Learn Hardcore Greek: Το παλιό εργοστάσιο δίπλα στο ποτάμι έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια, αλλά τώρα έχει κλείσει. - The old factory next to the river used to produce a lot of exhaust fumes, but now it has closed.

δίπλα (σε) = next to, beside
In practice you usually say δίπλα σε κάτι (next to something).
σε + το contracts to στο:
- σε + το ποτάμι → στο ποτάμι

So:

δίπλα σε = next to
δίπλα στο ποτάμι = next to the river

You cannot say δίπλα το ποτάμι; you need the preposition σε (here inside στο).

Why is it στο ποτάμι and not something like “by the river” with a different preposition? Does σε always mean “in/at/on”?

Greek uses σε very broadly where English might use in, on, at, by, to depending on the context.

Here:

στο ποτάμι (σε + το) = literally at the river, but in context it means by the river / next to the river because of δίπλα.

So the structure is:

δίπλα σε + place = next to / by + place

Σε does not always mean strictly in; its exact English equivalent depends on the other words and on context:

στο σπίτι = at home / in the house
στην παραλία = at the beach / on the beach
δίπλα στο ποτάμι = next to / by the river

What tense is έβγαζε, and why is that used instead of έβγαλε?

Έβγαζε is imperfect (past continuous) of βγάζω.

έβγαζε ≈ was producing / used to produce / would produce (habitually)
έβγαλε = aorist (simple past) ≈ produced (once, as a single completed event)

In this sentence: > Το παλιό εργοστάσιο … έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια…
> The old factory used to emit a lot of exhaust fumes…

The idea is:

This was ongoing or habitual in the past, not a single event. So έβγαζε is better than έβγαλε here.

What is the basic meaning of the verb βγάζω and how can it mean “emit/produce”?

The core meaning of βγάζω is roughly to take out / to bring out. Common uses:

βγάζω τα παπούτσια μου = I take off my shoes
βγάζω το σκύλο βόλτα = I take the dog for a walk
βγάζω φωτογραφίες = I take photos

From the idea of “bringing out”, it also gets the meaning:

to produce / to emit / to generate

So in this sentence:

έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια = it was producing/emitting a lot of exhaust fumes

This is a natural, everyday way in Greek to say that a factory “puts out” emissions.

What exactly are καυσαέρια? Is it singular or plural, and how is the word formed?

Καυσαέρια means exhaust fumes / exhaust gases (from cars, factories, etc.) and is neuter plural.

Formation:

καύση = burning, combustion
αέρια = plural of αέριο (gas)

So literally καυσαέρια ≈ gases from burning → exhaust fumes.

There is also a singular το καυσαέριο, but in practice people almost always use the plural τα καυσαέρια when talking about pollution.

Why do we use έχει κλείσει instead of just έκλεισε for “has closed / is closed now”?

Έχει κλείσει is the present perfect (verb to have + past participle), similar to English “has closed” and often with a strong result-now meaning:

τώρα έχει κλείσει = now it has closed → it is now in the state of being closed (no longer operating)

Έκλεισε is the aorist (simple past):

τώρα έκλεισε can mean it just closed now (focus on the moment of closing), or in another context simply it closed (at some point in the past).

Here, έχει κλείσει highlights that:

The action of closing happened in the past,
And the result still applies now (the factory is now closed for good).

So it fits the idea of “but now it has shut down / is no longer operating.”

Can we change the word order, for example: Το παλιό εργοστάσιο έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια δίπλα στο ποτάμι? Does that change the meaning?

Yes, you can say:

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια δίπλα στο ποτάμι.

The basic meaning is the same, but the focus shifts slightly.

Original:

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο δίπλα στο ποτάμι έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια…
Emphasis first identifies which factory: the one by the river.

Alternative:

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια δίπλα στο ποτάμι…
Slightly more focus on what it was doing (emitting fumes), with the location added at the end.

Both are natural; Greek word order is more flexible than English, but position can subtly change what feels emphasized.

Why is there a definite article Το before παλιό εργοστάσιο? Could we say Παλιό εργοστάσιο δίπλα στο ποτάμι… without it?

In Greek, you normally use the definite article with specific nouns, especially when they have an adjective.

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο = the old factory (a specific, known one)
Without the article:
Παλιό εργοστάσιο sounds like an old factory in a vague or descriptive way, and by itself at the start of a sentence it would feel incomplete or like the beginning of a title.

In everyday Greek, when you refer to a specific thing, you almost always use the article:

το εργοστάσιο = the factory
το παλιό εργοστάσιο = the old factory

So here the article Το is natural and basically required.

What’s the difference between δίπλα and κοντά? Could we say κοντά στο ποτάμι instead?

Both relate to proximity, but there’s a nuance:

δίπλα (σε) = right next to, beside
Suggests very close, often immediately adjacent.
κοντά (σε) = near, close to
More general “nearby”, not necessarily touching or directly beside.

So:

δίπλα στο ποτάμι ≈ right next to the river
κοντά στο ποτάμι ≈ near the river

You could say:

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο κοντά στο ποτάμι…
and it would be correct, but it is a bit less specific about how close it is.

What case is ποτάμι in here, and how can I tell?

Ποτάμι is in the accusative singular form here:

The preposition σε (inside στο) requires the accusative.
The definite article το is also accusative singular neuter.
For neuter nouns of this type, nominative and accusative forms are the same: το ποτάμι.

So how do you know it’s accusative?

Because of στο = σε + το, and σε always takes the accusative:
- στο ποτάμι, στο σπίτι, στην πόλη, etc.

Could you break down the sentence into subject, verbs, and other parts to see the structure more clearly?

Sentence: > Το παλιό εργοστάσιο δίπλα στο ποτάμι έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια, αλλά τώρα έχει κλείσει.

Structure:

Το παλιό εργοστάσιο δίπλα στο ποτάμι
→ Subject noun phrase: the old factory by the river
- Το = the (definite article, neuter, singular)
- παλιό = old (adjective, neuter, singular, nominative)
- εργοστάσιο = factory (noun, neuter, singular, nominative)
- δίπλα στο ποτάμι = prepositional phrase modifying the factory
έβγαζε πολλά καυσαέρια
→ Past verbal phrase: was emitting a lot of exhaust fumes
- έβγαζε = was producing/used to produce
- πολλά = many / a lot of (neuter plural)
- καυσαέρια = exhaust fumes (neuter plural)
αλλά τώρα έχει κλείσει
→ Contrast + present result
- αλλά = but
- τώρα = now
- έχει κλείσει = has closed / is now closed

So overall: The old factory by the river used to emit a lot of exhaust fumes, but now it has closed.