Στο σπίτι έφτιαξα γαρίδες, ενώ η αδερφή μου έφαγε κουνουπίδι με λεμόνι.

Στο is a contraction of σε + το.

• σε = in / at / to
• το = the

So στο σπίτι literally means in/at/to the house/home.

In this sentence, because the verb is έφτιαξα (I made / I cooked), it clearly means at home rather than to the house.

After σε and after στο, the noun is in the accusative case. But σπίτι is a neuter noun, and in the singular its nominative and accusative forms are the same:

• το σπίτι = the house/home
• στο σπίτι = at/to the house/home

So the case does change grammatically, but the noun’s form happens to stay the same.

Έφτιαξα is the aorist of φτιάχνω.

Depending on context, φτιάχνω can mean:

• make
• prepare
• fix
• build

With food, it usually means make / prepare / cook.

So here έφτιαξα γαρίδες means something like:

• I made shrimp
• I cooked shrimp
• I prepared shrimp

All are natural translations depending on context.

Greek often leaves the article out when talking about indefinite food items or non-specific objects.

So:

• έφτιαξα γαρίδες = I cooked shrimp / some shrimp
• έφτιαξα τις γαρίδες = I cooked the shrimp (specific shrimp already known)

Also, Greek does not have a separate plural indefinite article like English some. So a bare plural noun often does that job.

Ενώ usually means:

• while
• whereas

It can show either:

1. two things happening in relation to each other, or
2. a contrast between two clauses.

In this sentence, it mainly gives a contrast:

• I made shrimp
• whereas / while my sister ate cauliflower with lemon

So while works, but whereas captures the contrast very well.

Because ενώ introduces a new clause.

Greek punctuation often uses a comma before conjunctions like ενώ, especially when two full clauses are being linked:

• Στο σπίτι έφτιαξα γαρίδες, ενώ η αδερφή μου έφαγε κουνουπίδι με λεμόνι.

This is similar to English, where a comma is often used before while or whereas when joining two longer clauses.

This is the normal Greek pattern:

• definite article + noun + possessive pronoun

So:

• η αδερφή μου = my sister
• literally: the sister of me

The word μου is the weak genitive form meaning my / of me.

This pattern is very common in Greek:

• το σπίτι μου = my house
• ο φίλος μου = my friend
• η μητέρα μου = my mother

Yes. Both mean sister.

• αδελφή is the more traditional/formal form
• αδερφή is very common in everyday modern Greek

A learner will see both. In normal speech and informal writing, αδερφή is extremely common.

Both are in the aorist, which is the usual Greek tense for a completed past action.

• έφτιαξα = I made / I cooked
• έφαγε = he/she/it ate

In English, this often corresponds to the simple past.

The aorist here presents the actions as whole, completed events, not as ongoing background actions.

Yes. Έφαγε can mean:

• he ate
• she ate
• it ate

Greek verbs usually do not show gender in their endings. The gender comes from the subject.

Here the subject is:

• η αδερφή μου = my sister

So we understand that έφαγε means she ate.

Because Greek often uses a bare noun when talking about food in a general, non-specific way.

So:

• έφαγε κουνουπίδι = she ate cauliflower
• έφαγε το κουνουπίδι = she ate the cauliflower (a specific cauliflower/dish already known)

The phrase με λεμόνι means with lemon, often understood as with lemon juice in food contexts.

So κουνουπίδι με λεμόνι is a natural way to say cauliflower with lemon.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Στο σπίτι puts the location first and sets the scene:

• Στο σπίτι έφτιαξα γαρίδες... = At home, I made shrimp...

A more neutral alternative would also be possible:

• Έφτιαξα γαρίδες στο σπίτι...

Both are grammatical. The original version gives a little more emphasis to where it happened.

Yes, in another context it could.

Because στο can mean:

• in
• at
• to

So στο σπίτι can mean:

• at home
• in the house
• to the house

The verb tells you which meaning is intended. Here έφτιαξα is not a movement verb, so at home is the natural reading. If the verb were something like πήγα (I went), then στο σπίτι would more naturally mean home / to the house.

Usually γαρίδες is translated as shrimp in general English. In some varieties of English, especially British English, prawns may also be natural depending on the size/type.

So the Greek word is broad enough that the best English choice can depend on dialect and context. For most learners, shrimp is the safest default.

Not necessarily.

Because of ενώ, the sentence can suggest either:

• a loose while relationship, or
• a contrast between the two clauses

Here the main effect is probably contrast:

• I made shrimp
• my sister ate cauliflower with lemon

So the sentence does not strongly focus on exact timing. It mainly compares what each person did.