop the article mainly in direct address (vocative): Μαμά! (“Mom!”). In some family contexts, Η μαμά είναι… can mean “Mom is…” even without μου, but for “my mom,” use η … μου.

What does μου do, and why does it come after the noun?

μου is the unstressed (enclitic) possessive pronoun “my.”
In Greek, possessive clitics follow the noun: η μαμά μου, ο φίλος μου, το σπίτι μου.
It’s unstressed, so it normally has no accent and doesn’t change the stress of μαμά. For strong contrast you can use stressed forms like η δική μου μαμά (“my own mom”) or write μού in rare emphatic cases.

Which verb form is είναι, and why is it used for “she is”?

είναι is the 3rd person singular (and also 3rd plural) of είμαι “to be.”
Present tense of είμαι: είμαι (I am), είσαι (you are), είναι (he/she/it is), είμαστε, είστε, είναι (they are).
With subject Η μαμά, the meaning is “she is.” Greek doesn’t need a separate form for “is” vs “are” here; context decides.

Do I need to say the pronoun “she” (αυτή)?

No. Greek is a “pro‑drop” language, so subject pronouns are usually omitted because the verb already shows the person/number.
You add αυτή only for emphasis or contrast: Αυτή είναι στην κουζίνα τώρα, όχι ο μπαμπάς.

What exactly is στην?

στην = σε (in/at/on/to) + the feminine article την (“the”), contracted.
So στην κουζίνα literally “in the kitchen.” Greek uses σε for “in/at/on” depending on context.

Why is there an -ν at the end of στην here?

The final -ν of feminine την (and hence στην) is kept before vowels and certain consonants: κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ.
Since κουζίνα starts with κ, we keep the ν: στην κουζίνα. Before other consonants you may often see στη (without ν).

Why is κουζίνα in the accusative, not another case?

The preposition σε governs the accusative. So we get (στην) κουζίνα (accusative) after σε.
Basic forms of this noun:
- Nominative: η κουζίνα (subject)
- Genitive: της κουζίνας (of the kitchen)
- Accusative: την κουζίνα (object/after prepositions like σε)

Why not στον κουζίνα?

κουζίνα is feminine, so use feminine στην (σε + την), not masculine στον (σε + τον).
Neuter would be στο (σε + το), e.g., στο δωμάτιο “in the room.” Masculine example: στον κήπο “in the garden.”

Where can I put τώρα in the sentence?

Adverbs like τώρα are flexible. Common options:
- Τώρα η μαμά μου είναι στην κουζίνα.
- Η μαμά μου τώρα είναι στην κουζίνα.
- Η μαμά μου είναι στην κουζίνα τώρα.
All are fine; end position can feel slightly more casual or emphatic in speech.

How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

IPA: [i maˈma mu ˈine stin kuˈzina ˈtora]
Rough guide: “ee ma-MA moo EE-neh steen koo-ZEE-na TO-ra”
Notes:
- Η/η sounds like “ee.”
- είναι is two syllables: EE-neh.
- Stress marks (´) show the stressed syllable: μαμά, κουζίνα, τώρα.

Why is είναι spelled with both ει and αι, and how are they pronounced?

Greek spelling has historical digraphs:
- ει is pronounced /i/ (like “ee”).
- αι is pronounced /e/ (like “eh”).
So είναι is pronounced [ˈine] (EE-neh), not like English “eye” or “aye.”

How would I say the negative (“My mom is not in the kitchen now”)?

How do I turn it into a yes–no question (“Is your mom in the kitchen now?”)?

Η μαμά σου είναι στην κουζίνα τώρα;
Greek uses the same word order; the question mark is a semicolon (;) in Greek typography.

What’s the difference between μαμά, μητέρα, and μάνα?

μαμά: informal, affectionate (“mom/mum”), very common.
μητέρα: formal/polite or in official contexts (“mother”).
μάνα: more colloquial/folk; can sound earthy, regional, or emphatic depending on context.
All can take μου: η μαμά μου, η μητέρα μου, η μάνα μου.

Can I say μέσα στην κουζίνα? Does it change the meaning?

Yes: μέσα στην κουζίνα = “inside the kitchen,” adding an “inside” nuance.
στην κουζίνα by itself already means “in the kitchen,” but μέσα can add emphasis or clarity.

Can I say “in a kitchen” instead of “in the kitchen”?

Yes, use the indefinite article: σε μια κουζίνα (“in a kitchen”).
Full sentence: Η μαμά μου είναι σε μια κουζίνα τώρα. (less common contextually, but grammatically fine)

Anything to watch out for with the clitic μου and accent marks?

μου is normally unstressed and written without an accent.
If the main word’s stress is three syllables from the end, adding a clitic triggers an extra written accent to keep stress rules, e.g., ο άνθρωπός μου. With μαμά (two syllables), no extra accent is needed: η μαμά μου.
For strong contrast, you may see stressed μού, but that’s special emphasis.

Does Greek word order have to be S‑V‑O like English here?

No. Greek word order is flexible because articles and endings mark roles. Variants like:
- Στην κουζίνα είναι τώρα η μαμά μου.
- Η μαμά μου είναι τώρα στην κουζίνα.
All are acceptable; choose order for focus and flow.

Could I drop μου and still mean “my mom”?

In many family contexts, Η μαμά είναι… will be understood as “Mom is…” (the speaker’s mom).
But outside that shared context, include μου to explicitly mean “my mom”: Η μαμά μου….