Όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι, ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα γιατί η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα.

Όταν means when. In a sentence like this, it often has the sense of whenever:

Όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι, ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα
= When/Whenever I cook fish, I turn on the extractor hood.

So it introduces a time clause that sets the situation for the main action.

In Greek, the present tense is often used for habitual or repeated actions, just like in English:

When I cook fish, I open/turn on the extractor hood.

This does not have to mean right now. It can mean this is what I usually do.

So:

• μαγειρεύω = I cook / I am cooking
• ανοίγω = I open / I turn on

Here, both are best understood as habitual: Whenever I cook fish, I turn on the extractor hood.

ψάρι here means fish in a general or indefinite sense.

So μαγειρεύω ψάρι means:

• I cook fish
• not necessarily I cook the fish

If you said μαγειρεύω το ψάρι, that would usually mean a specific fish already known from the context:

• I am cooking the fish

Greek often leaves out the article when talking about something in a general or non-specific way.

Because απορροφητήρα is the direct object of ανοίγω.

The dictionary form is:

• ο απορροφητήρας = the extractor hood

But after a verb like ανοίγω (I open / turn on), Greek uses the accusative case for the direct object:

• ο απορροφητήρας → nominative
• τον απορροφητήρα → accusative

So:

• Ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα = I turn on the extractor hood

Ο απορροφητήρας is the extractor hood, range hood, or kitchen exhaust fan above the stove.

It comes from the idea of absorbing / pulling in air and smells.

In this sentence, it is the appliance used to remove cooking smells.

Yes, ανοίγω literally means open, but Greek also uses it for turning devices on.

So:

• ανοίγω το φως = I turn on the light
• ανοίγω την τηλεόραση = I turn on the TV
• ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα = I turn on the extractor hood

This is very natural Greek, even though English usually says turn on instead of open.

Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause:

Όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι, ...
= When I cook fish, ...

In Greek, when a clause introduced by όταν comes before the main clause, it is normally separated by a comma.

So the structure is:

• time clause: Όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι
• main clause: ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα

It can mean both, depending on the sentence.

Here it means because:

...γιατί η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα
= ...because the kitchen smells strongly

But in a question, γιατί can also mean why:

• Γιατί έφυγες; = Why did you leave?

So the meaning depends on whether it introduces a reason clause or asks a question.

Literally, it means:

• η κουζίνα = the kitchen
• μυρίζει = smells
• έντονα = strongly / intensely

So the whole phrase means: the kitchen smells strongly
or more naturally in English: the kitchen smells strongly of fish / the smell in the kitchen is strong

The idea is that cooking fish creates a strong smell in the kitchen.

Because έντονα is an adverb, meaning strongly or intensely.

It comes from the adjective:

• έντονος (masculine)
• έντονη (feminine)
• έντονο (neuter)

A lot of Greek adverbs are formed with -α, especially from adjectives:

• έντονος → έντονα
• αργός → αργά = slowly
• σωστός → σωστά = correctly

So μυρίζει έντονα = it smells strongly.

Yes. Η κουζίνα can mean:

1. the kitchen (the room)
2. the stove/cooker

In this sentence, it most likely means the kitchen, because the idea is that the whole room smells strongly when fish is being cooked.

So here: η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα = the kitchen smells strongly

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English.

So Greek naturally says:

• η κουζίνα
• ο απορροφητήρας
• το σπίτι
• ο καιρός

Even in places where English might sound more natural without the, Greek often keeps the article.

So η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα is perfectly normal Greek, even though English might phrase it more loosely.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English, although not completely free.

This sentence is very natural as written:

Όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι, ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα γιατί η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα.

But you could also rearrange parts for emphasis, for example:

Ανοίγω τον απορροφητήρα όταν μαγειρεύω ψάρι, γιατί η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα.

That still means basically the same thing. The original version simply starts with the when-clause, which is very common.

Μυρίζω can work in a few ways in Greek.

Here, η κουζίνα μυρίζει έντονα means:

• the kitchen smells strongly
• in other words, it gives off a strong smell

So it is not passive. The subject η κουζίνα is the thing that smells.

Depending on context, μυρίζω can also mean:

• I smell something (I detect an odor)
• something smells (it gives off a smell)

Here it is the second meaning.