Η συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα.

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Breakdown of Η συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα.

• αρχίζω: to start
• η συνάντηση: the meeting
• έντεκα: eleven

Questions & Answers about Η συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα.

What is η doing at the beginning of the sentence?

η is the definite article for a feminine singular noun in the nominative case. It means the.

So in η συνάντηση, the article agrees with συνάντηση because συνάντηση is a feminine noun.

A few important points:

• η = feminine singular nominative the
• It is pronounced i
• It is different from the masculine article ο and the neuter article το

So η συνάντηση is the normal way to say the meeting.

Why is it συνάντηση? What kind of noun is that?

συνάντηση is a very common feminine noun meaning meeting.

It belongs to a common noun pattern ending in -η in the dictionary form / nominative singular. That is why it takes the feminine article η.

Learners often notice that Greek nouns change form depending on case and number. For example, συνάντηση will not always stay exactly the same in every context. But in this sentence it is the subject, so you see the basic nominative form:

• η συνάντηση = the meeting

Why is the verb αρχίζει and not some form like αρχίζω?

αρχίζω is the dictionary form of the verb, meaning to begin / to start.

In the sentence, the subject is η συνάντηση (the meeting), which is third person singular, so the verb changes to match it:

• αρχίζω = I begin
• αρχίζεις = you begin
• αρχίζει = he/she/it begins

Because η συνάντηση is a singular thing, Greek uses αρχίζει.

So this is normal verb agreement: the subject is singular, so the verb is singular too.

How do I pronounce αρχίζει?

A helpful approximation is:

ar-HEE-zee

A few pronunciation notes:

• χ is not like English ch in chair
• It is a rough sound, like the ch in German Bach or Scottish loch
• ζ here sounds like z
• The stress falls on -χί-, because of the accent mark: αρχίζει

So the word is not pronounced like arkhiz-ee with English-style sounds; the middle consonant is the important one to practice.

Why does Greek use στις for a time?

Greek normally uses στις to mean at with clock times.

So:

• στις έντεκα = at eleven
• στις τρεις = at three
• στις οκτώ = at eight

στις is historically connected to σε + τις. A useful learner explanation is that Greek is really saying something like at the ... hours, with hours understood.

That is why Greek uses a form that looks plural here. Even though English just says at eleven, Greek says στις έντεκα.

Why is it στις έντεκα and not just σε έντεκα?

With clock time, standard Greek uses στις as the fixed pattern.

So native speakers say:

• στις έντεκα
• στις δύο
• στις πέντε

Using σε έντεκα would not sound right for telling time in this context.

A good rule to remember is:

• for clock times, learn στις + hour

The main exception learners often meet is στη μία for at one o’clock, because μία ώρα is singular:

• στη μία = at one
• but στις δύο / τρεις / έντεκα = at two / three / eleven

Why doesn’t έντεκα change form?

έντεκα is a number, and in this kind of time expression it stays the same.

Greek numbers do not behave like regular nouns here, so you do not need to make έντεκα agree the way an adjective might in some other structure. In a clock-time phrase, you simply learn it as:

• στις έντεκα

So the important structure is the whole time phrase, not a changing ending on the number.

Is the word order fixed, or could I move things around?

Greek word order is more flexible than English.

The sentence:

• Η συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα.

is completely normal and neutral.

But Greek could also say:

• Στις έντεκα αρχίζει η συνάντηση.

This gives a bit more focus to the time: At eleven, the meeting begins.

So yes, the order can change. Greek often moves parts of the sentence for emphasis, topic, or style. The original version is just the most straightforward neutral order.

Could I leave out η and just say Συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα?

Usually, no, not in normal standard Greek if you mean the meeting.

Greek uses the definite article much more regularly than English in many situations. So:

• η συνάντηση = the meeting

Without the article, συνάντηση would sound incomplete or unnatural in this sentence unless you were using a very special style, like notes, headlines, or fragmented speech.

So for ordinary speech, keep the article:

• Η συνάντηση αρχίζει στις έντεκα.

Can I use another verb instead of αρχίζει?

Yes. A very common alternative is ξεκινά.

So you could also say:

• Η συνάντηση ξεκινά στις έντεκα.

Both are natural. The difference is small:

• αρχίζει = begins / starts
• ξεκινά = starts / gets underway

In many everyday contexts, they are interchangeable. αρχίζει may sound slightly more formal or neutral, while ξεκινά can sound a little more conversational, but both are common.

How would a native speaker pronounce the whole sentence?

A rough English-style guide is:

ee see-NAN-dee-see ar-HEE-zee steez EN-deka

A few notes:

• Η is pronounced ee
• συνάντηση has the stress on -νά-
• αρχίζει has the stress on -χί-
• έντεκα has the stress on έν-
• στις sounds like steez

This is only an approximation, but it can help you get started before listening to native audio.