Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου έρχονται πολλοί συγγενείς.

Many relatives come to my mom's celebration.

Breakdown of Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου έρχονται πολλοί συγγενείς.

• μου: my
• σε: to
• έρχομαι: to come
• η μαμά: the mom
• πολύς: many
• η γιορτή: the celebration
• ο συγγενής: the relative

Questions & Answers about Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου έρχονται πολλοί συγγενείς.

What exactly does Στη mean here? Is it one word or two words?

Στη is a contraction of two words:

• σε = in / at / to
• τη(ν) = feminine singular definite article the (accusative case)

So σε + την γιορτή → στην γιορτή → στη γιορτή.

The final -ν in την is usually dropped before most consonants (like γ in γιορτή), so you normally see στη γιορτή, not στην γιορτή in modern spelling.

Meaning-wise, Στη γιορτή = At the celebration / To the celebration.

Why is it γιορτή and not something like γιορτής or γιορτά?

γιορτή is in the accusative case, singular, because it follows the preposition σε (inside στη), and in modern Greek, σε normally takes the accusative.

Basic forms of γιορτή (feminine):

• Nominative (subject): η γιορτή
• Genitive (of): της γιορτής
• Accusative (object / after σε): τη(ν) γιορτή

Here it’s “at the celebration” → στη γιορτή (accusative).

How is της μαμάς μου working grammatically? Why both της and μου?

της μαμάς μου literally means “of the mom my” and together means “of my mom / my mother’s”.

Structure:

• της – feminine genitive singular definite article: of the
• μαμάς – genitive singular of μαμά (mom)
• μου – unstressed possessive pronoun: my

In Greek, it’s common (and very natural) to have article + noun in genitive + possessive pronoun:

• η γιορτή της μαμάς μου
  = the celebration of the mom my
  = my mom’s celebration

You are not “doubling” possession by mistake; this is the normal way to say it.

Why does μαμά become μαμάς here?

Because μαμάς is the genitive singular form of μαμά.

Rough pattern for many feminine nouns in -ά:

• Nominative: η μαμά (the mom – subject)
• Genitive: της μαμάς (of the mom)

We need the genitive because the phrase is η γιορτή της μαμάς = the celebration of the mom.

Is the subject of the sentence πολλοί συγγενείς or something else? There is no pronoun.

Yes, the subject is πολλοί συγγενείς (many relatives).

Greek normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the person and number. In έρχονται:

• -ονται is the 3rd person plural ending → they come / they are coming.

“What” is coming? → πολλοί συγγενείς = many relatives. So there is no need (and no place) for a pronoun like αυτοί here.

Why is there no definite article before πολλοί συγγενείς? Why not Οι πολλοί συγγενείς?

Because πολλοί συγγενείς here is indefinite: many relatives (in general).

• πολλοί συγγενείς = many relatives
• οι πολλοί συγγενείς = literally the many relatives – this would sound marked/specific and usually odd in this context.

In Greek, with quantifiers like πολλοί, λίγοι, μερικοί, etc., you often don’t use the article when you just mean “many/ few/ some X” in general.

What does πολλοί agree with, and how do we know its gender and number?

πολλοί is an adjective meaning many. It agrees with συγγενείς in:

• Gender: masculine (but συγγενείς can refer to both male and female relatives; grammatically it’s masculine)
• Number: plural
• Case: nominative (because they are the subject)

So:

• masculine nominative plural: πολλοί συγγενείς = many relatives.

What is the basic form of συγγενείς, and what gender is it?

The basic (dictionary) form is:

• ο συγγενής = the relative (masculine, singular)

Plural:

• οι συγγενείς = the relatives

So συγγενείς is masculine plural (nominative here) and can refer to relatives of any gender; the grammatical gender is masculine.

What tense is έρχονται, and would it be more “future” or “present” in English?

έρχονται is present tense, 3rd person plural of the verb έρχομαι (to come).

Form:

• εγώ έρχομαι – I come
• εσύ έρχεσαι – you come
• αυτός/αυτή/αυτό έρχεται – he/she/it comes
• εμείς ερχόμαστε – we come
• εσείς έρχεστε – you (pl.) come
• αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά έρχονται – they come

In Greek, the present can cover both:

• habitual: Many relatives come (whenever we have my mom’s celebration).
• near future (scheduled): Many relatives are coming (to my mom’s celebration).

So English might translate it with either present simple or present continuous depending on context.

Why does the sentence start with Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου instead of with the subject Πολλοί συγγενείς?

Greek word order is more flexible than English. You can say:

• Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου έρχονται πολλοί συγγενείς.
• Πολλοί συγγενείς έρχονται στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου.

Both are grammatical.

Starting with Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου puts focus / emphasis on the event/place – As for my mom’s celebration, many relatives come (there).

Starting with Πολλοί συγγενείς would emphasize who is coming. The given order sounds very natural and common.

What exactly does γιορτή mean here? Is it “party”, “feast”, “name day”, or “birthday”?

γιορτή is a general word meaning celebration / feast / festival / holiday.

In context, η γιορτή της μαμάς μου could be any of:

• her name day (very common in Greek culture),
• her birthday,
• Mother’s Day,
• or some other special day that is celebrated.

Without extra context, we just understand it as “my mom’s celebration / special day”.

How do you pronounce each word in this sentence?

Approximate pronunciation (stress marked with bold syllable):

• Στη – sti
• γιορτή – yor‑TEE
• της – tis
• μαμάς – ma‑MAS
• μου – mu
• έρχονται – ER‑ho‑de (the χ is a voiceless “kh” sound, like in German Bach)
• συγ‑γε‑νείς – si‑ye‑NEES

Full: Στη γιορτή της μαμάς μου έρχονται πολλοί συγγενείς.
= Sti yortí tis mamá s mu érhonde polí syngyenís.