Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.

I am growing up in a small village near the sea.

Breakdown of Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.

• σε: to
• μικρός: small
• σε: in
• κοντά: near
• η θάλασσα: the sea
• το χωριό: the village
• μεγαλώνω: to raise

Questions & Answers about Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.

What tense is Μεγαλώνω, and does it mean “I grow up” or “I am growing up”?

Μεγαλώνω is the present tense, 1st person singular of the verb μεγαλώνω.

Greek present tense covers both:

• I grow up / I grow (habitual / general)
• I am growing up (right now / around this time)

So Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα can be translated as:

• I grow up in a small village near the sea, or
• I am growing up in a small village near the sea, depending on context.

To say I grew up, you would typically use:

• Μεγάλωσα σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.
  (Μεγάλωσα = aorist past, “I grew up”.)

Why is there no “I” (Εγώ) in the Greek sentence?

Greek usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject.

• Μεγαλώνω already tells you it is 1st person singular: I grow / I am growing.
• Εγώ μεγαλώνω is grammatically correct, but you normally use Εγώ only for emphasis, for example:
  • Εγώ μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό, όχι η αδερφή μου.
    (I am the one growing up in a small village, not my sister.)

So the natural neutral sentence is just:

• Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.

Why is there no word for “a” in σε μικρό χωριό? Should it be σε ένα μικρό χωριό?

Greek has an indefinite article (ένας, μία / μια, ένα), but it is often omitted where English uses “a”.

• Σε μικρό χωριό = in a small village (general / neutral)
• Σε ένα μικρό χωριό = in a certain / one small village (a bit more specific or emphasizing “one”)

In many descriptions of where someone lives or grows up, omitting the article is very natural:

• Μένω σε μικρό διαμέρισμα. – I live in a small apartment.
• Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό. – I grow up in a small village.

So both σε μικρό χωριό and σε ένα μικρό χωριό are correct; the version without ένα is just more neutral and slightly more generic.

Why is it μικρό χωριό and not μικρός χωριός?

Both the adjective and noun have to agree in gender, number, and case.

• Χωριό is neuter, singular, in the accusative case here.
• The correct neuter form of the adjective μικρός in the singular accusative is μικρό.

So:

• μικρός = masculine (e.g. μικρός άντρας)
• μικρή = feminine (e.g. μικρή γυναίκα)
• μικρό = neuter (e.g. μικρό χωριό)

Therefore:

• σε μικρό χωριό = in a small (neuter) village
  not σε μικρός χωριός, which would be the wrong gender and case.

Why is the preposition σε used with χωριό, and what case does it take?

The preposition σε is very common and usually means in, at, on, to depending on context.

With σε:

• The noun that follows is in the accusative case.
• Here: σε (μικρό) χωριό → χωριό is accusative singular neuter.

So:

• σε χωριό – in a village
• σε πόλη – in a city
• σε σπίτι – in a house

In this sentence, σε μικρό χωριό means in a small village.

What is the difference between σε μικρό χωριό and στο μικρό χωριό?

Form:

• σε + το → στο (preposition + definite article contraction)
  • σε το μικρό χωριό → στο μικρό χωριό

Meaning:

• σε μικρό χωριό = in a small village (indefinite, any such village)
• στο μικρό χωριό = in the small village (a specific one known to speaker/listener)

So:

• Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό… – I grow up in a (some) small village…
• Μεγαλώνω στο μικρό χωριό δίπλα στην πόλη. – I grow up in the small village next to the city (both know which one).

Why is μικρό placed before χωριό? Can I say χωριό μικρό instead?

The normal position for adjectives in Greek is before the noun:

• μικρό χωριό – a small village
• μεγάλο σπίτι – a big house
• καινούριο αυτοκίνητο – a new car

You can technically say χωριό μικρό, but that word order:

• Sounds more poetic or emphatic, or
• Might occur in fixed expressions / contrasts.

In everyday speech and writing, you should generally put the adjective before the noun:

• Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό… is the natural word order.

What is the function of κοντά in κοντά στη θάλασσα?

Κοντά is an adverb meaning near / close (by).
When you want to say near something, you usually use:

• κοντά σε + [noun in accusative]

In the sentence:

• κοντά σε τη θάλασσα → contracts to κοντά στη θάλασσα

So:

• κοντά σε = near to
• κοντά στη θάλασσα = near the sea
• κοντά στην πόλη = near the city
• κοντά στο σχολείο = near the school

What exactly is στη in κοντά στη θάλασσα?

Στη is a contraction of the preposition σε and the definite article τη(ν):

• σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν)

So:

• κοντά σε τη θάλασσα → κοντά στη θάλασσα

Similarly:

• σε + το → στο (στο χωριό)
• σε + τον → στον (στον δρόμο)
• σε + τις → στις (στις πόλεις)

Native speakers almost always use the contracted forms in speech and writing.

Why is it στη θάλασσα (with the article) and not just σε θάλασσα?

In Greek, many natural places and common locations are typically used with the definite article, even when English might say “the” or sometimes no article:

• στη θάλασσα – at / to / near the sea
• στο βουνό – in the mountains / on the mountain
• στη δουλειά – at work
• στο σχολείο – at school

Here, θάλασσα is feminine singular accusative, with its article τη(ν):

• στη θάλασσα = σε + τη θάλασσα

You could say σε θάλασσα in a very abstract or unusual sense (e.g. “in a sea of…” metaphorically), but for the physical sea as a place, στη θάλασσα is the natural expression.

How can I say “I grew up in a small village near the sea” in Greek?

Use the aorist past of μεγαλώνω:

• Μεγάλωσα σε (ένα) μικρό χωριό κοντά στη θάλασσα.

Breakdown:

• Μεγάλωσα – I grew up (aorist, single completed action)
• σε (ένα) μικρό χωριό – in a small village
• κοντά στη θάλασσα – near the sea

Adding ένα is optional, as before:

• With ένα – slightly more specific: in one particular small village.
• Without ένα – more neutral / general.

What is the difference between μεγαλώνω and ζω in sentences about where I live?

• Μεγαλώνω = I grow up (or I am being raised)

  • Focuses on the process of growing from child to adult.
  • Μεγαλώνω σε μικρό χωριό. – I grow up in a small village.

• Ζω = I live

  • Simply states where you currently live, without the idea of childhood / development.
  • Ζω σε μικρό χωριό. – I live in a small village.

So:

• Talking about your childhood / upbringing: use μεγαλώνω / μεγάλωσα.
• Talking about your current residence: use ζω / έζησα / μένω.