Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο κάθε Κυριακή.

My mom bakes a dessert in the oven every Sunday.

Breakdown of Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο κάθε Κυριακή.

• μου: my
• η μαμά: the mom
• σε: in
• το γλυκό: the dessert
• κάθε Κυριακή: every Sunday
• ο φούρνος: the oven
• ψήνω: to bake

Questions & Answers about Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο κάθε Κυριακή.

Why do we say Η μαμά μου and not just Μαμά μου or η μαμά?

In Greek, possessed nouns (like my mom) almost always take the definite article.

• Η μαμά μου = my mom (literally: the mom my).
• η is the feminine singular definite article (the).
• μου is the unstressed form of my / of me.

So η + μαμά + μου is the normal, natural way to say my mom.

Compare:

• η φίλη μου = my (female) friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house

If you said just μαμά μου it would sound like a direct address (Mom! as in calling her), not like a subject in a normal sentence.
Η μαμά alone would be the mom in general, not necessarily my mom.

Why does μου (my) come after μαμά instead of before, like in English?

In Greek, unstressed possessive pronouns (my, your, his etc.) usually follow the noun:

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• ο πατέρας σου = your dad
• το βιβλίο του = his book

This is just the standard word order: article + noun + possessive.
You do not say μου μαμά for my mom in a normal sentence.

What’s the difference between μαμά and μητέρα?

Both mean mother, but they differ in style:

• μαμά – informal, affectionate, like mom / mommy. This is what children and family members usually say.
• μητέρα – more formal, like mother. Used in formal speech, writing, or more distant / serious contexts.

In everyday conversation, μαμά is far more common:

• Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό… sounds natural and warm.
• Η μητέρα μου ψήνει γλυκό… is correct but more formal or distant.

What tense and person is ψήνει, and what is the basic form of the verb?

• Basic (dictionary) form: ψήνω = to bake / to roast / to grill.
• ψήνει is:
  • present tense
  • 3rd person singular
  • he/she/it bakes.

Rough paradigm (present):

• εγώ ψήνω – I bake
• εσύ ψήνεις – you bake
• αυτός/αυτή/αυτό ψήνει – he/she/it bakes
• εμείς ψήνουμε – we bake
• εσείς ψήνετε – you (plural/formal) bake
• αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά ψήνουν(ε) – they bake

So η μαμά μου ψήνει = my mom bakes (habitually).

In English we might say is baking. Why does Greek use simple present ψήνει here?

Greek present tense (ψήνει) corresponds to both:

• English bakes (habitual)
• English is baking (right now)

In this sentence, κάθε Κυριακή (every Sunday) shows a habit, so ψήνει naturally means bakes (every Sunday).

If you wanted to emphasize right now, you would still usually say:

• Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό τώρα. = My mom is baking a dessert now.

Greek doesn’t need a separate continuous form; context (words like κάθε, τώρα, etc.) clarifies the meaning.

What’s the difference between ψήνω and μαγειρεύω? Could I say Η μαμά μου μαγειρεύει γλυκό?

• ψήνω = to cook something with dry heat, usually in the oven or on a grill: to bake / roast / grill.
• μαγειρεύω = to cook in general, any method.

So:

• Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο.
  Emphasizes that she bakes it in the oven.
• Η μαμά μου μαγειρεύει γλυκό.
  Grammatically correct, but less specific; just says she is cooking a dessert. You lose the idea of baking in the oven.

For desserts in the oven, ψήνω is the normal, precise verb.

What exactly does γλυκό mean here? Why not γλυκά?

The word γλυκό (neuter) can mean:

1. sweet (adjective):
   
   • γλυκό μήλο = sweet apple.
2. dessert / sweet (noun):
   
   • Θέλεις γλυκό; = Do you want dessert?

In this sentence it is a noun meaning dessert / sweet.
It is:

• neuter
• singular
• accusative case (direct object of the verb)

Why singular γλυκό and not plural γλυκά (sweets)?

• γλυκό = one dessert / a dessert (or dessert in general, as a unit).
• γλυκά = sweets / desserts (plural items).

Here, ψήνει γλυκό sounds like she bakes a dessert (e.g. one cake or one tray of something). Saying ψήνει γλυκά would mean she bakes sweets (various types / pieces).

What does στον φούρνο literally mean, and why στον and not στο?

στον φούρνο breaks down as:

• σε = in / at / on / to (a very general preposition)
• τον = the (masculine, singular, accusative)
• φούρνο = oven (masculine, singular, accusative form)

σε + τον → στον (contraction)

So:

• στον φούρνο = in the oven.

Why στον and not στο?

• στο = σε + το (for neuter nouns)
  e.g. στο σπίτι (in the house)
• στον = σε + τον (for masculine nouns)
  e.g. στον φούρνο (in the oven)

Because φούρνος is masculine, you must use στον.

Why is φούρνο (oven) in that form and not φούρνος?

Greek nouns change form according to case.

• φούρνος is the nominative (dictionary form, used for the subject).
• φούρνο is the accusative form.

After the preposition σε, the noun normally takes the accusative case:

• στον φούρνο (σε + τον φούρνο)
• στο σπίτι (σε + το σπίτι)

So φούρνος → φούρνο because it’s the object of the preposition σε.

Why does the sentence use κάθε Κυριακή without an article? Why not κάθε την Κυριακή?

κάθε means every / each and it directly modifies a singular noun:

• κάθε Κυριακή = every Sunday
• κάθε μέρα = every day
• κάθε εβδομάδα = every week

With κάθε, you do not use the article:

• Correct: κάθε Κυριακή
• Incorrect: κάθε την Κυριακή

κάθε + noun (in accusative singular) is the normal structure for repeated, regular actions in time.

What is the case of γλυκό and why?

γλυκό here is:

• neuter
• singular
• accusative case

It is the direct object of the verb ψήνει (bakes what? → a dessert).

In Greek, direct objects of transitive verbs are in the accusative case, so:

• ψήνει γλυκό
• τρώει μήλο (he/she eats an apple)
• αγοράζω ένα βιβλίο (I buy a book)

Can I change the word order, for example: Κάθε Κυριακή η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο? Does it change the meaning?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible. All of these are possible and mean essentially the same:

• Η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο κάθε Κυριακή.
• Κάθε Κυριακή η μαμά μου ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο.
• Η μαμά μου κάθε Κυριακή ψήνει γλυκό στον φούρνο.

Differences are in emphasis, not basic meaning:

• Starting with Κάθε Κυριακή emphasizes the regularity: Every Sunday, my mom…
• Putting κάθε Κυριακή right after η μαμά μου slightly emphasizes my mom (in particular) every Sunday…

All are natural; the original is a neutral, common order.

How do you pronounce ψήνει, and what is the role of η and ει in the spelling?

Pronunciation: ψήνει = [psí-ni]

• ψ = ps (as in lapse)
• ή (η with accent) = stressed i sound
• ν = n
• ει at the end is also pronounced i

So the whole word has two syllables: ψή-νει, but both vowels sound like i, so you hear psí-ni.

Spelling:

• The η (with accent) marks the stressed syllable (ψή-).
• The ending -ει is the regular 3rd person singular present tense ending for many verbs (like μένει, παίζει, λέει), and it is also pronounced i.

Despite different spellings (η, ι, υ, ει, οι, υι), in modern Greek they all sound like i.