Breakdown of Η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού στο πανεπιστήμιο.
Questions & Answers about Η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού στο πανεπιστήμιο.
In Greek, the weak possessive pronouns (μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους) normally come after the noun, not before it.
The typical pattern is:
- article + noun + possessive pronoun
- η αδερφή μου = my sister
- το σπίτι σου = your house
- ο φίλος μας = our friend
You almost never say η μου αδερφή; that sounds wrong in modern Greek.
If you want to emphasize whose sister it is, you can say:
- η δικιά μου αδερφή = my sister (as opposed to someone else’s)
Greek almost always uses the definite article (ο, η, το) with a possessed noun:
- η αδερφή μου = my sister
- ο πατέρας του = his father
- το βιβλίο μας = our book
So in Greek, something like αδερφή μου without the article is usually either:
- poetic/literary, or
- part of a special expression (e.g. in direct address, αδερφή μου! = “my sister!”)
In everyday standard Greek, η αδερφή μου with the article is the normal form.
είναι is the 3rd person singular (and also 3rd person plural) of the verb είμαι (to be):
- είμαι = I am
- είσαι = you are (singular)
- είναι = he / she / it is; they are
In Η αδερφή μου είναι…, the subject is η αδερφή μου (my sister), which is 3rd person singular, so we use είναι.
Greek does not change the verb form according to grammatical gender (he/she/it).
One form είναι is used for he is, she is, it is, they are, and context tells you which one it is.
Both are possible, but είναι μέλος is more natural here.
In Greek, with είμαι + noun of role/profession/identity, the article is often omitted:
- Είναι καθηγητής. = He is a professor.
- Είμαι φοιτήτρια. = I am a student.
- Η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος… = My sister is a member…
You can say είναι ένα μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού, but:
- it sounds a bit more “counting members” or slightly heavier;
- the simple, idiomatic way is είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού.
In Greek, nouns have grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), which doesn’t always match the biological gender of the person.
μέλος is neuter by dictionary/generic gender:
- το μέλος (singular)
- τα μέλη (plural)
It is used for any member, male or female. The fact that your sister is female doesn’t change the grammatical gender of the word μέλος.
So:
- Η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος.
- Subject: η αδερφή (feminine)
- Predicate noun: μέλος (neuter)
The agreement is in number (both singular), not in gender.
All three are possible, but they have slightly different flavors:
μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού
- very common, neutral
- literally: member in a dance group
- focuses a bit on being in/part of such a group
μέλος μιας ομάδας χορού
- literally: member of a dance group
- also correct; sounds a bit more formal/written
μέλος της ομάδας χορού
- member of the dance group (a specific group already known in the context)
In everyday speech, μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού is very natural and common.
σε is a very general preposition meaning “in / at / to / on”, depending on context.
- σε μια ομάδα = in a group
- σε το πανεπιστήμιο → contracts to στο πανεπιστήμιο
στο is just the contraction of σε + το:
- σε + το = στο
- σε + τον = στον
- σε + την = στη(ν)
- σε + τα = στα
So:
- σε μια ομάδα
- μια is the indefinite article (“a”), so no contraction.
- στο πανεπιστήμιο
- το πανεπιστήμιο = the university
- σε + το πανεπιστήμιο → στο πανεπιστήμιο = at the university
This is about cases:
- ομάδα is in the accusative singular:
- μια ομάδα = a group (direct object of σε)
- χορού is in the genitive singular:
- χορού = of dance
The structure ομάδα χορού literally means “group of dance”, i.e. a dance group.
In Greek, one noun often modifies another using the genitive case:
- ομάδα χορού = group of dance → dance group
- μάθημα ιστορίας = lesson of history → history lesson
- δωμάτιο παιδιού = room of (a) child → child’s room
So:
- ομάδα: accusative (object of σε)
- χορού: genitive (shows the type of group)
No, ομάδα χορός is ungrammatical in standard Greek.
To say “dance group”, you either:
- use the genitive noun:
- ομάδα χορού = group of dance → dance group
- or use an adjective:
- χορευτική ομάδα = dancing/dance group (more formal/literary)
But you cannot just put two nouns in the nominative/accusative side by side as in English “dance group” (ομάδα χορός). Greek needs the genitive or an adjective.
Greek σε covers several English prepositions: in, at, to, on. Context decides the exact English translation.
- στο πανεπιστήμιο can mean:
- at the university (location)
- sometimes “in the university” (inside the institution)
- or “at university” in the general sense of being a university student, depending on context
So the Greek phrase is broader in meaning than any single English preposition. We choose the best English equivalent depending on usage; here, “at the university” is the natural translation.
Yes. Greek word order is relatively flexible, especially for phrases like this. You can say:
- Η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού στο πανεπιστήμιο.
- Στο πανεπιστήμιο, η αδερφή μου είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού.
- Η αδερφή μου, στο πανεπιστήμιο, είναι μέλος σε μια ομάδα χορού.
The meaning stays the same; the difference is in emphasis or style:
- Starting with Στο πανεπιστήμιο highlights the location more.
- Keeping Η αδερφή μου first is the most neutral and typical.
They are the same word, just different spellings/pronunciations:
- αδελφή is the more formal / older spelling (closer to Ancient Greek ἀδελφή).
- αδερφή reflects the way many Greeks actually pronounce it in everyday speech.
Both are correct in modern Greek.
- In formal writing, you’ll often see αδελφή.
- In everyday writing and speech, αδερφή is very common.
Meaning in both cases: sister.