Learn Hardcore Greek: Στη βιντεοκλήση η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη, ενώ η φωνή της δασκάλας ακούγεται κανονικά. - In the video call the picture is frozen, while the teacher’s voice sounds normal.

σε + την βιντεοκλήση → στην βιντεοκλήση
Then the final ν drops before β (because it’s not one of the consonants that keep the ν), so:
στην βιντεοκλήση → στη βιντεοκλήση

In normal modern Greek:

σε την → στην → στη You rarely (basically never) write σε τη in standard Greek.

Why is it βιντεοκλήση and not something like βίντεο κλήση as two words?

Βιντεοκλήση is a compound noun:

βίντεο (video)
κλήση (call)

In modern Greek, many such combinations have become a single word:

βιντεοκλήση (video call)
ηχογράφηση (sound + recording)
τηλεφωνική κλήση (here it stays two words)

Βιντεοκλήση is:

feminine
singular
nominative/accusative form: η βιντεοκλήση / τη βιντεοκλήση
plural: οι βιντεοκλήσεις / τις βιντεοκλήσεις

The stress is on -κλή-: βι-ντε-ο-ΚΛΗ-ση.

Why is there an article in Στη βιντεοκλήση, when in English we often say on video call without the?

Greek uses the definite article much more than English.

Στη βιντεοκλήση literally corresponds to in/on the video call.
In English, it’s natural to drop the in many set phrases: on video call, on camera, on Zoom.
In Greek, leaving out the article here (σε βιντεοκλήση) sounds either:
- more like a label/description, or
- slightly incomplete / non‑idiomatic in ordinary conversation.

So:

Στη βιντεοκλήση = in the particular video call (the one we’re on right now). The definite article points to a specific situation, which fits the context well.

In η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη, what is κολλημένη grammatically, and why is it feminine?

Κολλημένη is a participle / adjective form derived from the verb κολλάω (to stick).

Masculine: κολλημένος
Feminine: κολλημένη
Neuter: κολλημένο

In the sentence, the subject is η εικόνα (feminine singular), so the adjective has to agree in:

gender: feminine
number: singular
case: nominative (because it describes the subject)

So we say:

η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη

Literally: the image is stuck → used idiomatically for frozen video in a call.

Why do we say είναι κολλημένη and not a verb like κολλάει here?

Είναι κολλημένη describes a state, not an action:

είναι κολλημένη = it is in a stuck/frozen state (result of some problem)
κολλάει (from κολλάω) would mean it is sticking / it keeps freezing / it lags (more like an ongoing action or repeated problem)

In the sentence, we want:

Right now, the picture is frozen (in a stuck state). So Greek uses είναι + adjective (κολλημένη) to talk about this current condition.

What does ενώ do in this sentence, and how is it different from αλλά or όμως?

Ενώ is a subordinating conjunction. Here it introduces a contrast, similar to:

while, whereas, even though in English.

The structure is:

Η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη, ενώ η φωνή της δασκάλας ακούγεται κανονικά.
- The picture is frozen, while/whereas the teacher’s voice is heard normally.

Difference from other words:

αλλά = but (simple contrast between two clauses; coordinates them)
όμως = but/however (often more emphatic, can move around in the sentence)
ενώ = while / whereas (introduces a subordinate clause and often highlights a contrast between simultaneous or coexisting situations)

Here ενώ nicely emphasizes: one thing is bad (picture frozen), but at the same time another thing is fine (audio).

In η φωνή της δασκάλας, why is it της δασκάλας and not η δασκάλα?

Της δασκάλας is in the genitive case, showing possession or association:

η φωνή = the voice (subject)
της δασκάλας = of the teacher (whose voice?)

So:

η φωνή της δασκάλας = the teacher’s voice

If you said η φωνή η δασκάλα, it would sound like you’re saying:

the voice, the teacher (two separate nouns), which doesn’t express whose voice it is.

The noun:

η δασκάλα (teacher, feminine)
Genitive singular: της δασκάλας (of the teacher)

Why does δασκάλας end in -ας if it is feminine?

In modern Greek, several feminine nouns have -ας in the genitive singular.

For η δασκάλα:

Nominative: η δασκάλα (the teacher)
Genitive: της δασκάλας (of the teacher)
Accusative: τη(ν) δασκάλα (the teacher)
Vocative: δασκάλα

The -ας ending here is just the regular feminine genitive singular ending for this type of noun (those in -α in the nominative).

What does ακούγεται mean exactly, and which verb form is it?

Ακούγεται is the present, 3rd person singular of the middle/passive form of the verb ακούω (to hear):

Active: ακούω = I hear
Middle/passive: ακούγομαι = I am heard / I sound

Conjugation (present, middle/passive):

εγώ ακούγομαι
εσύ ακούγεσαι
αυτός/αυτή/αυτό ακούγεται
…

In this sentence:

η φωνή της δασκάλας ακούγεται κανονικά
= the teacher’s voice is heard / sounds normally.

So ακούγεται can be understood as is heard or simply sounds.

What is κανονικά here? Is it an adjective or an adverb?

Κανονικά in this sentence is an adverb, modifying ακούγεται:

κανονικός (adjective, masculine) = normal
κανονική (feminine), κανονικό (neuter)
κανονικά (adverb) = normally / fine / as it should

So:

η φωνή της δασκάλας ακούγεται κανονικά = the teacher’s voice is heard normally / fine / without problems.

Adjectives in -ικός often form the adverb with -ικά:

λογικός → λογικά
τυπικός → τυπικά
κανονικός → κανονικά

Why is the word order Στη βιντεοκλήση η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη and not Η εικόνα στη βιντεοκλήση είναι κολλημένη?

Both are grammatically correct. The difference is in focus and rhythm.

Στη βιντεοκλήση η εικόνα είναι κολλημένη…
- Fronts Στη βιντεοκλήση (in the video call), setting the scene.
- It’s like saying: In the video call, the picture is frozen…
Η εικόνα στη βιντεοκλήση είναι κολλημένη…
- Starts with Η εικόνα (the picture) as the theme, then specifies στη βιντεοκλήση.

Greek word order is relatively flexible. Placing Στη βιντεοκλήση first emphasizes this particular context (in the call) before telling you what the problem in that context is.

Why is it Στη βιντεοκλήση and not Στην βιντεοκλήση with ν?

Underlyingly, it is στην (σε + την), but in standard spelling the final ν is dropped before most consonants.

The general rule: the final ν in την / στην is kept before:

vowels
and the consonants: κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, γκ, μπ, ντ, τσ, τζ
and often before double consonants.

Since βιντεοκλήση starts with β, which is not in that list, the ν is dropped:

στην βιντεοκλήση → στη βιντεοκλήση

In speech, many people will still pronounce a light [n] in fast speech, but in writing, στη βιντεοκλήση is the standard form.