Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία με τα ελληνικά, τώρα όμως μιλάει πιο άνετα.

Στην is the contracted form of σε την.

• σε = in / at / to
• την = the (feminine accusative singular)

In normal modern Greek, σε + την almost always becomes στην.

So:

• στην αρχή = at first / in the beginning

You will also see similar contractions:

• σε το → στο
• σε τις → στις
• σε τους → στους

Στην αρχή is a very common expression meaning:

• at first
• in the beginning
• initially

In this sentence, it means at the beginning of the learning process, not necessarily the literal beginning of a story or book.

So:

• Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία... = At first, he/she had difficulty...

Because it comes after στην (= σε την), and the preposition σε takes the accusative in Modern Greek.

The noun is:

• nominative: η αρχή
• accusative: την αρχή

So:

• στην αρχή = at the beginning

This is a very common pattern in Greek: after σε, nouns usually appear in the accusative.

Είχε is the imperfect of έχω (to have).

• έχει = he/she has
• είχε = he/she had / was having / used to have

Here the imperfect fits well because it describes a past situation or state:

• Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία... = At first, he/she had difficulty...

Greek often uses the imperfect for background situations, ongoing states, or repeated conditions in the past.

If you used the simple past (είχε is already the imperfect; the aorist of έχω is less common in this kind of use), it would not sound as natural here.

Είχε δυσκολία is a natural Greek way to say he/she had difficulty or was having trouble.

A few points:

• The singular δυσκολία can express difficulty in a general sense.
• Greek often uses a singular noun where English might use difficulty or trouble abstractly.
• You do not need μια here.

So:

• είχε δυσκολία με τα ελληνικά = he/she had difficulty with Greek

You could also hear:

• είχε δυσκολίες = he/she had difficulties
• δυσκολευόταν με τα ελληνικά = he/she was having difficulty with Greek

All are possible, but είχε δυσκολία is completely normal.

In Greek, names of languages are often used with the definite article.

So:

• τα ελληνικά = Greek
• τα αγγλικά = English
• τα γαλλικά = French

That is why:

• με τα ελληνικά = with Greek / with the Greek language

Without the article, it would sound less natural in this sentence.

Also note that ελληνικά here is the neuter plural form, but when talking about the language, it functions like a fixed expression meaning Greek.

Because language names in Greek are often expressed with the neuter plural form of the adjective.

Examples:

• τα ελληνικά = Greek
• τα αγγλικά = English
• τα ιταλικά = Italian

Literally, these forms come from something like the Greek things / the English things, but in modern usage they simply mean the Greek language, the English language, etc.

So even though ελληνικά is grammatically plural, in meaning it refers to the language as a whole.

Όμως means:

• however
• but
• though

In this sentence:

• τώρα όμως = but now / now, however

Greek is often more flexible than English about where words like όμως go. Placing it after τώρα sounds very natural and emphasizes the contrast:

• At first...
• now, however...

So the sentence is structured as a contrast between past and present.

Yes. Μιλάει and μιλά are both correct in Modern Greek.

They are two common forms of the same verb:

• μιλάει = he/she speaks
• μιλά = he/she speaks

In everyday language, both are widely used. Μιλάει may sound a little fuller or slightly more explicit in pronunciation, but the meaning is the same here.

So:

• τώρα όμως μιλάει πιο άνετα
• τώρα όμως μιλά πιο άνετα

Both mean but now he/she speaks more comfortably / more fluently.

Πιο means more, and άνετα here is an adverb meaning:

• comfortably
• with more ease
• more at ease

So:

• μιλάει πιο άνετα = he/she speaks more comfortably
• In natural English, this may also be translated as he/she speaks more fluently now or he/she speaks with more confidence now

The idea is that the person is now less tense and more natural when speaking Greek.

Because the verb μιλάει needs an adverb, not an adjective.

Compare:

• άνετος / άνετη / άνετο = comfortable, relaxed (adjective)
• άνετα = comfortably / with ease (adverb)

Here we are describing how the person speaks, so Greek uses the adverb:

• μιλάει πιο άνετα = speaks more comfortably

This is similar to English:

• a comfortable person → adjective
• speaks comfortably → adverb

The word order is natural, but Greek is more flexible than English.

The sentence:

• Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία με τα ελληνικά, τώρα όμως μιλάει πιο άνετα.

puts the time expressions first:

• Στην αρχή = at first
• τώρα όμως = but now

This makes the contrast very clear.

A different order is sometimes possible, but this version sounds very natural because it highlights the change over time:

• first: difficulty
• now: greater ease

So the word order helps organize the contrast, even though Greek grammar would allow some variation.

The subject is not stated explicitly, because Greek often leaves it out when it is understood from the verb form or the context.

Here:

• είχε = he/she had
• μιλάει = he/she speaks

So the sentence could mean:

• At first he had difficulty with Greek, but now he speaks more comfortably
• At first she had difficulty with Greek, but now she speaks more comfortably

Greek does this very often. Subject pronouns such as αυτός or αυτή are usually omitted unless needed for emphasis or clarity.