Η ανιψιά μου κρατάει ένα ροζ μπαλόνι, αλλά θέλει άλλο ένα μπαλόνι για τον αδερφό της.

Η ανιψιά μου means my niece.

Greek often uses the definite article where English does too, and sometimes even where English would leave it out. So:

• η = the (feminine singular nominative)
• ανιψιά = niece
• μου = my

So literally this part is the niece my, but in natural English that is simply my niece.

Using the article with family words is very normal in Greek:

• η μητέρα μου = my mother
• ο αδερφός μου = my brother
• η ανιψιά μου = my niece

Greek usually does not need an explicit subject pronoun if the verb already shows who the subject is.

Here:

• κρατάει = she/he is holding
• θέλει = she/he wants

Because the context already tells us the subject is η ανιψιά μου, Greek does not need to add αυτή (she).

So Greek often says:

• Η ανιψιά μου κρατάει... = My niece is holding... not
• Η ανιψιά μου αυτή κρατάει...

Adding αυτή would usually be for emphasis.

Κρατάει is the present tense, 3rd person singular of κρατάω / κρατώ, meaning to hold.

So:

• κρατάω / κρατώ = I hold
• κρατάς = you hold
• κρατάει / κρατά = he/she/it holds

In this sentence:

• Η ανιψιά μου κρατάει ένα ροζ μπαλόνι = My niece is holding a pink balloon

Greek present tense can often translate as either:

• holds or
• is holding

depending on context.

Because μπαλόνι is a neuter singular noun.

So the indefinite article must also be neuter singular:

• ένας = masculine a
• μία / μια = feminine a
• ένα = neuter a

Since μπαλόνι is neuter, we get:

• ένα μπαλόνι = a balloon

And since ροζ describes μπαλόνι, the whole phrase becomes:

• ένα ροζ μπαλόνι = a pink balloon

Because ροζ is an indeclinable color word in Greek. That means it usually stays the same regardless of gender, number, or case.

So you can have:

• ένα ροζ μπαλόνι = a pink balloon
• η ροζ μπλούζα = the pink blouse
• ο ροζ τοίχος = the pink wall

Unlike many Greek adjectives, ροζ does not usually change endings.

Άλλο ένα means another or more literally one more.

Breakdown:

• άλλο = other / another (here, neuter singular to match μπαλόνι)
• ένα = one / a

So:

• θέλει άλλο ένα μπαλόνι = she wants another balloon

Greek often expresses another + noun as:

• άλλος ένας for masculine
• άλλη μία for feminine
• άλλο ένα for neuter

Examples:

• άλλος ένας καφές = another coffee
• άλλη μία μέρα = another day
• άλλο ένα μπαλόνι = another balloon

Greek could say just θέλει άλλο ένα if the noun is already clear from context. That would mean she wants another one.

But repeating the noun is also very natural and often clearer:

• θέλει άλλο ένα μπαλόνι = she wants another balloon

So both are possible:

• θέλει άλλο ένα μπαλόνι = she wants another balloon
• θέλει άλλο ένα = she wants another one

The full noun is repeated here simply for clarity.

Because the preposition για (for) requires the accusative case.

The noun αδερφός is masculine, and its forms are:

• nominative: ο αδερφός = the brother
• accusative: τον αδερφό = the brother / brother after certain prepositions or as an object

Since για is followed by the accusative, we get:

• για τον αδερφό της = for her brother

Not:

• για ο αδερφός της

Της here means her.

So:

• ο αδερφός της = her brother
• για τον αδερφό της = for her brother

This της is a possessive weak pronoun. It agrees with the possessor, not with the thing possessed.

Since the possessor is the niece, who is feminine, Greek uses:

• της = her

Compare:

• ο αδερφός μου = my brother
• ο αδερφός σου = your brother
• ο αδερφός της = her brother
• ο αδερφός του = his brother

In Greek, short possessive words like μου, σου, του, της usually come after the noun.

So:

• η ανιψιά μου = my niece
• ο αδερφός της = her brother

This is the normal Greek pattern.

English says:

• my niece
• her brother

Greek usually says:

• the niece my
• the brother her

Of course, we translate them naturally into English.

Yes. Αδερφός / αδερφό and αδελφός / αδελφό both mean brother.

• αδερφός is very common in everyday modern Greek
• αδελφός is also correct and may sound a bit more formal or traditional in some contexts

So:

• για τον αδερφό της and
• για τον αδελφό της

both mean for her brother.

The sentence follows a very natural Greek word order:

• Η ανιψιά μου = subject
• κρατάει ένα ροζ μπαλόνι = verb + object
• αλλά = but
• θέλει άλλο ένα μπαλόνι = verb + object
• για τον αδερφό της = prepositional phrase

So the structure is basically:

[Subject] [Verb] [Object], but [Verb] [Object] [for + person]

Greek word order is often more flexible than English because case endings and articles help show relationships. So some rearrangement is possible for emphasis, but the version given is neutral and natural.

For example, για τον αδερφό της could be moved for emphasis, but the original is the safest standard order for learners.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Greek present tense often covers both:

• she holds
• she is holding

In this sentence, English would most naturally say:

• My niece is holding a pink balloon

because it sounds like a current action happening now.

So when you see a Greek present-tense verb like κρατάει, remember that English may translate it as either simple present or present continuous.