Η μυρωδιά του καφέ στην κουζίνα είναι πολύ καλή.
The smell of the coffee in the kitchen is very good.
…
Breakdown of Η μυρωδιά του καφέ στην κουζίνα είναι πολύ καλή.
είμαι
to be
ο καφές
the coffee
πολύ
very
καλός
good
σε
in
η κουζίνα
the kitchen
η μυρωδιά
the smell
Questions & Answers about Η μυρωδιά του καφέ στην κουζίνα είναι πολύ καλή.
What is the main subject of this sentence?
The grammatical subject is η μυρωδιά του καφέ στην κουζίνα. The head noun inside that whole phrase is μυρωδιά. That matters because the verb and adjective agree with μυρωδιά, not with καφέ or κουζίνα.
Why is the article η used before μυρωδιά?
Η is the feminine singular definite article, matching μυρωδιά, which is a feminine noun. Greek uses definite articles very often, sometimes in places where English might not. Here it refers to a particular smell being talked about in context.
Why is it του καφέ and not ο καφές?
Because Greek uses the genitive case for of relationships. Η μυρωδιά του καφέ has the structure the smell of coffee / of the coffee. The dictionary form is ο καφές, but after μυρωδιά it becomes the genitive singular του καφέ.
Why does καφές become καφέ?
Because the noun is no longer in the nominative form. Its common singular forms are:
- nominative: ο καφές
- genitive: του καφέ
- accusative: τον καφέ
- vocative: καφέ
So in this sentence, the final -ς disappears because καφές is in the genitive singular.
Why is there an article in του καφέ if English often just says coffee?
Greek often uses the article in places where English does not. In a genitive phrase like η μυρωδιά του καφέ, the article is the normal pattern. It does not always mean a very specific coffee in the way English the coffee might.
Why is it στην κουζίνα?
Στην is a contraction of σε την. Greek normally combines σε + την into στην. Here σε expresses location, so στην κουζίνα means in the kitchen.
Why is κουζίνα in the form την κουζίνα?
Because the preposition σε takes the accusative case. The basic form is η κουζίνα, but after σε it becomes την κουζίνα. So:
- nominative: η κουζίνα
- accusative: την κουζίνα
Why is the adjective καλή feminine?
Because it agrees with μυρωδιά, which is feminine singular. In Greek, adjectives after είναι still agree with the noun they describe. So:
- η μυρωδιά → καλή
- masculine singular would be καλός
- neuter singular would be καλό
Why is it πολύ καλή and not πολύ καλά?
Because καλή is an adjective describing μυρωδιά. Πολύ here is an adverb meaning very, and it modifies the adjective καλή.
Καλά usually means well as an adverb, or it can be a different adjective form, so it would not fit here.
Is είναι necessary here?
Yes. In standard Greek, this kind of sentence normally needs είναι. Greek does not usually leave out the present-tense verb to be in a sentence like this, so Η μυρωδιά ... πολύ καλή would sound incomplete.
Can the word order change?
Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English because case endings help show what each word is doing. This version is a neutral, natural order. But you could also say Στην κουζίνα η μυρωδιά του καφέ είναι πολύ καλή if you want to emphasize in the kitchen.
Does στην κουζίνα describe the coffee or the smell?
Most naturally, it gives the location of the smell as experienced in the kitchen. In real use, context usually makes this clear. But phrases like this can sometimes be a little flexible, so if you wanted to make the meaning completely explicit, Greek could use a more detailed structure.
Does μυρωδιά always mean a pleasant smell?
No. Μυρωδιά is fairly neutral and can mean either a pleasant or unpleasant smell, depending on context. In this sentence, πολύ καλή makes it clear that the smell is pleasant. A more specifically pleasant word is often άρωμα.
More from this lesson
μετακομίζωτον επόμενο μήναη μετακόμισηΜετακομίζω τον επόμενο μήνα, και μόνο η σκέψη της μετακόμισης με κουράζει λίγο.Η φίλη μου μετακομίζει σε πιο ήσυχο διαμέρισμα, γιατί θέλει η επόμενη μετακόμισή της να είναι η τελευταία για πολλά χρόνια.ο ιδιοκτήτηςυπογράφωΟ ιδιοκτήτης μού είπε ότι πριν υπογράψω πρέπει να διαβάσω ήρεμα το συμβόλαιο.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Greek grammar?”
Greek grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GreekMaster Greek — from Η μυρωδιά του καφέ στην κουζίνα είναι πολύ καλή to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions