Η πάσα είναι καλή, αλλά η ντρίμπλα είναι καλύτερη.

Η is the definite article in Greek, meaning the.

In this sentence, both nouns are feminine singular, so they take η:

• η πάσα = the pass
• η ντρίμπλα = the dribble

Greek articles change depending on gender, number, and case, unlike English the, which always stays the same.

In Greek, every noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Both πάσα and ντρίμπλα are treated as feminine nouns, which is why they use:

• the article η
• feminine adjective forms like καλή and καλύτερη

A noun’s gender is not always logical from an English point of view, so it usually has to be learned together with the noun:

• η πάσα
• η ντρίμπλα

That is a very good habit when learning Greek.

Because the adjective has to agree with the noun it describes.

The adjective καλός means good, but it changes form depending on gender:

• καλός = masculine
• καλή = feminine
• καλό = neuter

Since πάσα is feminine, Greek uses καλή:

• Η πάσα είναι καλή.

If the noun were masculine, you would use καλός. If it were neuter, you would use καλό.

Καλύτερη is the comparative form of καλή.

So the pattern is:

• καλή = good
• καλύτερη = better

Like καλή, it must agree with the feminine noun ντρίμπλα, so the feminine form is used.

Related forms are:

• καλύτερος = better (masculine)
• καλύτερη = better (feminine)
• καλύτερο = better (neuter)

So:

• η ντρίμπλα είναι καλύτερη = the dribble is better

In this sentence, Greek repeats είναι because each half is a complete clause:

• Η πάσα είναι καλή
• αλλά η ντρίμπλα είναι καλύτερη

That is the most natural full form.

Sometimes Greek can omit parts that are understood from context, especially in informal speech, but here repeating είναι sounds normal and clear. It is similar to English:

• The pass is good, but the dribble is better.

You would normally keep is in both parts.

Αλλά means but.

It connects the two contrasting ideas:

• Η πάσα είναι καλή
• αλλά η ντρίμπλα είναι καλύτερη

Its position is very similar to English but: it comes between the two clauses.

Yes, ντρίμπλα is used in Greek, especially in sports, but it is a loanword based on foreign vocabulary.

The spelling ντ is important because in Modern Greek it is often used to represent a d sound, especially in borrowed words.

So ντρίμπλα is pronounced approximately like DRIM-bla.

This is common in Modern Greek:

• ντ often represents d
• μπ often represents b

So the unusual spelling is one reason learners often ask about it.

Πάσα is pronounced roughly PA-sa, with the stress on the first syllable.

A few helpful points:

• π = p
• ά shows the stressed vowel
• σ = s

So it sounds close to PAH-sa.

The accent mark tells you where the stress goes:

• πάσα → stress on πά

The accent marks show which syllable is stressed when you pronounce the word.

For example:

• πάσα → stress on πά
• είναι → stress on εί
• καλή → stress on the last syllable
• ντρίμπλα → stress on ντρί
• καλύτερη → stress on λύ

Stress matters in Greek pronunciation, so accents are important and should be learned as part of the word.

Normally, no—not in this kind of sentence.

Greek usually uses the article with nouns much more often than English does. So:

• Η πάσα είναι καλή
• Η ντρίμπλα είναι καλύτερη

sound natural.

Leaving out the article here would sound odd or incomplete in standard Greek.

This is a very common difference from English: Greek often prefers the + noun where English might sometimes sound more flexible.

The word order here is very standard and natural:

• Η πάσα = subject
• είναι = verb
• καλή = predicate adjective

Then the same pattern repeats:

• η ντρίμπλα
• είναι
• καλύτερη

So the structure is:

subject + is + adjective, but subject + is + adjective

Greek word order can be more flexible than English because endings give more grammatical information, but this sentence uses the most straightforward order.

Both πάσα and ντρίμπλα are in the nominative singular.

That is because they are the subjects of the verb είναι.

So you have:

• η πάσα → nominative singular feminine
• η ντρίμπλα → nominative singular feminine

The adjectives καλή and καλύτερη match them in gender, number, and function.

For a beginner, the key takeaway is: when the noun is the subject, you usually see the nominative form.

It sounds most natural in a sports context, especially basketball or football/soccer.

• πάσα is a pass
• ντρίμπλα is a dribble

So the sentence compares two sports actions.

Grammatically, though, it is a very useful model for many other sentences:

• Η ιδέα είναι καλή, αλλά η άλλη είναι καλύτερη.
• Το σχέδιο είναι καλό, αλλά αυτό είναι καλύτερο.

So even if the vocabulary is sporty, the structure is widely useful.