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Breakdown of Μετά το μάθημα, η δασκάλα εξηγεί το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας.
μετά
after
η εβδομάδα
the week
το μάθημα
the class
η δασκάλα
the female teacher
εξηγώ
to explain
το πρόγραμμα
the schedule
Questions & Answers about Μετά το μάθημα, η δασκάλα εξηγεί το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας.
Are both Μετά το μάθημα and Μετά από το μάθημα correct? What’s the difference?
Yes. Both are standard and mean “after the lesson.”
- μετά το μάθημα = very common and natural.
- μετά από το μάθημα = equally correct; a bit more explicit/neutral in many contexts. Tip: With pronouns you normally need από: e.g., μετά από εμένα (“after me”), not ✗μετά εμένα.
Why is there a definite article (το) after μετά? English doesn’t say “after the lesson.”
Greek uses the definite article more than English, especially with time expressions and after prepositions. Μετά το μάθημα refers to a specific (or contextually understood) lesson. If you mean “after a lesson (any one),” you can say μετά από ένα μάθημα.
Why is it η δασκάλα and not την δασκάλα?
Because it’s the subject (nominative case).
- Subject: η δασκάλα (“the teacher”)
- Direct object: τη(ν) δασκάλα (“the teacher” as object)
Example: Βλέπω τη δασκάλα. = “I see the teacher.”
What exactly does εξηγεί mean here—“explains” or “is explaining”? Why not future?
Greek present (imperfective) covers both simple and continuous meanings: “explains/is explaining.”
- For a general habit/routine: εξηγεί (present) is perfect.
- For a specific future instance: θα εξηγήσει (“will explain”).
- For a scheduled/near-future event, present can also be used in Greek, depending on context.
Can I move parts of the sentence around? Is the comma necessary?
Yes, word order is flexible. The comma after an introductory time phrase is normal. Possible variants:
- Η δασκάλα εξηγεί το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας μετά το μάθημα.
- Μετά το μάθημα η δασκάλα εξηγεί το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας. (comma often kept after a fronted phrase, but you’ll also see it omitted in short sentences)
What does το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας literally mean, and why is it της?
Literally “the schedule of the week.”
- της is the feminine genitive article agreeing with εβδομάδας (from η εβδομάδα, “week”).
- The genitive shows the “of/for” relationship: “the week’s schedule.”
Does της here mean “her”? I’m confused.
No. Here της is the definite article (“of the”).
- “the schedule of the week” = το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας
- “her schedule” = το πρόγραμμά της (enclitic pronoun). Notice the extra accent: πρόγραμμά.
Could I say “weekly schedule” instead of “schedule of the week”?
Yes: το εβδομαδιαίο πρόγραμμα = “the weekly schedule.”
Both το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας and το εβδομαδιαίο πρόγραμμα are natural; the first is a genitive phrase, the second uses an adjective.
What’s the difference between μάθημα and τάξη?
- μάθημα = a lesson/class session (the event/content).
- τάξη = a class as a group of students, the classroom, or a grade level.
So “after class (the session)” is best with μετά το μάθημα, not μετά την τάξη.
Pronunciation tips for tricky sounds?
- δ (as in δασκάλα, εβδομάδας) = voiced “th” in “this” [ð].
- θ (in μάθημα) = unvoiced “th” in “think” [θ].
- γ before ε/ι (in εξηγεί) = soft [ʝ] (like Spanish “y” in “yo” but fricative): εξηγεί [eksiˈʝi].
- γ before α/ο/ου (in πρόγραμμα) = [ɣ], a voiced “gh.”
- ξ = [ks].
Whole sentence (approx. IPA): [meˈta to ˈmaθima, i ðasˈkala eksiˈʝi to ˈproɣrama tis evðoˈmaðas].
Why does εξηγεί end in -ει?
It’s the regular 3rd person singular present active ending for -ω verbs:
- εγώ εξηγώ
- εσύ εξηγείς
- αυτός/αυτή εξηγεί
- εμείς εξηγούμε
- εσείς εξηγείτε
- αυτοί εξηγούν(ε)
Could I replace το πρόγραμμα with a pronoun “it”? Where does it go?
Yes: Η δασκάλα το εξηγεί μετά το μάθημα.
Unstressed object pronouns normally go before the verb in simple tenses: το εξηγεί. With emphasis or in imperatives, placement rules change (e.g., εξήγησέ το).
Is εβδομάδος acceptable instead of εβδομάδας?
εβδομάδος is archaic/katharevousa. In modern standard Greek, use εβδομάδας.
Could I say πρόγραμμα εβδομάδας without της like in English “week schedule”?
In standard Greek, a bare noun-noun sequence is uncommon for this meaning. Use the genitive (το πρόγραμμα της εβδομάδας) or an adjective (το εβδομαδιαίο πρόγραμμα). You might see πρόγραμμα εβδομάδας in headlines/labels, but it’s more telegraphic.
What’s the opposite of μετά?
πριν (“before”).
- “Before the lesson”: πριν από το μάθημα (most common), or πριν το μάθημα.
Any quick plural changes for this sentence?
- “After the lessons”: Μετά τα μαθήματα
- “The teachers (f.) explain”: οι δασκάλες εξηγούν
- “The weekly schedules”: τα προγράμματα της εβδομάδας (context decides singular/plural on the genitive phrase)
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