Πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.

under

Breakdown of Πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.

• σε: in
• η κουζίνα: the kitchen
• πλένω: to wash
• το φρούτο: the fruit
• η βρύση: the tap

Questions & Answers about Πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.

Why is there no Greek word for “I” in this sentence?

Greek usually drops subject pronouns (like I, you, he, she) because the verb ending already shows the subject.

• Πλένω means “I wash” on its own.
• The ending -ω in the present tense shows that the subject is I (εγώ).

If you really want to emphasize I, you can say:

• Εγώ πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.
  = I (and not someone else) wash the fruit under the tap in the kitchen.

What tense and form is πλένω, and can it mean both “I wash” and “I am washing”?

Πλένω is:

• Present tense, active voice, 1st person singular of the verb πλένω (to wash).

In modern Greek, the simple present covers both:

• “I wash the fruit every day.” (habitual)
• “I am washing the fruit (right now).” (action in progress)

Context tells you which one is meant. So Πλένω τα φρούτα… can be “I wash the fruit…” or “I’m washing the fruit…”, depending on the situation.

Why do we say τα φρούτα and not just φρούτα without the article?

Greek uses the definite article much more than English.

• τα φρούτα literally = “the fruits” / “the fruit”.

In English we often say:

• I wash fruit before I eat it.

In Greek, the natural equivalent is usually:

• Πλένω τα φρούτα πριν τα φάω.

Leaving out the article:

• Πλένω φρούτα

is possible, but it sounds more like “I wash (some) fruit” in a more indefinite, vague, or telegraphic way (e.g. in a note or instruction). In everyday speech and normal sentences, τα φρούτα is much more common here.

Is τα φρούτα “the fruit” (uncountable) or “the fruits” (plural)?

Grammatically, τα φρούτα is plural neuter:

• singular: το φρούτο = a piece of fruit / a fruit
• plural: τα φρούτα = fruits / pieces of fruit

In English you often say “the fruit” collectively, even though you are talking about pieces. Greek tends to use the plural in this situation, so τα φρούτα can correspond to English “the fruit” in the sense of “all the pieces of fruit I’m washing.”

How can I tell what gender φρούτα is?

Φρούτα ends in -α, which can be confusing. But:

• The singular is το φρούτο.
• το is the neuter singular definite article.
• The plural of neuter -ο nouns is often -α → το φρούτο → τα φρούτα.

So:

• το φρούτο (neuter singular)
• τα φρούτα (neuter plural)

The τα also tells you it’s neuter plural.

Why do we need both κάτω and από for “under”? Could we just say κάτω τη βρύση?

You can’t say κάτω τη βρύση. In modern Greek, κάτω (down, below) and από (from) often work together as a two‑word preposition:

• κάτω από = under / below

Examples:

• κάτω από τη βρύση = under the tap
• κάτω από το τραπέζι = under the table

So κάτω alone just means “down / below” in a general sense, and από is needed to introduce the thing you are under.

What’s the difference between κάτω από and just κάτω?

• κάτω by itself is an adverb: down, below
  
  • Τα παπούτσια είναι κάτω. = The shoes are downstairs / down there.
• κάτω από functions like a preposition: under, below (something)
  
  • Τα παπούτσια είναι κάτω από το κρεβάτι. = The shoes are under the bed.

In your sentence, you need to say under the tap, so you must use κάτω από τη βρύση.

Why is it τη βρύση and not η βρύση?

Greek has different forms of the article depending on the case and role in the sentence.

• η βρύση = nominative (subject) → the tap is…
• τη(ν) βρύση = accusative (object or after prepositions) → under the tap, I see the tap, etc.

Here, βρύση is the object of the preposition phrase κάτω από τη βρύση, so it must be in the accusative, and the article is τη.

The final ν in την is optional before many consonants, so both:

• από τη βρύση
• από την βρύση

are possible in writing; τη βρύση is very common.

What gender is βρύση, and how do I know?

Βρύση is feminine.

• Nominative singular: η βρύση (the tap)
• Accusative singular: τη(ν) βρύση (the tap as an object)

Many feminine nouns end in -η, and they use η (nom.) and τη(ν) (acc.) as their articles. Over time you just memorize each noun’s gender, but the article here (τη) shows it’s feminine.

What exactly is στην? Is it one word or two?

Στην is a contraction (combination) of:

• σε = in, at, to, on (general preposition)
• την = the (feminine, accusative singular)

So:

• σε + την = στην

In your sentence:

• στην κουζίνα = in the kitchen

Similarly:

• στον = σε + τον
• στο = σε + το
• στη = σε + τη (another common form)

Why is it στην κουζίνα (accusative) if it means “in the kitchen”? Shouldn’t it be some kind of “place” case?

Modern Greek doesn’t have a separate locative case like ancient Greek. The preposition σε always takes the accusative, even when it means “in/at/on” (location).

So:

• στην κουζίνα = in the kitchen (literally “in the-kitchen [accusative]”)
• στο τραπέζι = on the table
• στο σπίτι = at home / in the house

So κουζίνα is in the accusative because it follows σε (hidden inside στην), not because of movement or direction.

Could the word order be different, like Στην κουζίνα πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση?

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible, and changing it usually changes emphasis, not core meaning.

Possible variants:

• Πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.
  (neutral, informative order)
• Στην κουζίνα πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση.
  (emphasis on in the kitchen; maybe contrasting with another place)
• Κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα πλένω τα φρούτα.
  (unusual but possible, strong focus on the location)

All are grammatically correct; the original is the most neutral and natural for a simple statement.

Can I leave out the articles and say Πλένω φρούτα κάτω από βρύση στην κουζίνα?

Grammatically, it’s not completely impossible, but it sounds very unnatural in normal modern Greek.

Native speakers would almost always say:

• Πλένω τα φρούτα κάτω από τη βρύση στην κουζίνα.

Without the articles:

• Πλένω φρούτα κάτω από βρύση στην κουζίνα.

sounds like clipped, telegraphic style (e.g. note on a lab procedure: “Wash fruit under tap in kitchen”), and even then Greeks tend to keep the articles. Articles are used much more regularly in Greek than in English.

Why is it κουζίνα and not something like κουζίνι if it’s feminine?

Feminine nouns in Greek can end in several ways, mainly -η, -α, -ος (and a few others). So:

• η κουζίνα (feminine, ends in -α)
• η βρύση (feminine, ends in -η)
• η οδός (feminine, ends in -ος)

The ending -α does not automatically mean neuter; you have:

• η πόρτα (feminine)
• το ποδήλατο (neuter)

You learn each noun’s gender with its article:

• η κουζίνα → feminine
• So in the accusative with σε: στην κουζίνα.