Η λοσιόν είναι στο ντουλαπάκι δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη.

Η is the feminine singular definite article, meaning the.

So:

• η λοσιόν = the lotion

In Greek, nouns normally take an article much more often than in English, and the article must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Here, λοσιόν is treated as a feminine noun, so it takes η in the nominative singular.

Λοσιόν is a loanword in Greek, and like many borrowed nouns, its gender has to be learned as part of the word.

In this sentence, it is feminine, which is why you see:

• η λοσιόν

You should learn it together with its article:

• η λοσιόν = the lotion

That is often the easiest way to remember noun gender in Greek.

Είναι means is.

It is the 3rd person singular form of the verb είμαι = to be.

So:

• η λοσιόν είναι... = the lotion is...

Greek uses είναι just as English uses is in this kind of sentence.

Because in modern Greek, σε + το normally contracts to στο.

So:

• σε το ντουλαπάκι → στο ντουλαπάκι

This is extremely common and something you should get used to:

• σε + το → στο
• σε + τη / την → στη / στην

So στο ντουλαπάκι means in the cabinet / cupboard / little cabinet depending on context.

It is in the accusative case.

The preposition σε takes the accusative in modern Greek. Since στο is really σε + το, the noun that follows is accusative:

• στο ντουλαπάκι

For neuter singular nouns like ντουλαπάκι, the nominative and accusative often look the same, so you do not see a form change here. But grammatically, it is accusative.

Yes. Ντουλαπάκι is a diminutive form.

It comes from ντουλάπι = cabinet, cupboard and ντουλαπάκι suggests:

• a small cabinet
• a little cupboard
• sometimes simply a more natural everyday word for a small storage compartment

In places like a bathroom, it could mean something like:

• little cabinet
• bathroom cabinet
• small cupboard
• compartment

The exact English translation depends on context.

Yes, σε is very flexible. It can cover meanings that English expresses with to, in, at, or on, depending on context.

So:

• στο ντουλαπάκι can mean in the cabinet
• in another context, σε could mean at or to

Greek often relies on context where English uses more specific prepositions.

If you wanted to make the meaning more explicitly inside, Greek could also use μέσα στο, but στο alone is perfectly normal here.

Δίπλα means next to or beside.

Very often it is used with σε:

• δίπλα σε... = next to...

In your sentence, that σε is contracted with the article:

• δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη = next to the soap dish

So the full underlying structure is:

• δίπλα σε τη σαπουνοθήκη

But in natural Greek, you say:

• δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη

Both patterns exist in Greek, but here στη is the normal contracted form before this noun.

It comes from:

• σε τη σαπουνοθήκη → στη σαπουνοθήκη

You may also learn στην as a contraction of σε την, and in some contexts speakers may prefer one form or the other depending on style, pronunciation, or the noun that follows. But in this sentence, στη σαπουνοθήκη is perfectly standard.

It is in the accusative case.

That is because it follows σε in the expression:

• δίπλα σε τη σαπουνοθήκη
• contracted: δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη

For many feminine nouns, the accusative singular often looks the same as the nominative singular, so the form does not obviously change here:

• nominative: η σαπουνοθήκη
• accusative: τη(ν) σαπουνοθήκη

Yes. Σαπουνοθήκη is a compound word.

It is built from:

• σαπούνι = soap
• θήκη = holder, case, container

So σαπουνοθήκη literally means something like:

• soap-holder
• soap dish
• soap tray

Greek often forms nouns this way, and recognizing the parts can help you remember vocabulary.

Because the nouns they go with have different genders.

• ντουλαπάκι is neuter, so it takes το
  • σε + το → στο
• σαπουνοθήκη is feminine, so it takes τη
  • σε + τη → στη

So the article changes to match the noun:

• στο ντουλαπάκι
• στη σαπουνοθήκη

This is a basic but very important part of Greek grammar.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence:

• Η λοσιόν είναι στο ντουλαπάκι δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη.

is the most neutral and natural order.

But Greek can move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• Στο ντουλαπάκι δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη είναι η λοσιόν.

That would sound more like:

• The lotion is in the little cabinet next to the soap dish or
• It’s in the little cabinet next to the soap dish, the lotion is

So yes, the order can change, but the original version is the straightforward one for learners.

It is pronounced approximately like:

• lo-see-ON

The stress is on the last syllable:

• λοσιόν

That final stressed syllable is important. In Greek writing, the accent mark shows where the stress goes.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• Ee lo-see-ON EE-ne sto ndoo-la-PA-kee DEE-pla stee sa-poo-no-THEE-kee

A few notes:

• Η sounds like ee
• είναι sounds like EE-ne
• δίπλα has stress on the first syllable: DEE-pla
• σαπουνοθήκη has stress on -θή-: sa-poo-no-THEE-kee

This is only an approximation, but it can help you get started.

Greek does use a word for the, but unlike English, that article changes form depending on:

• gender
• number
• case

So English just has:

• the

But Greek has forms like:

• η, ο, το
• τη(ν), τον, το
• and contracted forms such as στο, στη

That is why in one short sentence you already see different article forms. This is completely normal in Greek.

Yes, in practice it describes the location of the lotion by identifying which cabinet is meant:

• the lotion is in the little cabinet next to the soap dish

So the phrase δίπλα στη σαπουνοθήκη is attached to the location phrase στο ντουλαπάκι.

It is not saying that the lotion itself is physically next to the soap dish outside the cabinet. It is saying the lotion is in the cabinet, and that cabinet is next to the soap dish. Context makes this interpretation natural.

A lot of useful Greek patterns appear here. Good chunks to memorize are:

• η λοσιόν = the lotion
• είναι στο... = is in / at / on the...
• στο ντουλαπάκι = in the little cabinet
• δίπλα στη... = next to the...
• στη σαπουνοθήκη = at/in/on the soap dish depending on context, but here the soap dish

These chunks will help you build many similar sentences naturally.