Ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση στο τετράδιό μου όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.

The (male) teacher writes a small note in my notebook when I don’t understand well.

Breakdown of Ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση στο τετράδιό μου όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.

• καλά: well
• δεν: not
• μου: my
• καταλαβαίνω: to understand
• μικρός: small
• σε: in
• γράφω: to write
• όταν: when
• μία: one
• ο δάσκαλος: the male teacher
• το τετράδιο: the notebook
• η σημείωση: the note

Questions & Answers about Ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση στο τετράδιό μου όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.

What does ο mean in ο δάσκαλος, and why do we need it? We don’t say “the teacher” in English here.

Ο is the definite article “the” for masculine singular, nominative nouns.

In Greek, you usually use the article with professions and roles, even when English doesn’t:

• ο δάσκαλος = “the teacher” (can mean “the teacher” in general or a specific one)
• είμαι δάσκαλος = “I am a teacher” (no article in Greek here, because it’s a predicate of είμαι)

So the Greek sentence literally says: “The teacher writes a small note…”, but in English you might translate it more naturally as just “The teacher writes…” or even “My teacher writes…”, depending on context.

Why is it μια μικρή σημείωση and not έναν or ένα?

Μια is the indefinite article “a / one” for feminine singular nouns.

• ένας (masc.) – ένας φίλος (a friend, male)
• μία / μια (fem.) – μια φίλη (a friend, female)
• ένα (neut.) – ένα βιβλίο (a book)

Since σημείωση is feminine, the article must also be feminine:

• μια σημείωση = a note
• μια μικρή σημείωση = a small note

So μια agrees in gender (fem.), number (sing.), and case (accusative) with σημείωση.

Why is the adjective μικρή before σημείωση, and why does it end in -ή?

1. Position: In Greek, the “normal” place for a descriptive adjective is before the noun:

   • μια μικρή σημείωση = a small note
   • ένα μεγάλο σπίτι = a big house

   Putting the adjective after the noun (e.g. μια σημείωση μικρή) is possible but sounds marked or emphatic.

2. Ending -ή: μικρή is the feminine form of the adjective μικρός (small).

   • masculine: μικρός
   • feminine: μικρή
   • neuter: μικρό

   Because σημείωση is feminine singular accusative, the adjective must match:

   • μια μικρή σημείωση (fem. sg. acc. + fem. sg. acc.)

What exactly does σημείωση mean here? Is it always a “note”?

Σημείωση is a feminine noun that usually means:

• a note (short written message or remark)
• sometimes a footnote or comment in a text

In this sentence, μια μικρή σημείωση naturally means “a small note / short remark” the teacher writes in your notebook. It does not mean “grade” or “mark” here; that would be more like βαθμός.

Why is it γράφει and not something like γράφει κάθε φορά (“every time he writes”)?

Γράφει is the present tense, 3rd person singular of γράφω (“to write”): “he writes”.

In Greek, the present tense with όταν usually already implies a repeated / habitual action:

• Ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια σημείωση όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.
  = The teacher writes a note when(ever) I don’t understand well.

You could add κάθε φορά που (every time that), but it’s not necessary; the idea of “whenever this happens” is clear from όταν + present.

What does στο in στο τετράδιό μου mean? Why not σε το τετράδιο μου?

Στο is the contraction of:

• σε (in / at / to) + το (the, neuter singular)
  → σε + το = στο

So:

• σε το τετράδιο (not actually used)
  becomes
• στο τετράδιο = “in the notebook”

Because notebook = το τετράδιο (neuter), the correct prepositional phrase is:

• στο τετράδιό μου = “in my notebook”

Why does τετράδιό have two accent marks in στο τετράδιό μου?

The base word is τετράδιο with stress on the antepenultimate syllable: τετράδιο.

When a word stressed on the antepenult is followed by a clitic pronoun like μου, Greek spelling adds a second accent on the last syllable of the word:

• τετράδιο + μου → στο τετράδιό μου

So you see two accents on τετράδιό:

• one where the word is normally stressed (τρά)
• one on the last syllable (διό) because of the enclitic μου

This is a regular accent rule with enclitic pronouns (μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους).

What is μου here? Why don’t we say something like το τετράδιο από εμένα?

Μου is the unstressed (clitic) genitive form of “I”, meaning “my” / “of me”.

So:

• το τετράδιό μου = my notebook (literally “the notebook of-me”)

Greek usually expresses possession with these clitic genitive pronouns, not with a long phrase like από εμένα (“from me”) in this context.

You only use a stressed form like εμένα for emphasis:

• το τετράδιο είναι δικό μου, όχι δικό σου.
  = The notebook is mine, not yours.

Why is it δεν καταλαβαίνω and not καταλαβαίνω δεν?

In standard Greek, the negative particle δεν comes directly before the verb:

• δεν καταλαβαίνω = I don’t understand
• δεν γράφω = I don’t write
• δεν θέλω = I don’t want

Putting δεν after the verb (καταλαβαίνω δεν) is ungrammatical in modern Greek.

Why is it καλά and not καλός or καλό?

Καλά here is an adverb meaning “well”.

• καλός = good (masculine adjective)
• καλή = good (feminine adjective)
• καλό = good (neuter adjective)
• καλά = well (adverb) or “good” in some colloquial uses

We need an adverb to describe how you understand:

• δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά = I don’t understand well

Using καλός / καλό would make it an adjective, which doesn’t fit with the verb καταλαβαίνω here.

Can I say όταν εγώ δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά? Where does εγώ go?

Yes, you can say:

• όταν εγώ δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά

Greek normally omits subject pronouns because the verb ending (-ω) already shows 1st person singular (“I”).

You add εγώ when you want to emphasize “I (as opposed to someone else)”:

• Όταν εγώ δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση.
  = When I don’t understand well, the teacher writes a little note. (contrastive emphasis)

Could I put the όταν-clause first: Όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει…?

Yes. That’s very natural:

• Όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση στο τετράδιό μου.

Greek word order is quite flexible. Placing the όταν-clause first just foregrounds the condition (“when I don’t understand well”) and then gives the result. Both orders are correct:

• Ο δάσκαλος γράφει … όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.
• Όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει …

Is όταν here “when” or “whenever”? What is the nuance?

With the present tense, όταν usually means “whenever / every time that”:

• Όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει…
  = Whenever I don’t understand well, the teacher writes…

If you wanted a specific time in the past, you’d normally see a past tense:

• Όταν δεν καταλάβαινα καλά, ο δάσκαλος έγραφε…
  = When(ever) I didn’t understand well (back then), the teacher would write…

So in the original sentence, think of it as describing a general habit rather than one single occasion.

Can I say ο καθηγητής instead of ο δάσκαλος?

You can, but there is a nuance:

• ο δάσκαλος usually refers to a teacher in primary school (or more generally, a teacher).
• ο καθηγητής is more often a teacher in secondary school, university, or a lecturer / professor.

Grammatically, the sentence is the same:

• Ο καθηγητής γράφει μια μικρή σημείωση στο τετράδιό μου όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά.

The choice depends on the level of education and context.

Why is there no comma before όταν in the original sentence?

In Greek, when a short subordinate clause like όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά comes after the main clause, writers often omit the comma:

• Ο δάσκαλος γράφει… όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά. (comma usually omitted)

If you put the όταν-clause first, you almost always use a comma:

• Όταν δεν καταλαβαίνω καλά, ο δάσκαλος γράφει…

So the punctuation in the original sentence is normal and correct.