Ο σκύλος είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα.

to be

Breakdown of Ο σκύλος είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα.

• τώρα: now
• ο σκύλος: the dog
• κάτω από: under
• το τραπέζι: the table

Questions & Answers about Ο σκύλος είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα.

Why is it Ο σκύλος and not Το σκύλος?

Because σκύλος is a masculine noun in the nominative singular, so it takes the masculine definite article ο. Το is the neuter article; you would use it with neuter nouns like το τραπέζι.

What does είναι mean and who is the subject?

Είναι is the 3rd person singular of the verb είμαι (to be), meaning "is." The subject is Ο σκύλος (the dog), so the full meaning is "The dog is ...".

What does κάτω από mean? Does από still mean "from" here?

Κάτω από is a fixed prepositional phrase meaning "under/beneath." Here από doesn’t carry its usual "from" meaning; together they function as "under." This phrase governs the accusative case.

Why is it το τραπέζι after κάτω από? Shouldn’t it change case?

It is in the accusative case, as required by κάτω από, but neuter nouns look the same in nominative and accusative: το τραπέζι. You can see the case change with a masculine noun: κάτω από τον καναπέ ("under the couch").

Can I move τώρα somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. Common options with slightly different focus are:

• Τώρα ο σκύλος είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι.
• Ο σκύλος τώρα είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι.
• Ο σκύλος είναι τώρα κάτω από το τραπέζι. All are natural.

Can I omit είναι like Spanish sometimes omits "is"?

No. In standard Greek you keep είναι; you can’t drop it in normal sentences. Only headlines or note-like language might omit it.

Do I need the article before τραπέζι? Could I say κάτω από τραπέζι?

You normally need an article or another determiner with countable nouns, so κάτω από το τραπέζι is the natural phrasing. Κάτω από τραπέζι sounds ungrammatical.

How would I say "A dog is under the table now"?

Use the indefinite article: Ένας σκύλος είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate IPA: [o ˈskilos iˈne ˈkato aˈpo to traˈpezi ˈtora]. Stress the syllables with accents: σκύ-λος, εί-ναι, κα-τω, α-πό, τρα-πέ-ζι, τό-ρα.

What are the accent marks doing?

Modern Greek uses one stress mark (τόνος) on the stressed syllable of words with two or more syllables: σκύλος, είναι, τραπέζι, τώρα. Monosyllabic function words like ο and το normally have no accent.

What’s the plural version?

Two common ways:

• Masculine plural: Οι σκύλοι είναι κάτω από τα τραπέζια τώρα.
• Neuter form for "dogs": Τα σκυλιά είναι κάτω από τα τραπέζια τώρα. Both are correct; everyday speech often prefers σκυλιά.

Could I say υπό το τραπέζι instead of κάτω από το τραπέζι?

Yes, υπό also means "under," but it is formal/literary or used in set phrases. In everyday speech, stick with κάτω από.

Is κάτω στο τραπέζι acceptable for "under the table"?

No. Κάτω στο means "down at/over at," not "under." Use κάτω από for "under."

How do I make it negative: "The dog is not under the table now"?

Insert δεν before the verb: Ο σκύλος δεν είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα.

Can I front the location for emphasis?

Yes: Κάτω από το τραπέζι είναι ο σκύλος (τώρα). This emphasizes the location.

What’s the difference between σκύλος, σκυλί, and σκύλα?

• σκύλος: masculine "dog" (often generic/male).
• σκυλί: neuter "dog" (very common in everyday speech); plural σκυλιά.
• σκύλα: feminine "female dog"; note it can be a derogatory term for a woman in slang.

Why isn’t there any change on τραπέζι to show "under"? Does Greek not mark that?

The "under" relationship is expressed by the preposition κάτω από, not by changing the noun. The noun after κάτω από goes in the accusative; for neuters like τραπέζι, that form happens to look the same as the nominative.

Are there casual contractions here?

In speech, από often shortens to απ’, so you’ll hear κάτω απ’ το τραπέζι. Both forms are common in everyday Greek.

Can I drop the subject and just say "Is under the table now"?

You can drop the subject noun or pronoun if it’s clear from context: Είναι κάτω από το τραπέζι τώρα. Greek is a pro‑drop language. Note είναι can also mean "they are," so context disambiguates.

Why is Ο capitalized? Do capitals take accents?

It’s capitalized because it starts the sentence. In Greek, uppercase letters normally keep the accent on stressed syllables, but monosyllables like ο/το don’t take an accent anyway.