Η μικρή τρέμει όταν ακούει βροντή.

Because Greek often uses an adjective as a noun when the noun is understood from context.

• η μικρή literally means the small one
• in natural English, that often becomes the little girl, the little one, or the young girl, depending on context

The article η shows that the word is being used like a noun. The feminine form μικρή suggests a female person is meant.

It is a feminine singular noun phrase in the nominative case.

Breakdown:

• η = the for feminine singular nouns in the nominative
• μικρή = feminine singular form of small / little

Since it is the subject of the sentence, it appears in the nominative.

So:

• η μικρή = the little girl / the little one

Greek often leaves out a noun when it is obvious or not important.

For example:

• η μικρή can stand for the little girl
• ο μεγάλος can mean the big one / the older boy / the grown-up man, depending on context

This is very common in everyday Greek. English does something similar sometimes with expressions like the little one, but Greek uses it more freely.

τρέμει is the 3rd person singular present active form of the verb τρέμω (to tremble / to shake).

So:

• τρέμω = I tremble
• τρέμεις = you tremble
• τρέμει = he/she/it trembles

Here it agrees with η μικρή, which is she.

Greek often uses the present tense for general or repeated situations, just like English does.

So this sentence describes a usual reaction:

• Η μικρή τρέμει όταν ακούει βροντή.
• The little girl trembles when she hears thunder.

It means this happens whenever that situation occurs, not just one single time.

όταν means when.

In this sentence, it introduces a time clause:

• όταν ακούει βροντή = when she hears thunder

With repeated, habitual, or general actions, Greek commonly uses:

• όταν + present tense

So this sentence is a normal pattern:

• main clause: Η μικρή τρέμει
• time clause: όταν ακούει βροντή

Because Greek often leaves out the article with something that English might express more generally.

Here βροντή means thunder in a general sense:

• ακούει βροντή = she hears thunder

If you said τη βροντή, that would sound more like the thunder, referring to a specific thunder sound or thunder already known in the context.

So the version without the article is natural for a general meaning.

It is in the accusative singular, because it is the object of ακούει (hears).

You may notice that βροντή looks the same in nominative and accusative singular. That is normal for many feminine nouns of this type.

So in this sentence:

• subject: Η μικρή
• verb: ακούει
• object: βροντή

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order because the endings and articles give grammatical clues.

The standard order here is:

• Η μικρή τρέμει όταν ακούει βροντή.

But other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

• Όταν ακούει βροντή, η μικρή τρέμει.

That means the same thing, but puts the when-clause first.

English can do this too:

• When she hears thunder, the little girl trembles.

Yes. ακούει comes from ακούω (to hear).

This is just normal verb conjugation.

Present tense:

• ακούω = I hear
• ακούς = you hear
• ακούει = he/she/it hears
• ακούμε = we hear
• ακούτε = you hear
• ακούν / ακούνε = they hear

So ακούει is the form needed for she hears.

It can often mean either, depending on context.

In a sentence like this, ακούει βροντή usually suggests:

• she hears thunder
• or she hears a thunderclap / rumbling thunder

Greek often uses singular nouns in a more general way than English learners may expect. So it is best to understand it as a natural Greek way to express the sound of thunder.

A very literal translation would be:

• The little one trembles when she hears thunder.

A more natural English translation is usually:

• The little girl trembles when she hears thunder.
• The little one trembles when she hears thunder.

So the Greek is straightforward, but English often needs a slightly less literal translation to sound natural.