Learn Hardcore Greek: Η δασκάλα μας λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι σημαντική, αλλά όχι πιο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση. - Our teacher tells us that grammar is important, but not more important than practice.

Leaving the article out (Γραμματική είναι σημαντική) is either wrong or sounds very marked/poetic. In normal speech and writing, you almost always use the article here.

What exactly does μας mean in Η δασκάλα μας? Is it "our teacher" or "the teacher tells us"?

In Η δασκάλα μας, the μας is possessive: it means our.

η δασκάλα μας = our teacher

Greek uses the weak pronoun μας after the noun instead of a separate word like "our":

η δασκάλα μας
το βιβλίο μας (our book)
ο φίλος μας (our friend)

If you wanted "The teacher tells us", you would normally show that μας belongs to the verb, e.g. by stressing it:

Η δασκάλα μάς λέει ότι… = The teacher tells us that…

So:

η δασκάλα μας (no stress on μας) → our teacher
η δασκάλα μάς λέει (stressed μάς) → tells us

Why is μας placed after δασκάλα (Η δασκάλα μας) and not before, like in English "our teacher"?

Weak possessive pronouns in Greek (μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους) always follow the noun they modify:

η δασκάλα μας (our teacher)
το σπίτι σας (your house)
η μητέρα μου (my mother)

You do not say μας η δασκάλα in standard modern Greek.

If you want to emphasize possession, you can add δικός/δική/δικό before the noun, but the pronoun still stays after:

η δική μας δασκάλα = our (own) teacher (with extra emphasis on our)

What tense is λέει here, and why isn't it είπε?

λέει is the present tense of the verb λέω (to say).

Η δασκάλα μας λέει ότι…
= Our teacher says (tells us) that…
→ can mean:
- she says this right now, or
- she regularly says this (habitually)

είπε is past tense (aorist): she said (once, completed action).

Η δασκάλα μας είπε ότι…
= Our teacher said that… (on a particular occasion in the past)

So the sentence is in the present because it describes what she says (now or usually), not a one‑time past event.

What is the role of ότι in λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι σημαντική? Is it the same as English "that"?

Yes. ότι here is a conjunction meaning that introducing reported speech / a subordinate clause:

λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι σημαντική
= she says that grammar is important

Common points:

You can usually translate λέω ότι… as I say (that)… or I’m saying (that)….
Spoken Greek often uses πως instead of ότι in this meaning:
- λέει πως η γραμματική είναι σημαντική
  (same meaning)

Be careful not to confuse ότι (that) with ό,τι (whatever / anything that), which is written with a comma.

Why is γραμματική followed by σημαντική (ending in -ή)? How does agreement work here?

γραμματική is a feminine noun (like most nouns ending in -ική):

η γραμματική (grammar)

Adjectives in Greek must agree with the noun in:

gender (masculine / feminine / neuter)
number (singular / plural)
case (nominative / accusative / etc.)

The adjective σημαντικός, -ή, -ό (important) has:

masculine: σημαντικός
feminine: σημαντική
neuter: σημαντικό

Because η γραμματική is feminine singular nominative, we use:

η γραμματική είναι σημαντική
(grammar is important)

Why is there a comma before αλλά?

αλλά means but and connects two clauses that contrast with each other:

Clause 1: Η δασκάλα μας λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι σημαντική
Clause 2: (η γραμματική είναι) αλλά όχι πιο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση

In written Greek, when αλλά connects two full clauses or long parts of a sentence, it is normally preceded by a comma, just like English:

…is important, but not more important than practice.

If the parts are very short, Greek sometimes drops the comma, but here the comma is normal and correct.

How does the comparative πιο σημαντική από work? Is this the standard way to say "more important than"?

Yes. The usual comparative structure in modern Greek is:

πιο + adjective + από + noun/pronoun

So:

σημαντική = important
πιο σημαντική = more important
πιο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση = more important than practice

Other examples:

πιο μεγάλος από μένα = bigger than me
πιο ακριβό από το άλλο = more expensive than the other

Note:

The word after από is in the accusative case:
- από την εξάσκηση (not από η εξάσκηση)

Could we say λιγότερο σημαντική instead of όχι πιο σημαντική? What's the difference?

Both are possible, but they express slightly different nuances:

όχι πιο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση
= not more important than practice
→ implies: at most equal, maybe less, but not higher in importance.
λιγότερο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση
= less important than practice
→ clearly says grammar is less important.

Your sentence is trying to say: Grammar is important, but not more important than practice (they’re at least equally important; practice might even be more). So όχι πιο σημαντική από… matches that nuance well.

Why is it από την εξάσκηση and not just από εξάσκηση?

Two reasons:

από normally takes a full noun phrase with an article when you are comparing specific or general things:
- πιο σημαντική από την εξάσκηση
- καλύτερος από το άλλο βιβλίο
As with η γραμματική, Greek often uses the definite article with abstract nouns used in a general sense:
- η εξάσκηση είναι απαραίτητη = practice is necessary

So από την εξάσκηση is the natural phrasing.
από εξάσκηση is not grammatical in this comparative structure.

What exactly does εξάσκηση mean? Is it the same as άσκηση?

Both are related but not identical:

η άσκηση
- an exercise, a specific task
- also: exercise (physical or mental) in general
- e.g. μια άσκηση γραμματικής = a grammar exercise
η εξάσκηση
- the process of practising, practice as an ongoing activity
- e.g. χρειάζεσαι περισσότερη εξάσκηση = you need more practice

In your sentence:

η εξάσκηση = practice (the ongoing activity of using the language)

Could the sentence be rephrased to emphasize that practice is at least as important as grammar?

Yes, very naturally. For example:

Η δασκάλα μας λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι σημαντική, αλλά η εξάσκηση είναι εξίσου σημαντική.
= Our teacher tells us that grammar is important, but practice is equally important.

Or using τόσο… όσο…:

Η δασκάλα μας λέει ότι η γραμματική είναι τόσο σημαντική όσο και η εξάσκηση.
= Our teacher tells us that grammar is as important as practice.