Ξαφνιάζομαι κάθε φορά που το παιδί μιλάει τόσο καθαρά για την ηλικία του.

to speak

Breakdown of Ξαφνιάζομαι κάθε φορά που το παιδί μιλάει τόσο καθαρά για την ηλικία του.

• για: for
• το παιδί: the child
• τόσο: so

Questions & Answers about Ξαφνιάζομαι κάθε φορά που το παιδί μιλάει τόσο καθαρά για την ηλικία του.

What does Ξαφνιάζομαι mean here, and why does it look like a passive verb?

Ξαφνιάζομαι means I am surprised or I get surprised.

It has a middle/passive form in Greek, but here it is not really a true passive in the English sense. This is very common in Greek: some verbs are used in these endings even when the meaning is active or natural.

• ξαφνιάζω = I surprise
• ξαφνιάζομαι = I am surprised / I get surprised

So in this sentence, the speaker is saying that they themselves feel surprise.

---

Why is it κάθε φορά που? What does that whole phrase mean?

κάθε φορά που means every time that / whenever.

Breakdown:

• κάθε = every
• φορά = time / occasion
• που = that / when

So:

• κάθε φορά που το παιδί μιλάει...
  = every time the child speaks... = whenever the child speaks...

This is a very common Greek structure.

---

Why is it το παιδί and not something masculine or feminine?