Στην κουζίνα υπήρχε διαρροή κάτω από τη βρύση, και ο υδραυλικός την έφτιαξε σε δέκα λεπτά.

In the kitchen there was a leak under the tap, and the plumber fixed it in ten minutes.

Breakdown of Στην κουζίνα υπήρχε διαρροή κάτω από τη βρύση, και ο υδραυλικός την έφτιαξε σε δέκα λεπτά.

• και: and
• το λεπτό: the minute
• κάτω από: under
• σε: in
• η κουζίνα: the kitchen
• δέκα: ten
• την: it
• η βρύση: the tap
• φτιάχνω: to fix
• υπάρχω: to exist / there to be
• η διαρροή: the leak
• ο υδραυλικός: the plumber

Questions & Answers about Στην κουζίνα υπήρχε διαρροή κάτω από τη βρύση, και ο υδραυλικός την έφτιαξε σε δέκα λεπτά.

Why does Στην κουζίνα start with Στην instead of σε την?

Στην is the contracted form of σε + την (in/to the, feminine singular). Greek very commonly contracts:

• σε + την → στην
• σε + τον → στον
• σε + το → στο

So Στην κουζίνα = In the kitchen.

What case is κουζίνα in here, and why?

κουζίνα is in the accusative because it follows the preposition σε (in/into/at), which takes the accusative.
So: σε/στην + accusative = location (in the kitchen).

Why is it υπήρχε and not a form of είμαι (like ήταν)?

υπήρχε is from υπάρχω (to exist / there is). Greek often uses υπάρχω to express there was/there were:

• υπήρχε διαρροή = there was a leak

Using ήταν would sound more like it was a leak (identifying something), not introducing the existence of something.

What tense is υπήρχε, and what does that imply?

υπήρχε is imperfect past. It presents the leak as an ongoing/background situation in the past (it was there / it existed at that time), setting the scene before the next action.

Why is there no article in υπήρχε διαρροή (no μια διαρροή)?

Greek often omits the article in “there is/there was” sentences, especially when introducing something in a general way:

• υπήρχε διαρροή = there was a leak

You can say υπήρχε μια διαρροή, which feels a bit more specific/emphatic: there was a (particular) leak.

What does κάτω από τη βρύση mean grammatically?

• κάτω = down/below
• από = from (and in many set phrases it helps form meanings like under) Together κάτω από = under/below.

από takes the accusative, so τη βρύση is accusative: under the faucet.

Why is it τη βρύση and not την βρύση?

Both exist, but standard usage is:

• τη before a consonant sound: τη βρύση
• την before a vowel sound (to avoid a harsh transition): e.g. την ώρα, την έφτιαξε

In this sentence you see both patterns:

• τη βρύση (β- consonant)
• την έφτιαξε (έ- vowel)

What is ο υδραυλικός and why is it in that form?

ο υδραυλικός means the plumber. It’s nominative masculine singular because it’s the subject of the verb έφτιαξε (he fixed).

What does την refer to in ο υδραυλικός την έφτιαξε?

την is a feminine singular object pronoun meaning it/her, and it refers back to διαρροή (a feminine noun).
So: the plumber fixed it (i.e., the leak).

Why is the pronoun την placed before the verb έφτιαξε?

In Greek, weak object pronouns (like τον/την/το) normally come before the verb:

• την έφτιαξε = he fixed it

This is the standard placement in simple past statements.

What tense/aspect is έφτιαξε, and why is it used?

έφτιαξε is aorist past (simple, completed action). It presents the fixing as a single completed event:

• leak existed (background) → plumber fixed it (completed action)

What’s the difference between σε δέκα λεπτά and για δέκα λεπτά?

• σε δέκα λεπτά = in ten minutes / within ten minutes (time needed to finish)
• για δέκα λεπτά = for ten minutes (duration spent, not necessarily completion)

Here, σε δέκα λεπτά fits because the repair was completed in that amount of time.

Is the word order flexible here, and what stays basically the same?

Greek word order is fairly flexible, but some things are stable:

• The weak pronoun usually stays before the verb: την έφτιαξε
• The subject can move for emphasis: Την έφτιαξε ο υδραυλικός (emphasis on fixed it)

The original order is neutral and natural for storytelling.