Breakdown of Τα καυσαέρια από τα αυτοκίνητα κάνουν τον αέρα βρώμικο.
από
from
το αυτοκίνητο
the car
κάνω
to make
βρώμικος
dirty
Questions & Answers about Τα καυσαέρια από τα αυτοκίνητα κάνουν τον αέρα βρώμικο.
What are the basic meanings of each word in Τα καυσαέρια από τα αυτοκίνητα κάνουν τον αέρα βρώμικο?
Very literally:
- Τα – the (neuter plural article)
- καυσαέρια – exhaust fumes (literally: hot + gases)
- από – from / by
- τα – the (neuter plural article)
- αυτοκίνητα – cars
- κάνουν – they make / they cause
- τον – the (masculine singular article, object form)
- αέρα – air
- βρώμικο – dirty
Overall structure: The exhaust fumes from the cars make the air dirty.
Why is the verb κάνουν (3rd person plural) and not κάνει?
Because the subject Τα καυσαέρια is grammatically plural.
- Τα καυσαέρια = they (3rd person plural, neuter)
- The verb must agree with the subject: αυτά (καυσαέρια) κάνουν = they make.
In older or more formal Greek, neuter plural subjects can sometimes take a singular verb (e.g. τα παιδιά παίζει), but in modern standard spoken Greek the normal form is plural: τα καυσαέρια κάνουν.
What is the grammatical gender, number, and case of τα καυσαέρια and τα αυτοκίνητα?