Breakdown of Στο μάθημα ελληνικών η θεωρία μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη.
Questions & Answers about Στο μάθημα ελληνικών η θεωρία μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη.
Σε το contracts to στο in normal Greek speech and writing.
- σε = in / at / to
- το = the (neuter singular article)
- σε + το → στο
This contraction is obligatory in standard Greek. You will see the same pattern with other forms of the article:
- σε + τον → στον (e.g. στον φίλο – to the friend)
- σε + την → στην (e.g. στην τάξη – in the class)
- σε + τους → στους
- σε + τις → στις
- σε + τα → στα
So Στο μάθημα ελληνικών literally = In the lesson of Greek / In the Greek class.
Greek often uses Noun + Genitive instead of an adjective when talking about school subjects or fields of study.
- μάθημα ελληνικών = lesson of Greek / Greek class
- μάθημα μαθηματικών = math lesson
- μάθημα ιστορίας = history lesson
If you say ελληνικό μάθημα, it sounds more like a Greek lesson as in a lesson that is Greek in origin, or a lesson about something, but in the Greek language. It’s possible, but it doesn’t mean “Greek (language) class” in the usual school‑subject sense.
So, to talk about subjects, learn the pattern:
μάθημα + [subject in genitive plural]
μάθημα ελληνικών, γαλλικών, αγγλικών, μαθηματικών, οικονομικών etc.
ελληνικών is the genitive plural of ελληνικά (Greek – the Greek language).
In this sentence, ελληνικών functions like an of‑phrase in English:
- μάθημα ελληνικών = lesson of Greek
Greek typically uses the genitive (often plural) after μάθημα to show “lesson of X subject”:
- το μάθημα των ελληνικών (full form, with article)
- μάθημα ελληνικών (more compact; article left out)
You’ll usually see languages as neuter plural when used as school subjects, and the genitive plural is used after μάθημα:
- μάθημα αγγλικών (English class)
- μάθημα γαλλικών (French class)
- μάθημα γερμανικών (German class)
Στο μάθημα ελληνικών is a prepositional phrase indicating location / context:
- Where / in what context is the theory sometimes difficult?
- Answer: In the Greek class.
So the structure is:
- Στο μάθημα ελληνικών – prepositional phrase (setting)
- η θεωρία – subject (the theory)
- μερικές φορές – adverbial phrase of frequency (sometimes)
- είναι – verb (is)
- δύσκολη – predicate adjective (difficult)
Greek word order is quite flexible. Starting with Στο μάθημα ελληνικών puts the setting / context in focus first.
- Στο μάθημα ελληνικών η θεωρία μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη.
Emphasis: In Greek class, the theory is sometimes difficult.
You could also say:
- Η θεωρία στο μάθημα ελληνικών μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη.
- Η θεωρία είναι μερικές φορές δύσκολη στο μάθημα ελληνικών.
All are grammatically correct. The meaning is the same, but the information focus shifts slightly:
- Sentence as given: you first frame the situation (in Greek class), then state what happens there (the theory is hard).
- Alternative with η θεωρία first: you start by talking about “the theory” more generally and then narrow it to Greek class.
μερικές φορές is a phrase of frequency, made of two words:
- μερικές = some / several (feminine plural form of the adjective μερικός)
- φορές = times (plural of φορά = time/occasion)
Literally it means “some times” or “several times”, but as a fixed expression it means “sometimes”.
Other similar expressions:
- καμιά φορά = sometimes / once in a while
- συχνά = often
- πολύ συχνά = very often
- σπάνια = rarely
Dictionary forms usually give the masculine or neuter base form of adjectives (often -ος or -ο).
δύσκολος, -η, -ο is the full pattern:
- Masculine: δύσκολος
- Feminine: δύσκολη
- Neuter: δύσκολο
Adjectives in Greek must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.
- η θεωρία is feminine singular nominative.
- Therefore the adjective must also be feminine singular nominative → δύσκολη.
Examples:
- ο κανόνας είναι δύσκολος (masc.) – the rule is difficult
- η θεωρία είναι δύσκολη (fem.) – the theory is difficult
- το μάθημα είναι δύσκολο (neut.) – the lesson is difficult
θεωρία does correspond to English “theory”, but in education, especially language classes, it often means:
- the theoretical part of the course: explanations, grammar rules, cases, tenses, syntax, etc.
- as opposed to πράξη / πρακτική, which is practice (exercises, speaking, activities).
So in this sentence, η θεωρία most likely refers to:
the grammar and explanations in Greek class (as opposed to just speaking/listening practice).
You normally need the article with a specific, known noun in subject position:
- η θεωρία είναι δύσκολη – the theory is difficult.
Without the article (Θεωρία είναι δύσκολη) sounds unnatural here; it could feel like you are making a very general, somewhat headline‑style statement, not common in normal speech.
Greek uses the definite article more frequently than English. In particular:
- Subjects in normal sentences usually take the article:
Η γραμματική είναι δύσκολη. – Grammar is difficult.
Το λεξιλόγιο είναι εύκολο. – The vocabulary is easy.
So in this sentence, η θεωρία with η is the normal, correct form.
Yes, that word order is also correct:
- Στο μάθημα ελληνικών η θεωρία μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη.
- Στο μάθημα ελληνικών η θεωρία είναι μερικές φορές δύσκολη.
Both are grammatical and both mean “In the Greek class, the theory is sometimes difficult.”
The placement of μερικές φορές is flexible:
- Before είναι: η θεωρία μερικές φορές είναι δύσκολη
- After είναι: η θεωρία είναι μερικές φορές δύσκολη
Any difference in emphasis is very slight; in everyday speech they are effectively the same. In Greek, adverbs and adverbial phrases (like μερικές φορές) can move around more freely than in English, as long as the sentence remains clear.