Παλιά τα πιάτα πλένονταν στο χέρι, τώρα όμως πλένονται στο πλυντήριο πιάτων.

In the past the dishes were washed by hand, but now they are washed in the dishwasher.

Breakdown of Παλιά τα πιάτα πλένονταν στο χέρι, τώρα όμως πλένονται στο πλυντήριο πιάτων.

• τώρα: now
• σε: in
• όμως: however
• πλένομαι: to be washed

Questions & Answers about Παλιά τα πιάτα πλένονταν στο χέρι, τώρα όμως πλένονται στο πλυντήριο πιάτων.

In this sentence, what exactly does Παλιά mean, and what kind of word is it?

Παλιά here is an adverb of time, not an adjective.

• As an adverb, Παλιά means in the past, back then, formerly.
  So Παλιά τα πιάτα πλένονταν στο χέρι = In the old days the dishes were washed by hand.

• As an adjective (feminine singular), παλιά would mean old and would stand before a feminine noun:

  • μια παλιά τσάντα = an old bag

Because in your sentence Παλιά stands alone at the start and does not describe a noun, it can only be an adverb meaning formerly / in the past.

What tense and voice are πλένονταν and πλένονται, and how would you translate them?

Both forms come from the verb πλένω (I wash), in the middle/passive voice.

• πλένονταν

  • tense: imperfect
  • voice: middle/passive
  • person/number: 3rd person plural
  • meaning: they were being washed / they used to be washed

• πλένονται

  • tense: present
  • voice: middle/passive
  • person/number: 3rd person plural
  • meaning: they are washed / they are being washed

So the contrast is:

• πλένονταν = were (habitually) washed in the past
• πλένονται = are washed now