Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται απόψε, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.

Because Greek usually uses the definite article with nouns more often than English does. For something unique and obvious like the moon, το φεγγάρι is the normal expression.

Also, φεγγάρι is a neuter singular noun, so it takes the neuter singular article το.

It is in the nominative case, because it is the subject of the verb φαίνεται.

In this sentence:

Το φεγγάρι = the thing that is not visible

So it is the subject, not the object.

Here δεν φαίνεται means is not visible, cannot be seen, or doesn’t show.

Very literally, φαίνεται comes from φαίνομαι, which often means:

• appear
• seem
• be visible

So Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται is a very natural way to say The moon isn’t visible.

It has middle/passive endings, yes, but in Modern Greek φαίνομαι is a normal dictionary verb in its own right. It does not always feel like a true passive in English.

So although φαίνεται looks like a passive-type form, you should learn φαίνομαι as a standard verb meaning:

• I appear
• I seem
• I am visible

Here, φαίνεται is 3rd person singular present: it appears / it is visible.

Because Greek normally uses φαίνεται when talking about whether something is visible.

Compare:

• Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται = The moon isn’t visible
• Δεν βλέπω το φεγγάρι = I don’t see the moon

The second sentence focuses on the person who is looking.
The original sentence focuses on the moon’s visibility. That is why φαίνεται is the natural choice here.

Απόψε means tonight.

It is an adverb, so it works like a single time word.
Σήμερα το βράδυ also means tonight / this evening, but it is longer and a bit more descriptive.

So:

• απόψε = tonight
• σήμερα το βράδυ = tonight / this evening

Both are correct, but απόψε is short and very common.

Γιατί can mean why or because. The meaning depends on context.

Here it introduces a reason:

Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται απόψε, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.
So here γιατί = because.

If it were a question, it would mean why:

Γιατί δεν φαίνεται το φεγγάρι; = Why isn’t the moon visible?

So the function of γιατί changes depending on whether it is asking for a reason or giving one.

There is no clear personal subject like he, she, or it in the English sense. Greek often uses έχει impersonally in weather-type expressions.

So έχει σύννεφα literally looks like it has clouds, but in natural English it means:

• there are clouds
• it’s cloudy

This is a very common Greek pattern.

Both are possible, but they do not sound equally natural in every situation.

Έχει σύννεφα is a very common everyday way to talk about the weather. It means something like:

• there are clouds
• it’s cloudy

Υπάρχουν σύννεφα is more literally there are clouds. It is grammatical, but in this kind of weather sentence, έχει σύννεφα sounds more natural and idiomatic.

You might also hear:

έχει συννεφιά = it’s cloudy / there is cloudiness

Because σύννεφα here is being used in a general, indefinite sense: clouds / cloud cover.

Greek often leaves out the article in this kind of expression, especially when talking generally rather than about specific known clouds.

So:

• έχει σύννεφα = there are clouds / it’s cloudy
• έχει τα σύννεφα would sound like it has the clouds, which would usually suggest specific clouds and would not fit well here.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The original sentence is natural:

Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται απόψε, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.

But you could also say:

• Απόψε το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.
• Το φεγγάρι απόψε δεν φαίνεται, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.

These all mean basically the same thing, though the emphasis changes slightly. Putting απόψε earlier can make tonight feel more prominent.

No. In Modern Greek, αι is pronounced like e.

So φαίνεται is pronounced roughly FE-ne-te.

A rough pronunciation guide for the whole sentence is:

Το φεγγάρι δεν φαίνεται απόψε, γιατί έχει σύννεφα.
to feg-GA-ri then FE-ne-te a-PO-pse, ya-TI E-hi SIN-ne-fa

A few useful notes:

• αι = e
• ει = i
• οι = i
• the stress mark shows which syllable is stressed

So:

• φεγγάρι → stress on γά
• φαίνεται → stress on φαί
• απόψε → stress on πό
• γιατί → stress on τί
• σύννεφα → stress on σύ