Η ηλεκτρική σκούπα δεν παίρνει πάντα όλη τη σκόνη από το χαλί, οπότε το καθαρίζω ξανά.

The vacuum cleaner doesn’t always pick up all the dust from the carpet, so I clean it again.

Breakdown of Η ηλεκτρική σκούπα δεν παίρνει πάντα όλη τη σκόνη από το χαλί, οπότε το καθαρίζω ξανά.

• δεν: not
• από: from
• πάντα: always
• το: it

Questions & Answers about Η ηλεκτρική σκούπα δεν παίρνει πάντα όλη τη σκόνη από το χαλί, οπότε το καθαρίζω ξανά.

Why does Greek use ηλεκτρική σκούπα for vacuum cleaner?

Because that is the normal Greek expression. Literally, ηλεκτρική σκούπα means electric broom, but in everyday Greek it simply means vacuum cleaner.

The noun is σκούπα, which is feminine, so the whole phrase takes the feminine article η:

• η σκούπα = the broom
• η ηλεκτρική σκούπα = the vacuum cleaner

So even though the literal wording may sound unusual to an English speaker, this is just standard Greek vocabulary.

Why is there a definite article η at the beginning?

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English does. In this sentence, Η ηλεκτρική σκούπα can mean:

• the vacuum cleaner
• or more generally a vacuum cleaner / vacuum cleaners in the sense of talking about the device as a type of thing

So Greek often says the vacuum cleaner where English might say a vacuum cleaner or just vacuum cleaners in a general statement.

What does παίρνει mean here? I thought παίρνω meant take.