Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα.

The price is good today.

Breakdown of Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα.

• είμαι: to be
• σήμερα: today
• καλός: good
• η τιμή: the price

Questions & Answers about Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα.

Why do we need the article Η before τιμή? In English we can just say “Price is good today” without the.

In Greek you normally use the definite article much more than in English:

• Η τιμή = the price
• Saying just τιμή είναι καλή (without η) is ungrammatical here.

Greek tends to use the article with:

• Abstract nouns: η αγάπη (love), η υγεία (health)
• General / specific things: η τιμή (the price [we’re talking about])

So where English often drops the, Greek usually keeps η/ο/το.

Why is the article Η and not something else like Ο or ΤΟ?

Greek nouns have grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

• τιμή is a feminine noun.
• The feminine singular nominative article is η.
• Masculine would use ο (e.g. ο φίλος – the friend [m.])
• Neuter would use το (e.g. το βιβλίο – the book)

So:

• η τιμή = the price (feminine)
  and the article must match the noun’s gender.

Why is the adjective καλή and not καλός or καλό?

Adjectives in Greek agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• Noun: η τιμή – feminine, singular, nominative
• Adjective must match: καλή – feminine, singular, nominative

Other forms of καλός (good) are:

• καλός – masculine singular nominative (e.g. ο καλός φίλος)
• καλό – neuter singular nominative (e.g. το καλό βιβλίο)
• καλή – feminine singular nominative (e.g. η καλή τιμή, η καλή μέρα)

Since τιμή is feminine, we need καλή.

Why is there no word for “it” in “The price is good today”? Shouldn’t it be something like “It is good”?

Greek usually drops subject pronouns when the subject is clear from context or from the verb ending.

Here the subject is explicit:

• Η τιμή = the price

So the sentence literally is:

• Η τιμή (the price) είναι (is) καλή (good) σήμερα (today).

There is no need for a separate pronoun like it. Greek rarely uses a “dummy subject” like English it or there.

What form of the verb είναι is this, and what does it correspond to in English?

είναι is the 3rd person singular (and also 3rd person plural) of the verb είμαι (to be) in the present tense.

Present tense forms of είμαι:

• (εγώ) είμαι – I am
• (εσύ) είσαι – you are (singular)
• (αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) είναι – he/she/it is
• (εμείς) είμαστε – we are
• (εσείς) είστε – you are (plural / formal)
• (αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά) είναι – they are

In this sentence, είναι = is (the price is).

Could the word order be different, like Η τιμή σήμερα είναι καλή or Σήμερα η τιμή είναι καλή?

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible, especially in simple sentences like this:

All of these are grammatical:

• Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα.
• Η τιμή σήμερα είναι καλή.
• Σήμερα η τιμή είναι καλή.

The differences are mostly about emphasis and flow:

• Starting with Σήμερα emphasizes “Today the price is good (as opposed to other days)”.
• Putting σήμερα at the end can sound a bit more neutral or colloquial in this short sentence.

All are natural in everyday speech.

How do you pronounce Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα?

Approximate pronunciation (stress in CAPS):

• Η – like English ee
• τιμή – tee-MEE (stress on the second syllable)
• είναι – EE-neh (first syllable stressed)
• καλή – ka-LEE (stress on the second syllable)
• σήμερα – SEE-meh-rah (stress on the first syllable)

So the full sentence:
ee tee-MEE EE-neh ka-LEE SEE-meh-rah

In normal speech it flows together smoothly.

What does the accent mark on τιμή and καλή show?

The accent mark (´) in Greek shows word stress – which syllable you emphasize.

• τιμή – accent on μή, so stress the last syllable: ti-MÍ
• καλή – accent on λή, so ka-LÍ

Stress is important in Greek: putting it on the wrong syllable can make words harder to understand or even change the meaning in some cases.

How would I say “The prices are good today” in Greek?

You need the plural of “price” and the plural forms of the article and adjective:

• Singular: η τιμή είναι καλή – the price is good
• Plural: οι τιμές είναι καλές – the prices are good

So your full sentence:

• Οι τιμές είναι καλές σήμερα. = The prices are good today.

Changes:

• η → οι (feminine plural article)
• τιμή → τιμές (plural noun)
• καλή → καλές (feminine plural adjective)

How would I turn this into a question: “Is the price good today?”

Greek often uses the same word order for statements and questions; the difference is mainly in intonation and the question mark.

Statement:

• Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα. – The price is good today.

Question (spoken with rising intonation; written with Greek question mark ;):

• Η τιμή είναι καλή σήμερα; – Is the price good today?

You don’t need to move the verb or add a helper like do / does. The context and tone show that it’s a question.

How do I say “The price is not good today” in Greek?

You add the negation word δεν before the verb:

• Η τιμή δεν είναι καλή σήμερα.
  = The price is not good today.

Pattern:

• (subject) + δεν + (verb) + (rest of sentence)
  Here: Η τιμή + δεν + είναι + καλή σήμερα.