Breakdown of Στο μάθημα ελληνικών περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στη δασκάλα.
Questions & Answers about Στο μάθημα ελληνικών περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στη δασκάλα.
«Στο» is a contraction of:
- σε = in, at, to
- το = the (neuter, singular, nominative/accusative)
So:
- σε + το → στο
In this sentence, «Στο μάθημα ελληνικών» means “in the Greek lesson / in Greek class”.
Grammatically, σε + the article (in the accusative) is the normal way in Modern Greek to say in/at + a specific place/event:
- στο σπίτι = in/at the house
- στη δουλειά = at work
- στο μάθημα = in the lesson/class
Both are possible, but they are slightly different in structure and feel.
μάθημα ελληνικών
- Literally: “lesson of Greek (language)”
- ελληνικών is the genitive plural of τα ελληνικά (Greek language).
- This is the most natural, standard way to say “Greek class” in Greek, especially for school / language courses.
ελληνικό μάθημα
- Literally: “Greek lesson”, using an adjective.
- This could mean:
- A lesson in Greek (the language), but
- It could also be understood more broadly as “a Greek (i.e. Greek-style, Greek-themed) lesson”, depending on context.
In everyday speech about language learning, «μάθημα ελληνικών» is the default and sounds more idiomatic than «ελληνικό μάθημα».
The plural here doesn’t refer to the number of lessons, but to the word for the language:
- The Greek language is usually referred to as τα ελληνικά (neuter, plural):
- Μαθαίνω ελληνικά. = I am learning Greek.
The genitive plural of τα ελληνικά is των ελληνικών = of (the) Greek (language).
When you have a noun like μάθημα modified by a second noun in the genitive, you can drop the article and just keep the genitive form:
- το μάθημα των ελληνικών → το μάθημα ελληνικών
= the lesson of Greek / Greek class
So «μάθημα ελληνικών» literally means “lesson of Greek”, using the language name in the genitive plural.
«τη μέρα μου» breaks down like this:
- τη = the (feminine, singular, accusative)
- μέρα = day (feminine, singular)
- μου = my (weak possessive pronoun, genitive, enclitic)
Functions:
- τη μέρα is the direct object of περιγράφω (I describe).
- μου shows possession: my day.
So:
- περιγράφω τη μέρα μου
= I describe my day.
Case and position:
- The object of περιγράφω must be in the accusative → τη μέρα.
- The weak possessive μου normally comes after the noun:
- η μέρα μου = my day
- το βιβλίο μου = my book
Modern Greek has two kinds of possessives:
Weak (clitic) possessive pronouns – like μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους
- They usually come after the noun:
- η μέρα μου = my day
- το σπίτι σου = your house
- They usually come after the noun:
Strong possessive forms – with the definite article and a stressed form:
- ο δικός μου / η δική μου / το δικό μου, etc.
- These can stand alone or give strong emphasis:
- Η μέρα μου ήταν τέλεια. = My day was great.
- Η δική μου μέρα ήταν τέλεια. = My day was great (as opposed to someone else’s).
In this sentence, we just want a normal, unstressed “my”, so Greek uses the weak form μου after the noun: τη μέρα μου.
«στη δασκάλα» breaks down as:
- σε = to, in, at
- τη(ν) = the (feminine, singular, accusative)
- δασκάλα = (female) teacher
σε + τη → στη
Function in the sentence:
- τη μέρα μου = what I am describing (direct object).
- στη δασκάλα = to whom I am describing it → indirect object.
Modern Greek no longer has a separate dative case, so ideas like to someone are expressed with:
- σε + accusative:
- Λέω την αλήθεια στη δασκάλα. = I tell the truth to the teacher.
- Δίνω το βιβλίο στον φίλο μου. = I give the book to my friend.
So in your sentence:
- Περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στη δασκάλα.
= I describe my day to the (female) teacher.
Because δασκάλα is feminine, while στο is used with neuter nouns.
Articles and contractions:
σε + το → στο (neuter)
- στο μάθημα = in/at the lesson
- στο σπίτι = at home
σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν) (feminine)
- στη δασκάλα = to the (female) teacher
- στη δουλειά = at work
Since δασκάλα is feminine, the correct contraction is:
- σε + τη → στη δασκάλα.
In principle, the full form is στην (σε + την).
However, Modern Greek has a rule about the “movable ν” (το κινητό ν):
- The ν on την, την, έναν is often dropped before certain consonants.
- It is usually kept before: κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, μπ, ντ, γκ, τσ, τζ and vowels.
Since δ (as in δασκάλα) is not one of those consonants, the ν is typically dropped:
- στη δασκάλα (more common spelling)
- στην καρέκλα (keep ν before κ)
You might still see στην δασκάλα in very careful or old-fashioned writing, but στη δασκάλα is the standard modern form.
Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible, and you can move phrases around for emphasis or style, as long as the grammar stays intact.
All of these are grammatical, with slightly different emphases:
Στο μάθημα ελληνικών περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στη δασκάλα.
– Neutral order; you’re setting the scene (in Greek class) first.Περιγράφω στη δασκάλα τη μέρα μου στο μάθημα ελληνικών.
– Starts with the action (“I describe”), then who it’s to.Στη δασκάλα περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στο μάθημα ελληνικών.
– Emphasis more on to the teacher (as opposed to someone else).Τη μέρα μου περιγράφω στη δασκάλα στο μάθημα ελληνικών.
– Strong emphasis on “my day”.
So yes, your alternative is fine; it just shifts the focus slightly.
The Greek present tense (ενεστώτας) usually covers both:
- I describe (habitual, general)
- I am describing (right now)
Περιγράφω τη μέρα μου στη δασκάλα.
can mean:
- “I describe my day to the teacher (every time / regularly)”
- or “I am describing my day to the teacher (right now, in this lesson)”
Context decides whether you understand it as simple present or present continuous. Greek does not normally distinguish these two forms the way English does.
Normally, no. In Greek, definite nouns almost always take the definite article, especially when they have a weak possessive:
- τη μέρα μου = my (specific) day
- το σπίτι μου = my house
- τα παιδιά μας = our children
If you say «περιγράφω μέρα μου», it sounds ungrammatical or, at best, very foreign/poetic.
The article τη is an important part of the structure:
- [τη] μέρα [μου]
article + noun + possessive
So you should keep «τη μέρα μου».
Both can refer to things related to school, but they are not the same:
μάθημα
- Primary meaning: lesson / class (as an event or subject)
- Examples:
- Έχω μάθημα ελληνικών. = I have Greek class.
- Έχουμε τρία μαθήματα σήμερα. = We have three lessons today.
- Το αγαπημένο μου μάθημα είναι τα μαθηματικά. = My favourite subject is math.
τάξη
- Main meanings:
- classroom (the room)
- class / grade (group of students / year level)
- Examples:
- Πηγαίνω στην τάξη. = I’m going to the classroom.
- Είναι στην τρίτη τάξη. = She’s in third grade.
- Η τάξη μου είναι πολύ θορυβώδης. = My class is very noisy.
- Main meanings:
In your sentence, you are talking about the lesson itself, so «στο μάθημα ελληνικών» (in Greek class) is the correct and natural choice.