Η καινούρια συνάδελφός μου μιλάει χαμηλόφωνα, αλλά πολύ καθαρά.

My new colleague speaks softly, but very clearly.

Breakdown of Η καινούρια συνάδελφός μου μιλάει χαμηλόφωνα, αλλά πολύ καθαρά.

• μιλάω: to speak
• πολύ: very
• μου: my
• αλλά: but

Questions & Answers about Η καινούρια συνάδελφός μου μιλάει χαμηλόφωνα, αλλά πολύ καθαρά.

Why is συνάδελφος feminine here even though it ends in -ος?

Because not every Greek noun ending in -ος is masculine. Συνάδελφος is a very common noun that can refer to either a man or a woman.

In this sentence, it is feminine because the article is η and the adjective is καινούρια, both feminine:

• η = feminine the
• καινούρια = feminine new
• συνάδελφος = colleague

So the gender is shown mainly by the words around the noun, not by the ending alone.

Why is it καινούρια?

Καινούρια is the feminine singular form of the adjective καινούριος / καινούρια / καινούριο.

It has to agree with συνάδελφος, which is feminine here. That is why you get:

• η καινούρια συνάδελφος

If the colleague were male, you would say:

• ο καινούριος συνάδελφος

So this is a normal case of adjective agreement in gender and number.

What does μου mean here, and why does it come after the noun?

Μου means my here.

Greek usually expresses this kind of possession with a weak pronoun placed after the noun:

• η συνάδελφός μου = my colleague

So Greek often says something closer to:

• the colleague of mine

This is completely normal. English puts my before the noun, but Greek commonly puts μου after it.