Learn Hardcore Greek: Αυτή είναι κουρασμένη γιατί δουλεύει από το πρωί. - She is tired because she has been working since the morning.

Greek usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows person/number. You could simply say Είναι κουρασμένη. Including Αυτή adds emphasis or contrast, roughly “SHE is tired (not someone else).” It’s also natural if you’re introducing someone in a narrative.

Does Αυτή mean “this (woman)” or “she”?

It can mean either, depending on context. Here it functions as the personal pronoun “she.” It can also be demonstrative (“this one”), especially if you point or contrast: Αυτή είναι κουρασμένη, όχι η Μαρία.

Why is it κουρασμένη (feminine) and not κουρασμένος?

Adjectives agree with the subject in gender and number. Since Αυτή is feminine singular, the predicate adjective is feminine singular: κουρασμένη.

Masculine: κουρασμένος
Feminine: κουρασμένη
Neuter: κουρασμένο
Plurals: κουρασμένοι/κουρασμένες/κουρασμένα

What’s the difference between είμαι κουρασμένη and έχω κουραστεί?

Είμαι κουρασμένη describes a state: “I am tired.”
Έχω κουραστεί is perfect aspect: “I have gotten tired / I’ve grown tired,” emphasizing the result of a tiring process. In many contexts both can be used, but the first is a plain description, the second highlights the becoming-tired event.

Is the copula είναι required? Could I say Αυτή κουρασμένη?

You need είναι. Greek doesn’t normally drop the present-tense copula. Αυτή κουρασμένη is only possible in very elliptical, headline-like styles.

What tense/aspect is δουλεύει, and why does it translate like English “has been working”?

Δουλεύει is simple present, which in Greek covers both “she works” and “she is working.” When combined with από + a starting time (e.g., από το πρωί), it commonly expresses an action that started in the past and continues now—what English often renders with the present perfect continuous: “She has been working since the morning.”

Why use από for time here? How do I say “since” vs “for (a duration)”?

από + time point = since: δουλεύει από το πρωί (since the morning).
εδώ και + duration = for (and still ongoing): δουλεύει εδώ και τρεις ώρες (for three hours). Avoid για for ongoing durations up to now; για typically marks total duration not tied to the present (e.g., future/finished spans).

Does από το πρωί mean “since this morning (today)” specifically?

Yes, by default it implies since this morning (today). If you mean a different day, specify it: από το πρωί της Δευτέρας (since Monday morning) or από σήμερα το πρωί (since this morning—explicitly).

Why is it το πρωί with an article? Could I say just από πρωί?

Time-of-day nouns typically take the article in prepositional phrases: το πρωί, το μεσημέρι, το βράδυ. Από πρωί is not standard in this meaning. Without a preposition, πρωί can function adverbially (“in the morning/early”), e.g., Ξυπνάω πρωί (I wake up early), but after από you want το πρωί.

Is there a difference between γιατί and επειδή for “because”? And doesn’t γιατί also mean “why”?

γιατί can mean both “why” (question) and “because” (conjunction). Context and word order tell you which it is.
επειδή means only “because” and is a bit more formal/neutral. All are fine here: … γιατί δουλεύει… / … επειδή δουλεύει…. In questions: Γιατί είναι κουρασμένη; = “Why is she tired?”

Do I need a comma before γιατί?

Usually no. In Αυτή είναι κουρασμένη γιατί δουλεύει από το πρωί, you don’t put a comma before γιατί. A comma might appear for stylistic pause or if the reason clause is fronted, but the default here is no comma.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Greek allows flexible word order for emphasis:

Είναι κουρασμένη γιατί δουλεύει από το πρωί. (neutral)
Από το πρωί δουλεύει, γι’ αυτό είναι κουρασμένη. (fronts the time, then uses “that’s why”)
Γιατί δουλεύει από το πρωί, είναι κουρασμένη. (emphasizes the reason first) Meaning stays the same; the focus shifts.

Is δουλεύω the only verb for “to work”? What about εργάζομαι?

Both mean “to work.”

δουλεύω is the everyday, all-purpose verb.
εργάζομαι is more formal/literary or used in official contexts. In daily speech here you’d prefer δουλεύει.

How do I pronounce the tricky words?

Stress is marked by the accent. Rough IPA and tips:

Αυτή [afˈti] (“av/af” becomes [f] before voiceless τ): af-TEE
είναι
κουρασμένη [kuraˈzmeni] (σμ pronounced [zm]): koo-ras-ME-ni
γιατί
δουλεύει [ðuˈlevi] (δ = voiced “th”): dhu-LE-vi
από
πρωί

Is the spelling πρωί or πρωΐ?

You’ll see both. The strictly correct form shows the hiatus with a diaeresis on ι: πρωΐ. Many writers omit the diaeresis and write πρωί in monotonic orthography. Both are widely understood; if you want to be precise, use πρωΐ.

Could I say Έχει δουλέψει από το πρωί?

That means “She has worked (at some point) since the morning,” not necessarily continuously and not naturally equivalent to “has been working.” To convey ongoing action up to now, prefer the present with από: Δουλεύει από το πρωί. You can also add μέχρι τώρα for clarity: Δουλεύει από το πρωί μέχρι τώρα.