Η ξαδέρφη μου δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο και κάνει ωραία κουρέματα.

My cousin (female) works at a hair salon and does nice haircuts.

Breakdown of Η ξαδέρφη μου δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο και κάνει ωραία κουρέματα.

• και: and
• μου: my
• σε: at
• δουλεύω: to work
• κάνω: to do
• ωραίος: nice
• η ξαδέρφη: the female cousin
• το κομμωτήριο: the hair salon
• το κούρεμα: the haircut

Questions & Answers about Η ξαδέρφη μου δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο και κάνει ωραία κουρέματα.

What is the difference between η ξαδέρφη and η ξαδέρφη μου?

Η ξαδέρφη means the (female) cousin.
When you add μου after it, η ξαδέρφη μου means my (female) cousin.

So:

• η ξαδέρφη = the cousin (female)
• η ξαδέρφη μου = my cousin (female)

Why is there η in front of ξαδέρφη?

Η is the feminine singular definite article, equivalent to English the.

Greek always uses an article with most singular countable nouns, especially with family members:

• η ξαδέρφη = the cousin (female)
• ο ξάδερφος = the cousin (male)

Even when English drops the, Greek usually keeps the article in such phrases.

Why does μου come after ξαδέρφη and not before, like in English?

In Greek, the unstressed possessive pronouns μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους normally follow the noun:

• η ξαδέρφη μου = my cousin
• το σπίτι σου = your house

Putting μου before the noun (e.g. μου ξαδέρφη) is ungrammatical in normal modern Greek; possessives go after the noun.

What tense and person is δουλεύει, and who is the subject?

Δουλεύει is:

• present tense
• 3rd person singular
• from the verb δουλεύω (to work).

The subject is η ξαδέρφη μου. Greek does not need a pronoun like she here; it is understood from the verb ending and the context:

• (Αυτή) δουλεύει = She works / She is working.

Does δουλεύει mean she works or she is working?

Both, depending on context.

Modern Greek has one present tense that covers:

• general/habitual actions: Δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο = She works at a hair salon.
• actions happening now: Τώρα δουλεύει = She is working now.

English separates these into simple present and present continuous; Greek doesn’t.

What exactly does σε κομμωτήριο mean, and why not στο κομμωτήριο?

• σε κομμωτήριο = at a hair salon (non-specific, any hair salon)
• στο κομμωτήριο = at the hair salon (a specific one both speakers know)

Σε + neuter noun without article gives a more indefinite meaning.
σε + το contracts to στο and points to a particular place.

So δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο describes her workplace type in general, not one particular salon you’ve already identified.

What is κομμωτήριο? Is it a person or a place, and what gender is it?

Κομμωτήριο is:

• a place: a hair salon / hairdresser’s shop
• a neuter noun (article: το κομμωτήριο, plural: τα κομμωτήρια).

For people you use:

• ο κομμωτής = male hairdresser
• η κομμώτρια = female hairdresser

Why does the sentence use κάνει ωραία κουρέματα instead of a verb like κουρεύει?

In Greek, κάνω (to do/make) is often used with a noun to describe producing a result:

• κάνει ωραία κουρέματα = she does/makes nice haircuts.

You could also say:

• κουρεύει πολύ ωραία = she cuts (hair) very nicely.

Both are natural, but κάνει ωραία κουρέματα focuses on the results (the haircuts she produces) as countable things.

Why is κουρέματα in the plural here?

Κούρεμα (singular) means a haircut; κουρέματα is the plural: haircuts.

Using the plural κουρέματα highlights that:

• she regularly produces many haircuts, and
• they are generally nice.

It’s similar to English: She does nice haircuts (in general, for clients).

What form is ωραία here, and what does it agree with?

Ωραία is the neuter plural form of the adjective ωραίος (nice, beautiful).

It agrees with κουρέματα:

• ωραία κουρέματα = nice haircuts
  
  • ωραία: neuter plural nominative/accusative
  • κουρέματα: neuter plural nominative/accusative

So ωραία is functioning as a regular adjective modifying κουρέματα.

Can I change the word order, for example Η μου ξαδέρφη δουλεύει…?

No. That word order is wrong in standard modern Greek.

The natural order is:

• η ξαδέρφη μου δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο και κάνει ωραία κουρέματα.

Key points:

• the article and noun stay together: η ξαδέρφη
• the possessive follows the noun: η ξαδέρφη μου
• adverbial phrases like σε κομμωτήριο usually come after the verb, but they are more flexible (you could also say Η ξαδέρφη μου σε κομμωτήριο δουλεύει, but that sounds marked/emphatic).

How do you pronounce the sentence, and where is the stress in each word?

Stress (accent) is on the bold syllable in each word:

• Η ξαδέρφη μου δουλέβει σε κομμωτήριο και κάνει ωραíα κουρέματα.

Rough pronunciation guide (approximate, using English sounds):

• η = ee
• ξα = ksa
• δέρ = ther (like there)
• φη = fee
• μου = moo
• δου = dhu (like th in this
  • oo)
• λέ = le (as in let)
• βει = vi (vee)
• σε = se (as in set)
• κομ = kom
• μω = mo
• τή = tee
• ριο = rio
• και = ke (like keh) in modern Greek
• κά = ka (as in cut but shorter, not English kay)
• νει = ni (nee)
• ω = o (like or but shorter)
• ραí = re (ray)
• α = a (short a)
• κου = ku (koo)
• ρέ = re (reh)
• μα = ma
• τα = ta

Are there alternative natural ways to say the same idea in Greek?

Yes, for example:

• Η ξαδέρφη μου είναι κομμώτρια και κουρεύει πολύ ωραία.
  My cousin is a hairdresser and cuts (hair) very nicely.

• Η ξαδέρφη μου δουλεύει σε κομμωτήριο· κουρεύει υπέροχα.
  My cousin works at a hair salon; she gives wonderful haircuts.

These keep the same basic meaning but change the structure and vocabulary a bit.