Στο νοσοκομείο η ασθενής περίμενε ήρεμα, παρά τον πόνο στην πλάτη.

Στο is the normal contraction of σε + το.

Greek very often combines σε with the definite article:

• σε + το → στο
• σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν)
• σε + τα → στα

So στο νοσοκομείο comes from σε το νοσοκομείο.

It can mean different things in different sentences, because σε is broader than any single English preposition.

• with movement verbs, it can mean to
• with location verbs, it can mean in or at

Here the verb is περίμενε = waited / was waiting, so the phrase is locational. That means στο νοσοκομείο is in/at the hospital, not to the hospital.

A useful comparison:

• Πήγε στο νοσοκομείο = She went to the hospital
• Περίμενε στο νοσοκομείο = She waited at/in the hospital

It can be both.

• as an adjective, ασθενής can mean weak or ill
• in medical contexts, it is also used as a noun meaning patient

In this sentence, it is clearly a noun: the patient.

Also, ασθενής has the same nominative singular form for masculine and feminine:

• ο ασθενής = the male patient
• η ασθενής = the female patient

So the article η tells you that the patient is female here.

Because η ασθενής is the subject of the sentence, it is in the nominative case.

Περίμενε is the 3rd-person singular past form of περιμένω = wait.

So it means:

• he waited
• she waited
• it waited
• or, depending on context, was waiting

The verb form itself does not show gender, so περίμενε could refer to a man or a woman. The noun η ασθενής tells you the subject is female.

In English, the best translation may be waited or was waiting, depending on context. Greek and English do not always divide past actions in exactly the same way.

Because ήρεμα is an adverb, while ήρεμη is an adjective.

Here the word describes how she waited, so Greek uses the adverb:

• ήρεμη ασθενής = a calm female patient
• περίμενε ήρεμα = she waited calmly

So:

• adjective = describes a noun
• adverb = describes a verb

Ήρεμα modifies περίμενε, not ασθενής.

Here παρά means despite.

In this use, it is followed by the accusative, so:

• ο πόνος = the pain nominative
• τον πόνο = the pain accusative

That is why you see τον πόνο.

So the phrase παρά τον πόνο means despite the pain.

A useful extra point: παρά can also mean beside or next to in other contexts, so you have to read it from context. In this sentence, it clearly means despite.

Στην is again a contraction: σε + την.

Greek very often uses the definite article with body parts, even where English would prefer a possessive such as her.

So πόνο στην πλάτη literally looks like pain in the back, but in context it naturally means pain in her back or back pain.

Because the owner of the body part is obvious from the sentence, Greek does not have to add της.

If you want to make it explicit, you can say:

• πόνο στην πλάτη της = pain in her back

But in this sentence, leaving out της is completely natural.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Στο νοσοκομείο puts the setting first. It is a bit like saying:

• At the hospital, the patient waited calmly...

That opening helps establish the scene before introducing the subject.

A more straightforward order would also be possible:

• Η ασθενής περίμενε ήρεμα στο νοσοκομείο...

Both are correct, but they give slightly different emphasis.

• Στο νοσοκομείο... = scene first
• Η ασθενής... = subject first

It is not absolutely required for understanding, but it is very natural.

The comma separates the main statement from the added concessive phrase:

• main idea: η ασθενής περίμενε ήρεμα
• added contrast: παρά τον πόνο στην πλάτη

So the comma helps the reader hear the pause and understand the contrast more clearly.

Without the comma, the sentence would still be understandable, especially in informal writing. With the comma, it feels cleaner and more polished.