Η αποσκευή της φίλης μου ήταν πιο βαριά απ’ όσο περίμενε.

Η is the definite article for a feminine singular nominative noun. It matches αποσκευή, which is feminine singular and is the subject of the sentence.

So:

• η αποσκευή = the luggage / the suitcase

Greek uses articles very regularly, often more often than English does.

Greek usually shows possession with the genitive.

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• της φίλης μου = of my friend / my friend’s

So the structure is:

• της = feminine singular genitive article
• φίλης = genitive form of φίλη
• μου = my

Literally, η αποσκευή της φίλης μου is the luggage of my friend, which English normally turns into my friend’s luggage.

Not in this sentence. Here της is the genitive article, not the possessive pronoun her.

So:

• της φίλης μου = of my friend
• not her friend

This is a very common point of confusion, because της can mean different things in different contexts.

Because weak possessive words like μου usually come after the noun in Greek.

For example:

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house

So when φίλη μου goes into the genitive, it becomes:

• της φίλης μου

That is the normal Greek word order.

It can mean either:

• my female friend
• my girlfriend

Context tells you which one is meant. So της φίλης μου could mean my female friend’s or my girlfriend’s. If your translation already gives the intended meaning, follow that context.

Because the adjective has to agree with αποσκευή, which is feminine singular.

The basic forms are:

• βαρύς = masculine
• βαριά = feminine
• βαρύ = neuter

Since αποσκευή is feminine, Greek uses βαριά.

Greek often forms the comparative with:

• πιο + adjective

So:

• βαριά = heavy
• πιο βαριά = heavier

This is a very common and natural pattern in Modern Greek.

Yes. Both are possible:

• πιο βαριά
• βαρύτερη

Both mean heavier. In everyday Modern Greek, πιο + adjective is very common and often feels simpler and more conversational.

This is the comparison pattern:

• πιο ... απ’ όσο ...

It means something like:

• more ... than ...
• more ... than one expected
• heavier than she expected

Here:

• απ’ = shortened form of από
• όσο introduces the degree or amount

So πιο βαριά απ’ όσο περίμενε means heavier than she expected.

Because από is shortened before a following vowel:

• από όσο → απ’ όσο

This is very common in Greek writing.

Other examples:

• απ’ αυτό
• απ’ όλους

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are understood from the verb form and the context.

So Greek does not need to say she explicitly here. The verb περίμενε is a third-person singular past form, and from the context you understand it as she expected.

Here περίμενε means expected.

It comes from περιμένω = I expect / I wait.

In isolation, περίμενε! can also mean wait!, but not here. In this sentence, because of the structure όσο περίμενε, it clearly means expected.

Ήταν is the past form of είμαι (to be).

Here it means was:

• η αποσκευή ... ήταν πιο βαριά = the luggage/suitcase ... was heavier

A useful extra note: ήταν can also mean were in other sentences, but here the subject is singular, so it is was.

A very literal breakdown is:

• Η αποσκευή = the luggage / the suitcase
• της φίλης μου = of my friend
• ήταν = was
• πιο βαριά = heavier
• απ’ όσο περίμενε = than she expected

So very literally:

The luggage of my friend was heavier than she expected.

More natural English is:

My friend’s suitcase/luggage was heavier than she expected.