Τον Μάιο θα κάνουμε τη βάφτιση της κόρης τους σε μια μικρή εκκλησία.

In Greek, months are often used with the accusative case when they express time when.

So:

• ο Μάιος = May
• τον Μάιο = in May

This is a very common pattern:

• τον Ιούνιο = in June
• τον χειμώνα = in winter
• την Κυριακή = on Sunday

So Τον Μάιο literally looks like May in the accusative, but in natural English we translate it as in May.

θα κάνουμε is the future tense of κάνω = to do / to make.

It is formed with:

• θα
  • verb

So:

• κάνουμε = we do / we are doing
• θα κάνουμε = we will do

In this sentence, κάνουμε does not mean only do in a literal sense. Greek often uses κάνω in a broader way, such as:

• κάνω γάμο = have/hold a wedding
• κάνω πάρτι = have a party
• κάνω βάφτιση = hold a baptism/christening

So here θα κάνουμε τη βάφτιση means something like we will hold / we will have the baptism.

Because βάφτιση is the direct object of the verb θα κάνουμε.

• η βάφτιση = nominative, used for the subject
• τη βάφτιση = accusative, used for the direct object

Compare:

• Η βάφτιση είναι τον Μάιο. = The baptism is in May.
• Θα κάνουμε τη βάφτιση τον Μάιο. = We will hold the baptism in May.

So the article changes because the noun’s role in the sentence changes.

Yes. τη is a shortened form of την.

In Modern Greek, the final -ν of την is often dropped before many consonants. Since βάφτιση starts with β, it is very common to write:

• τη βάφτιση

instead of:

• την βάφτιση

Both may be understood, but τη βάφτιση is very natural.

This happens a lot with the feminine accusative article:

• τη μητέρα
• τη φίλη
• τη βάφτιση

Greek usually expresses possession with the genitive.

Here:

• η κόρη = the daughter
• της κόρης = of the daughter
• τους = their

So:

• της κόρης τους = of their daughter

This is the Greek way to say their daughter’s.

It may feel more literal to an English speaker as:

• the baptism of their daughter

rather than:

• their daughter’s baptism

But both mean the same thing in English.

Because they do different jobs:

• της = the genitive article for κόρης
• τους = the possessive pronoun meaning their

So Greek keeps the article and also adds the possessive:

• της κόρης τους = of the daughter their

That may sound unusual from an English point of view, but it is completely normal Greek structure.

You will see this often:

• το σπίτι μου = my house
• η αδερφή του = his sister
• τα παιδιά τους = their children

κόρη is the basic dictionary form, called the nominative singular.

Its forms are:

• η κόρη = the daughter
• της κόρης = of the daughter
• την κόρη = the daughter (object)

So κόρης is the genitive singular form.

Many feminine nouns in -η form the genitive singular in -ης.

This part means in a small church.

Breakdown:

• σε = in / at / to
• μια = a / one
• μικρή = small
• εκκλησία = church

After σε, Greek normally uses the accusative, so the whole phrase is in the accusative.

Also, the adjective must agree with the noun:

• εκκλησία is feminine singular
• so the adjective is μικρή, also feminine singular

That is why you get:

• σε μια μικρή εκκλησία

Not always. σε is a very common preposition and can mean:

• in
• at
• to
• on in some contexts

Its exact meaning depends on context.

Here, with εκκλησία, the natural English translation is:

• in a small church

But in another sentence:

• πάω στην εκκλησία could mean I’m going to church
• είμαι στην εκκλησία = I’m at/in the church

So σε is flexible, and English chooses the best preposition depending on the situation.

Yes, but it means something slightly different.

• θα κάνουμε τη βάφτιση της κόρης τους = we will hold/have their daughter’s baptism
• θα βαφτίσουμε την κόρη τους = we will baptize their daughter

The first focuses on the event. The second focuses on the action performed on the child.

So the original sentence is about arranging or holding the ceremony, not just the act of baptizing.

They are very close, but there is a difference in tone and usage.

• βάφτιση is the common everyday word
• βάπτιση is more formal or ecclesiastical

In everyday Modern Greek, people very often say βάφτιση when talking about a christening/baptism.

So the sentence sounds natural and conversational.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Τον Μάιο puts the time expression first, giving it a little emphasis:

• Τον Μάιο θα κάνουμε... = In May, we will...
• Θα κάνουμε τη βάφτιση τον Μάιο... = We will hold the baptism in May...

Both are possible. The original sentence sounds very natural because it introduces the time frame first.

Yes: it agrees with εκκλησία in gender, number, and case.

Since εκκλησία is:

• feminine
• singular
• accusative

the adjective must match:

• μικρή

Compare:

• μια μικρή εκκλησία = a small church
• ένα μικρό σπίτι = a small house
• έναν μικρό κήπο = a small garden

This kind of agreement is very important in Greek.

A more literal version would be:

• In May we will do the baptism of their daughter in a small church.

That sounds unnatural in English, so the natural translation is more like:

• In May we will hold their daughter’s baptism in a small church.

This is a good example of how Greek often uses κάνω in places where English prefers a more specific verb such as hold, have, or celebrate.