Learn Hardcore Greek: Σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά κάνω κούνια με την ανιψιά μου. - Today at the playground I am swinging with my niece.

So the literal meaning is “children’s joy”, but in everyday Greek it is the standard word for “playground” (the place with swings, slides, etc.).

Context decides whether it means “playground” (most common) or more abstract “children’s joy,” but in a sentence like this it clearly means “playground.”

What is «στην» in «Σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά…»? Why not just σε παιδική χαρά?

Στην is a contraction:

σε (in/at/to) + την (the, feminine accusative singular) → στην

So:

στην παιδική χαρά = “at the playground”

You can say σε παιδική χαρά without the article, but that would sound like “at a playground (some playground, not specific).”
With στην it’s “at the playground” (a specific one you and the listener can identify).

Why is it «στην παιδική χαρά» and not «στη παιδική χαρά»?

In careful standard Greek, the full form is στην before a word starting with a consonant:

στην παιδική χαρά
στην καρέκλα (on the chair)

In fast speech, many native speakers shorten στην to στη before a consonant, so you will hear:

στη παιδική χαρά

Both are understood; in writing, στην is the “safe” standard form here.

What does «κάνω κούνια» mean exactly? Is it “I make a swing”?

Literally, κάνω = “I do / I make”, κούνια = “swing (the object)”.
But the fixed expression κάνω κούνια actually means:

“I am on a swing / I swing / I’m swinging.”

So in this sentence:

κάνω κούνια = “I’m on the swing / I’m swinging.”

It’s an idiomatic verb + noun expression, not “I build/make a swing.”

Why is the present tense «κάνω» used for an action happening right now? Shouldn’t it be something like “I am swinging”?

Modern Greek has one present tense that covers both:

I swing (habitual/general)
I am swinging (right now)

So:

Κάνω κούνια.
– can mean “I swing” or “I am swinging,” depending on context.

Here, because of σήμερα (“today”) and the whole scene, it’s naturally understood as:

“Today at the playground I’m swinging with my niece.”

How is «κάνω» conjugated in the present tense?

Present indicative of κάνω (to do/make):

εγώ κάνω – I do / I make
εσύ κάνεις – you do (singular)
αυτός / αυτή / αυτό κάνει – he / she / it does
εμείς κάνουμε – we do
εσείς κάνετε – you do (plural or polite)
αυτοί / αυτές / αυτά κάνουν(ε) – they do

In the sentence we have κάνω = “I do / I am doing.”

Why is it «με την ανιψιά μου» and not just «με ανιψιά μου»?

με = with
την = the (feminine accusative singular)
ανιψιά = niece
μου = my

In Greek, family members with a possessive pronoun normally still take the definite article:

η ανιψιά μου = my niece
ο αδελφός μου = my brother
η μητέρα μου = my mother

So με την ανιψιά μου literally is “with the niece of mine” → with my niece.
Without the article (με ανιψιά μου) sounds incomplete or non‑idiomatic.

What exactly does «ανιψιά» mean? Is it only “niece”?

Yes, ανιψιά means niece (daughter of your brother or sister).

Related words:

ανιψιός = nephew
ανίψια (neuter plural) = nieces and nephews together, or just nephews, depending on context.

In this sentence:

την ανιψιά μου = my niece (one female).

Why is «την ανιψιά μου» in this form? What case is it?

την ανιψιά μου is in the accusative case, because:

It is the object of the preposition με (“with”).

In Greek, most prepositions (including με) require the accusative:

με την ανιψιά μου – with my niece
για τον φίλο μου – for my friend
σε την παιδική χαρά → στην παιδική χαρά – at the playground

So την (feminine accusative singular article) + ανιψιά (accusative form, same as nominative here) + μου (my).

Why does «μου» come after the noun (ανιψιά) instead of before, like in English “my niece”?

Greek uses clitic possessive pronouns that usually come after the noun:

η ανιψιά μου = my niece
το βιβλίο σου = your book
το σπίτι τους = their house

You do not say μου ανιψιά for “my niece.”

So the normal pattern is: [article] + [noun] + [possessive pronoun].

Why is it «στην παιδική χαρά» (feminine) and «την ανιψιά μου» (also feminine)? How can I tell the gender?

Both παιδική χαρά and ανιψιά are feminine nouns, so they use the feminine article:

Nominative: η παιδική χαρά, η ανιψιά
Accusative: την παιδική χαρά, την ανιψιά

Clues:

Nouns ending in -ιά (like ανιψιά) are very often feminine.
χαρά ends in -ά, which is also a common feminine ending.

Because of that, we use στην (σε + την) and την before them.

What is the role of «Σήμερα» at the beginning? Could it go somewhere else?

Σήμερα means “today.”

It’s placed at the beginning for emphasis on “today”:

Σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά κάνω κούνια…
= “Today at the playground I’m swinging…”

But Greek word order is flexible. You could also say:

Κάνω σήμερα κούνια στην παιδική χαρά με την ανιψιά μου.
Σήμερα κάνω κούνια στην παιδική χαρά με την ανιψιά μου.

All are grammatically correct; changing the order slightly shifts what feels emphasized, but the meaning is the same.

Is the overall word order in «Σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά κάνω κούνια με την ανιψιά μου» fixed, or can it be rearranged?

It’s not fixed. Greek allows several natural orders. For example:

Σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά κάνω κούνια με την ανιψιά μου.
Σήμερα κάνω κούνια στην παιδική χαρά με την ανιψιά μου.
Κάνω κούνια σήμερα στην παιδική χαρά με την ανιψιά μου.

All are fine.

The key elements stay the same:

κάνω κούνια (I’m swinging)
σήμερα (today)
στην παιδική χαρά (at the playground)
με την ανιψιά μου (with my niece)

Position mainly affects emphasis and rhythm, not basic meaning.

How would this sentence change if I wanted to say “Yesterday at the playground I swung with my niece” (past tense)?

You would change:

Σήμερα → Χτες (or Χθες) = yesterday
κάνω (present) → έκανα (past of κάνω)

So:

Χτες στην παιδική χαρά έκανα κούνια με την ανιψιά μου.
= Yesterday at the playground I swung / I was on the swing with my niece.