Στην πλατεία έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι, και τα παιδιά παίζουν εκεί το καλοκαίρι.

Στην is the contracted form of σε την.

• σε = in / at / to
• την = the feminine singular accusative form of the

So στην πλατεία means in the square or at the square.

In modern Greek, σε + definite article is very often written as one word:

• στο = σε + το
• στη / στην = σε + τη(ν)
• στον = σε + τον
• στους, στις, στα, etc.

So this is a very common pattern, not something special about this sentence.

After σε, Greek normally uses the accusative case.

The noun πλατεία is feminine singular, and its basic forms are:

• nominative: η πλατεία
• genitive: της πλατείας
• accusative: την πλατεία

In this sentence, στην πλατεία contains the accusative form.

A detail that often confuses English speakers: the noun itself looks the same in nominative and accusative here. The article shows the case more clearly:

• η πλατεία = the square
• την πλατεία = the square, after a preposition like σε

Yes, έχει normally means he/she/it has, but in everyday Greek it is also commonly used in an existential sense, meaning there is / there are.

So:

• Στην πλατεία έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι
  = There is an old fountain in the square

This is very natural in spoken Greek.

A more formal or more standard written version would often use υπάρχει:

• Στην πλατεία υπάρχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

Both mean the same thing here, but έχει sounds more colloquial and conversational.

Yes. You can say:

• Στην πλατεία υπάρχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

This is perfectly correct and slightly more formal or neutral in writing.

The version with έχει is especially common in speech:

• Στην πλατεία έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

So the difference is mostly one of register:

• έχει = more everyday, colloquial
• υπάρχει = more formal, careful, or written

Συντριβάνι is a neuter noun, so the article and adjective also have to be neuter singular.

• ένα = a / one, neuter singular
• παλιό = old, neuter singular
• συντριβάνι = fountain, neuter singular

So:

• ένα παλιό συντριβάνι = an old fountain

This is normal Greek adjective placement: article + adjective + noun.

You could also sometimes place the adjective after the noun, but the most basic pattern here is:

• ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

You usually learn a noun together with its article, because the article tells you the gender:

• το συντριβάνι = the fountain

That το tells you it is neuter.

The ending -ι is very common for neuter nouns, although you should not rely only on endings in every case. It is best to memorize nouns with their article:

• η πλατεία
• το συντριβάνι
• το παιδί

That makes agreement much easier later.

In Greek, grammatical gender does not always match natural gender.

The singular is:

• το παιδί = the child

The plural is:

• τα παιδιά = the children

So παιδί is grammatically neuter, even though it refers to a person.

This is completely normal in Greek. Many words for young people are neuter. So in this sentence:

• τα παιδιά = the children

and the verb must agree with that plural subject.

Παίζουν is the 3rd person plural present form of παίζω = to play.

Because the subject is τα παιδιά = the children, the verb must be plural:

• το παιδί παίζει = the child plays / is playing
• τα παιδιά παίζουν = the children play / are playing

Also, Greek present tense can often translate as either:

• play
• are playing

depending on context.

Εκεί means there.

It refers back to the square, so instead of repeating στην πλατεία, Greek uses εκεί:

• τα παιδιά παίζουν εκεί = the children play there

This sounds natural and avoids repetition.

You could omit it in some contexts if the place is already obvious, but in this sentence it helps link the second clause clearly to the first one.

Greek very often uses the definite article in time expressions where English may or may not use one.

So:

• το καλοκαίρι = in summer / in the summer / during the summer

This is a very common pattern. Similar examples are:

• τον χειμώνα = in the winter
• την Κυριακή = on Sunday
• το βράδυ = in the evening / at night

So even if English sometimes drops the article, Greek often keeps it.

No, Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

This sentence begins with Στην πλατεία to set the scene:

• Στην πλατεία έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

That is very natural.

But you may also hear or see variations such as:

• Στην πλατεία υπάρχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι
• Έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι στην πλατεία

In the second clause:

• τα παιδιά παίζουν εκεί το καλοκαίρι

is a neutral order. But other orders are also possible, depending on emphasis:

• Το καλοκαίρι τα παιδιά παίζουν εκεί
• Εκεί παίζουν τα παιδιά το καλοκαίρι

So the basic meaning stays the same, but the emphasis can shift.

Greek present tense often covers both the simple and progressive meanings that English separates.

So παίζουν can mean:

• play
• are playing

In this sentence, because of το καλοκαίρι, the meaning is more general or habitual:

• the children play there in the summer

rather than the children are playing there right now.

So context tells you how to translate the present tense.

English uses a dummy subject in there is / there are. Greek does not need that.

Instead, Greek can simply say:

• έχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι
• υπάρχει ένα παλιό συντριβάνι

So Greek expresses the idea of existence without needing a separate word equivalent to English there in there is.

That is why εκεί only appears in the second clause, where it really means there as a place.