Η φίλη μου κοιτάζει τα φορέματα στη βιτρίνα πριν μπούμε μέσα.

My friend looks at the dresses in the shop window before we go inside.

Breakdown of Η φίλη μου κοιτάζει τα φορέματα στη βιτρίνα πριν μπούμε μέσα.

• η φίλη: the female friend
• μου: my
• πριν: before
• σε: in

Questions & Answers about Η φίλη μου κοιτάζει τα φορέματα στη βιτρίνα πριν μπούμε μέσα.

Why is it Η φίλη μου and not just Φίλη μου or Μου φίλη? How does possession work here?

In Greek, possession with nouns is usually shown by:

article + noun + weak possessive pronoun

So:

• η φίλη μου = my (female) friend
  
  • η = the (feminine singular, nominative)
  • φίλη = female friend
  • μου = my (unstressed / weak form of “I” in the genitive)

You normally do not say μου φίλη for “my friend”; that order sounds wrong in modern Greek.

You can sometimes drop the article in speech (just φίλη μου) for a more emotional or vocative feel, like “my friend!” when addressing someone. But as a plain subject of a sentence, η φίλη μου is the standard form.

Why is φίλη used and not φίλος? Does Greek force you to show the gender of “friend”?

Yes, Greek shows grammatical gender here:

• φίλος = (male) friend
• φίλη = (female) friend

Because the sentence clearly refers to a female friend, it uses η φίλη μου. If it were a male friend, you’d say:

• Ο φίλος μου κοιτάζει τα φορέματα…

What tense is κοιτάζει and how is it translated? Is it “looks” or “is looking”?