Ο μικρός είναι ξανθός, ενώ η αδερφή του είναι μελαχρινή.

In Greek, an adjective can be used on its own with the article and function like a noun.

So ο μικρός literally means the small/little one in the masculine singular, but in real context it often means:

• the little boy
• the younger one
• the young one

The exact meaning depends on context. In a family sentence like this one, it very naturally refers to the little boy / the younger child.

Greek uses the definite article very often, including before nouns and adjectives used like nouns.

Here:

• ο = the for masculine singular
• η = the for feminine singular

So:

• ο μικρός = the little boy / the little one
• η αδερφή = the sister

Unlike English, Greek articles also show gender, number, and case.

Because adjectives in Greek must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• ο μικρός is masculine singular, so the adjective is masculine singular: ξανθός
• η αδερφή is feminine singular, so the adjective is feminine singular: μελαχρινή

So the endings change to match:

• masculine: ξανθός
• feminine: ξανθή or, in this sentence’s adjective, μελαχρινή

This kind of agreement is very important in Greek.

Here ενώ means while, whereas, or while on the other hand.

It connects two contrasting ideas:

• Ο μικρός είναι ξανθός
• η αδερφή του είναι μελαχρινή

So it signals a contrast: one sibling is blond, the other is dark-haired.

In this sentence, ενώ is not mainly about time; it is mainly about contrast.

του here means his.

Greek often expresses possession by using a weak pronoun in the genitive after the noun.

So:

• η αδερφή του = his sister
• literally something like the sister of him

This is a very common Greek structure.

Other examples:

• το σπίτι μου = my house
• η μητέρα της = her mother
• ο φίλος μας = our friend

So in this sentence, του refers back to ο μικρός.

Because Greek possession usually works differently from English.

English uses a possessive determiner before the noun:

• his sister

Greek usually uses the noun first and then the possessive form after it:

• η αδερφή του

So instead of a separate pre-noun word like English his, Greek commonly uses του after the noun.

This is completely normal and one of the most common possession patterns in Greek.

Greek often omits subject pronouns because the verb form already shows the person and number.

Here:

• είναι = is

And Greek does not need to say he is or she is unless the speaker wants emphasis or contrast.

So:

• Ο μικρός είναι ξανθός already means The boy is blond
• η αδερφή του είναι μελαχρινή already means his sister is dark-haired

You could add pronouns for emphasis in some contexts, but normally they are left out.

είναι is the 3rd person singular form of είμαι = to be.

It means is here.

So:

• Ο μικρός είναι ξανθός = The boy is blond
• η αδερφή του είναι μελαχρινή = his sister is dark-haired

Greek uses είναι in the same basic way English uses is with descriptions and identities.

Yes. Both αδερφή and αδελφή exist.

• αδερφή is very common in everyday Modern Greek
• αδελφή is more formal or traditional

Both mean sister.

So the sentence sounds natural and modern with αδερφή.

Not always exactly. μελαχρινή usually means dark-haired or brunette, but it can sometimes suggest a generally darker coloring as well.

In many contexts, translating it as brunette is perfectly natural. But the Greek word can be a bit broader than the English word.

So in this sentence, it most naturally means that the sister has dark hair.

Not as fixed as in English.

The neutral word order here is very natural:

• Ο μικρός είναι ξανθός, ενώ η αδερφή του είναι μελαχρινή.

But Greek word order is generally more flexible because endings and articles provide grammatical information.

You might change word order for emphasis, but this version is the most straightforward and natural for a learner to use.

A simple pronunciation guide would be:

O mi-KROS EE-ne ksan-THOS, e-NO i a-der-FEE tou EE-ne me-la-khri-NEE.

A few useful points:

• ξ sounds like ks
• χρ in μελαχρινή has the Greek χ sound, a rough sound not exactly like English h
• the stressed syllables are:
  • μικρός
  • ξανθός
  • ενώ
  • αδερφή
  • μελαχρινή

Stress matters in Greek, so it is good to pay attention to the accent marks.