Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.

Breakdown of Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.

είμαι
to be
αυτός
this
πολύ
very
σε
on
ενδιαφέρων
interesting
το ραδιόφωνο
the radio
η εκπομπή
the program
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Questions & Answers about Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.

Why do we need both Αυτή and η before εκπομπή? Isn’t one word for this enough?

In Greek, the normal way to say this + noun is:

Αυτή η εκπομπή
this the show (literally) → this show

So you typically use:

  • demonstrative (αυτός / αυτή / αυτό = this)
  • definite article (ο / η / το = the)
  • noun

Examples:

  • Αυτός ο άνθρωπος = this man
  • Αυτή η πόλη = this city
  • Αυτό το βιβλίο = this book

You can drop Αυτή and just say Η εκπομπή (= the show), but then you lose the meaning this and you only say the show.

You normally do not say Αυτή εκπομπή without η in standard modern Greek; it sounds wrong or very foreign. The article in Greek is used much more frequently than in English, and it shows the gender/case of the noun.

How do I know that εκπομπή is feminine, and what has to agree with it?

You can see εκπομπή is feminine because of:

  1. The article: η εκπομπή (feminine singular nominative).
  2. The endings: many feminine nouns end in (stressed -i) in the nominative singular.

Agreement:

  • The demonstrative Αυτή is feminine singular nominative to match εκπομπή.
  • The article η is also feminine singular nominative.
  • The adjective ενδιαφέρουσα is feminine singular nominative as well.

So everything matches:

  • Αυτή (fem.)
  • η (fem.)
  • εκπομπή (fem. noun)
  • ενδιαφέρουσα (fem. adjective)
What exactly is στο ραδιόφωνο? Why στο and not something else?

Στο is a contraction of:

  • σε (in, at, on)
  • το (the, neuter singular nominative/accusative)

So:

  • σε + το ραδιόφωνοστο ραδιόφωνο

The whole phrase στο ραδιόφωνο literally means in/on the radio and is the natural way to say on the radio in Greek.

Other examples of this contraction:

  • σε + τον δρόμοστον δρόμο = on the road / in the street
  • σε + την τηλεόρασηστην τηλεόραση = on TV
  • σε + το σπίτιστο σπίτι = at home / to the house
Why does Greek say στο ραδιόφωνο for on the radio? Isn’t σε more like in/at?

The preposition σε is very flexible. Depending on context, it can translate as in, at, on, to.

In many fixed expressions with media and places, Greek uses σε where English might use on or at:

  • στο ραδιόφωνο = on the radio
  • στην τηλεόραση = on TV
  • στο ίντερνετ = on the internet
  • στη δουλειά = at work

So you don’t need a separate word for on here; σε + article covers that meaning.

Why is ενδιαφέρουσα in that form? What does the ending -ουσα show?

Ενδιαφέρουσα is the feminine singular nominative form of the adjective ενδιαφέρων, ενδιαφέρουσα, ενδιαφέρον (= interesting).

Greek adjectives change their endings to agree in:

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

Here, the noun εκπομπή is feminine singular nominative, so the adjective takes the same gender/number/case:

  • ενδιαφέρουσα (fem. sing. nom.)

Other forms of the same adjective:

  • ενδιαφέρων άντρας = interesting man (masc.)
  • ενδιαφέρουσα ταινία = interesting movie (fem.)
  • ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο = interesting book (neuter)
What is the role of πολύ in πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα? Where does it go in the sentence?

Πολύ here is an adverb meaning very.

Position:

  • It usually comes right before the adjective it modifies:

    • πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα εκπομπή = a very interesting show
    • πολύ καλό βιβλίο = a very good book

If you want to add more emphasis, you can say:

  • πάρα πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα = very, very interesting / extremely interesting

Note: πολύ can also be an adverb meaning a lot, much, many, depending on context:

  • Μου αρέσει πολύ. = I like it a lot.
  • Έχει πολύ κόσμο. = There are many people.
Could I change the word order, for example: Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι ενδιαφέρουσα πολύ?

Greek word order is more flexible than English, but not every order sounds natural.

  • Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.
    This is the most natural, neutral word order.

If you move πολύ, some versions may sound outdated or poetic:

  • …είναι ενδιαφέρουσα πολύ is possible but sounds literary or old-fashioned in modern everyday speech.

You can move other parts for emphasis:

  • Είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο.
    Emphasis on είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα (it really is very interesting).

  • Στο ραδιόφωνο, αυτή η εκπομπή είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.
    Emphasis on the location on the radio.

But the basic pattern with πολύ before the adjective is the default.

Does είναι only mean is, or can it also mean it’s being (continuous) in Greek?

Είναι is the 3rd person singular of είμαι (= to be). Greek does not distinguish between is and is being the way English does.

So είναι can correspond to:

  • is
  • is being
  • sometimes it’s (as part of a longer phrase)

In this sentence:

  • Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα.
    This show on the radio is very interesting.

Greek present tense often covers both simple present and present continuous meanings. Context decides whether it feels more like is generally interesting or is interesting (right now).

Could I leave out the article and say Αυτή εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα?

No, that sounds incorrect in standard modern Greek.

With demonstratives and nouns, you almost always need the article:

  • Αυτή η εκπομπή = this show
  • Αυτό το παιδί = this child
  • Αυτοί οι άνθρωποι = these people

Leaving out η in Αυτή εκπομπή is not how native speakers form this structure. It will sound foreign or wrong.

What you can do is:

  • Αυτή η εκπομπή… = this show…
  • Η εκπομπή… = the show…
    but not Αυτή εκπομπή… in normal usage.
What exactly does εκπομπή mean? Is it only for radio shows?

Εκπομπή means program / show, and it can be:

  • a radio show
  • a TV show
  • sometimes a broadcast in general

Examples:

  • ραδιοφωνική εκπομπή = radio show
  • τηλεοπτική εκπομπή = TV show
  • μουσική εκπομπή = music show/program

In your sentence, because we have στο ραδιόφωνο, we know εκπομπή is a radio show/program.

How do I pronounce Αυτή η εκπομπή στο ραδιόφωνο είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα?

Here’s a syllable-by-syllable breakdown (approximate, in Latin letters):

  • Αυτή → af-TÍ
  • η → i
  • εκπομπή → ek-pom-BÍ
  • στο → sto
  • ραδιόφωνο → ra-thi-Ó-fo-no (the δ is like the th in this)
  • είναι → Í-ne
  • πολύ → po-LÍ
  • ενδιαφέρουσα → en-thi-a-FÉ-rou-sa

Sentence rhythm:

af-TÍ i ek-pom-BÍ sto ra-thi-Ó-fo-no Í-ne po-LÍ en-thi-a-FÉ-rou-sa

Stress in Greek is very important: the accent mark (´) on the vowel shows which syllable should be stressed.

What is the difference between πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα and just ενδιαφέρουσα?
  • ενδιαφέρουσα = interesting
  • πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα = very interesting

So πολύ intensifies the adjective:

  • Without πολύ: the show is interesting, but we don’t know how much.
  • With πολύ: you clearly show that it is very interesting, not just a little bit.