Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.

Today I am washing the pan in the kitchen.

Breakdown of Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.

• σήμερα: today
• σε: in
• η κουζίνα: the kitchen
• πλένω: to wash
• το τηγάνι: the frying pan

Questions & Answers about Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.

Why is there no word for I in the sentence?

In Greek you usually omit subject pronouns, because the verb ending shows who the subject is.

• πλένω is the 1st person singular form of the verb πλένω.
• This ending -ω here tells you the subject is I.

So Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα is understood as Today I wash / I am washing the frying pan in the kitchen even without an explicit εγώ (I).
You could say Εγώ σήμερα πλένω… for emphasis, but it is not necessary.

What exactly does πλένω mean here – I wash or I am washing?

Greek has one present tense (the present indicative) that covers both:

• I wash (habitual or general)
• I am washing (right now / around now)

So πλένω can mean:

• I wash the frying pan (maybe part of a routine), or
• I am washing the frying pan (today / right now)

The adverb σήμερα (today) makes it sound more like an action that is happening today, often understood as I am washing it today.

Why is σήμερα placed at the beginning? Could it go somewhere else?

Word order in Greek is relatively flexible. Σήμερα (today) is often placed first for emphasis on the time.

These are all possible and correct:

• Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.
• Πλένω σήμερα το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.
• Πλένω το τηγάνι σήμερα στην κουζίνα.

They all mean the same in basic meaning, but putting σήμερα first highlights today more strongly. The sentence you have is the most natural, neutral-sounding version.

Why is it το τηγάνι and not some other article?

τηγάνι (frying pan) is a neuter noun in Greek.

• Nominative / Accusative singular neuter article: το
• Noun: το τηγάνι

In this sentence, το τηγάνι is the direct object (the thing being washed), and in Greek direct objects take the accusative case.
For neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative forms look the same: το τηγάνι.

In English I might say a frying pan, but Greek uses το τηγάνι (the). Why?

Greek uses the definite article το more often than English uses the.

το τηγάνι can mean:

• a specific pan both speakers know about, or
• “the frying pan” in a general / situational sense (for example, the pan currently being used in the kitchen)

If you really wanted to stress that it is one frying pan, not another, you could add ένα:

• Πλένω ένα τηγάνι – I wash a (one) frying pan (not very common in this specific context).

In everyday speech, το τηγάνι is the natural way to say the / a frying pan here.

What gender are τηγάνι and κουζίνα, and how can I tell?

• τηγάνι is neuter.

  • Article: το τηγάνι
  • Typical neuter singular ending: -ι

• κουζίνα is feminine.

  • Article: η κουζίνα (nominative)
  • Typical feminine singular ending: -α

In your sentence:

• το τηγάνι – neuter, accusative singular.
• στην κουζίνα – feminine, accusative singular after a preposition.

Why is it στην κουζίνα and not just σε κουζίνα?

Greek almost always uses a noun with an article after the preposition σε (in, at, to).

• σε
  • την κουζίνα (the kitchen, feminine accusative)
    becomes the contracted form στην κουζίνα.

So:

• σε + την = στην
• σε + τον = στον
• σε + το = στο

Saying σε κουζίνα without the article would sound very unnatural here.

What is the function of the preposition σε in στην κουζίνα?

σε is a very common preposition; here it means in.

• στην κουζίνα = σε
  • την κουζίνα = in the kitchen

After σε, Greek uses the accusative case, which is why it is την κουζίνα (accusative) rather than η κουζίνα (nominative). The contraction hides it a bit, but grammatically it is still accusative.

Could the sentence be Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα μου? What changes?

Yes, completely correct:

• Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα μου.
  = Today I wash / am washing the frying pan in my kitchen.

Here:

• μου = my
• στην κουζίνα μου = in my kitchen

μου is an unstressed possessive pronoun that comes after the noun it modifies (unlike English my kitchen).

Is there any difference between πλένω and πλύνω?

Yes, they are different aspects of the same verb.

• πλένω – present stem, imperfective aspect.
  Used for present, repeated, or ongoing actions (I wash, I am washing, I used to wash).

• πλύνω – future / aorist stem, perfective aspect.
  Used mainly for:

  • Future: θα πλύνω – I will wash (once, a completed event)
  • Aorist subjunctive: να πλύνω – that I wash / in order for me to wash (completed action)

In your sentence, πλένω is correct because the action is simply “I am washing / I wash” today.

How do you pronounce τηγάνι and what sound does γ make here?

τηγάνι is pronounced approximately tee-YA-nee.

• τη- → tee
• -γά- → ya (soft g, like y in yes)
• -νι → nee

In Greek, before ε and ι sounds (ε, αι, ι, η, υ, ει, οι), the consonant γ is pronounced like an English y.
So in τηγάνι, γ is not like hard g in go, but like y in yes.

Why is το τηγάνι after the verb and στην κουζίνα at the end? Could the order change?

Yes, Greek word order is flexible. The usual neutral order is:

• Subject (often implied) – Verb – Object – Place/Time

So:

• (Εγώ) πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα.

You can move parts for emphasis:

• Στην κουζίνα πλένω το τηγάνι σήμερα. (emphasis on in the kitchen)
• Το τηγάνι πλένω σήμερα στην κουζίνα. (emphasis on the frying pan, not something else)

The version you have, Σήμερα πλένω το τηγάνι στην κουζίνα, is neutral and natural, emphasizing today slightly.

What are the plural forms of τηγάνι and κουζίνα?

• τηγάνι (neuter)

  • Singular: το τηγάνι
  • Plural: τα τηγάνια

• κουζίνα (feminine)

  • Singular: η κουζίνα
  • Plural: οι κουζίνες

Example:

• Σήμερα πλένω τα τηγάνια στην κουζίνα.
  Today I wash / am washing the frying pans in the kitchen.