Η πένσα είναι στο συρτάρι δίπλα στο κατσαβίδι.

The pliers are in the drawer next to the screwdriver.

Breakdown of Η πένσα είναι στο συρτάρι δίπλα στο κατσαβίδι.

• είμαι: to be
• σε: in
• δίπλα σε: next to
• το συρτάρι: the drawer

Questions & Answers about Η πένσα είναι στο συρτάρι δίπλα στο κατσαβίδι.

Why is there η at the beginning of the sentence?

Η is the definite article meaning the. It agrees with πένσα in gender, number, and case.

• η = feminine singular nominative
• πένσα is a feminine singular noun
• Together, η πένσα = the pliers / the pincers

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

Is πένσα singular or plural? In English, pliers is plural.

In this sentence, πένσα is singular in Greek.

That is one of the things that can feel strange to English speakers: some tools that are plural in English are treated as singular nouns in Greek.

So:

• Η πένσα είναι... = literally The pliers is... if translated word-for-word
• but in natural English we say The pliers are...

So you should learn πένσα as a normal singular Greek noun, even though its English equivalent is usually plural.

What does είναι mean, and what form is it?