Μερικές φορές η γιαγιά μου θυμάται τα παλιά και χαμογελάει.

Μερικές φορές means sometimes.

Literally, it is some times:

• μερικές = some
• φορές = times

Greek often uses this plural expression where English uses the single adverb sometimes.

You may also see:

• κάποιες φορές = sometimes
• μερικές φορές = sometimes / at times

So this is a very natural everyday expression.

Both are possible, but η γιαγιά μου is very common and natural in Greek.

Greek usually keeps the definite article even with possessive words:

• η γιαγιά μου = my grandmother
• literally: the grandmother my

This is different from English, where we normally do not say the my grandmother.

So in Greek:

• η μητέρα μου = my mother
• ο φίλος μου = my friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house

The article is part of the normal structure.

In Greek, the weak possessive forms such as μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους usually come after the noun.

So:

• η γιαγιά μου = my grandmother
• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• οι φίλοι μας = our friends

This is just the standard Greek pattern. English puts the possessive before the noun; Greek usually puts this short form after it.

Θυμάται is the 3rd person singular present form of θυμάμαι, which means to remember.

So:

• θυμάμαι = I remember
• θυμάσαι = you remember
• θυμάται = he/she/it remembers

A very important point: θυμάμαι looks like a middle/passive verb in form, but it often has an active meaning:

• Η γιαγιά μου θυμάται τα παλιά = My grandmother remembers the old days / the past

So even though the ending looks like a non-active verb, the meaning here is active: she remembers.

Good question. Some Greek verbs have middle/passive forms but still behave like ordinary active verbs in meaning and syntax. Θυμάμαι is one of them.

So you say:

• θυμάμαι κάτι = I remember something
• θυμάται τα παλιά = she remembers the old days / old times

Here, τα παλιά is the direct object.

This kind of verb is often called a deponent verb in grammar discussions: it has non-active forms, but active meaning.

In this sentence, τα παλιά means something like:

• the old days
• the old times
• the past
• old memories

Literally, παλιά comes from old, but here it is being used more idiomatically. Greek often uses article + adjective as a noun-like expression.

So τα παλιά does not necessarily mean literal old objects. In this context, it usually means remembering earlier times in life.

Because Greek very naturally uses adjectives as nouns when the meaning is understood.

So:

• τα παλιά = the old things / the old days / the past
• το παρελθόν = the past

Both can work in some contexts, but τα παλιά sounds warm, personal, and memory-related here. It often suggests nostalgia.

So this sentence has a more human, emotional tone than a more abstract phrase might have.

It is the accusative, because it is the object of θυμάται.

• θυμάται τι; = remembers what?
• τα παλιά

A small detail: with neuter plural, the nominative and accusative forms are often the same, so τα παλιά looks the same in both cases. But here its function is accusative because it is the direct object.

Because Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed.

The verb ending already tells you the person:

• θυμάται = he/she remembers
• χαμογελάει = he/she smiles

And the subject has already been stated:

• η γιαγιά μου

So Greek does not need αυτή here. Adding it would usually give extra emphasis:

• Η γιαγιά μου θυμάται... = My grandmother remembers...
• Η γιαγιά μου αυτή θυμάται... would sound marked or unusual in this context

This is called pro-drop, and it is very common in Greek.

Both are correct and mean smiles.

• χαμογελάει
• χαμογελά

These are two common present-tense forms of the same verb, χαμογελώ.

In everyday Greek, both are widely used. Often:

• χαμογελάει can sound a bit fuller or a bit more colloquial to some speakers
• χαμογελά can sound slightly shorter or more concise

But in this sentence, the meaning is exactly the same.

Yes. The subject is still η γιαγιά μου.

The sentence has two coordinated verbs:

• θυμάται = remembers
• χαμογελάει = smiles

linked by και = and.

So the structure is:

• Μερικές φορές = Sometimes
• η γιαγιά μου = my grandmother
• θυμάται τα παλιά = remembers the old days
• και χαμογελάει = and smiles

Greek does not need to repeat the subject if it stays the same.

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence as given is very natural:

• Μερικές φορές η γιαγιά μου θυμάται τα παλιά και χαμογελάει.

But you could also hear variations like:

• Η γιαγιά μου μερικές φορές θυμάται τα παλιά και χαμογελάει.
• Τα παλιά θυμάται μερικές φορές η γιαγιά μου και χαμογελάει.

The basic meaning stays similar, but the emphasis changes.

The original version is a neutral, natural way to say it.

It is pronounced roughly thi-MA-te.

The stress is on μά:

• θυ-ΜΑ-ται

Likewise:

• γιαγιά has stress on the last ά
• χαμογελάει has stress on λά

Stress matters in Greek, so it is good to notice the accent marks:

• θυμάται
• γιαγιά
• χαμογελάει

Yes. Both verbs are in the present tense:

• θυμάται = remembers
• χαμογελάει = smiles

The sentence describes something that happens sometimes, so the present tense is exactly what Greek normally uses:

• Sometimes my grandmother remembers the old days and smiles.

It is not talking about one single completed event in the past. It is describing a repeated or habitual situation.