Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία με την προφορά, αλλά τώρα διαβάζει δυνατά χωρίς φόβο.

Στην is the contracted form of σε + την.

• σε = in / at / to
• την = feminine accusative singular article, the

So:

• σε την αρχή → στην αρχή

This contraction is very common in everyday Greek:

• σε το → στο
• σε τον → στον
• σε τα → στα

Here στην αρχή means at the beginning.

In Modern Greek, the preposition σε usually takes the accusative.

So:

• η αρχή = the beginning (nominative)
• την αρχή = the beginning (accusative)

Because the phrase is σε την αρχή, it becomes στην αρχή.

This is different from Ancient Greek, where other cases were often used with prepositions. In Modern Greek, σε + accusative is the normal pattern.

Because Greek uses έχω δυσκολία to mean to have difficulty.

So:

• είχε δυσκολία = he/she had difficulty
• ήταν δυσκολία would mean something more like it was a difficulty, which does not fit here

This is similar to English, where we say she had difficulty, not she was difficulty.

Είχε is the imperfect of έχω.

• έχω = I have
• είχε = he/she was having / had

The imperfect is used for:

• ongoing situations in the past
• background description
• repeated or habitual past actions

Here it describes a past state:

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

It gives the idea that this was her situation for some period at the beginning, not just one single moment.

Because Greek often uses δυσκολία in the singular to mean difficulty in a general sense.

So:

• είχε δυσκολία με την προφορά = she had difficulty with pronunciation

This is very natural Greek. The singular here works much like English had difficulty.

You could also hear plural forms in other contexts, but the singular is the most natural choice in this sentence.

The preposition με means with, and it takes the accusative in Modern Greek.

So:

• η προφορά = pronunciation (nominative)
• την προφορά = pronunciation (accusative)

Therefore:

• με την προφορά = with the pronunciation / with pronunciation

In English, we often leave out the, but Greek commonly includes the article where English may not.

Usually η προφορά means pronunciation.

Depending on context, it can sometimes relate to a person’s accent, but in a sentence like this, the most natural meaning is pronunciation.

So:

• είχε δυσκολία με την προφορά = she had difficulty with pronunciation

If the focus were specifically on a foreign accent, Greek might use other wording depending on context.

Because the sentence contrasts then and now:

• Στην αρχή... = At first...
• αλλά τώρα... = but now...

So the first part describes the past, and the second part describes the current situation:

• είχε = she had
• διαβάζει = she reads / is reading

This shift is very natural:

• At first she had difficulty..., but now she reads aloud...

It can mean either, depending on context.

Greek present tense often covers both:

• she reads
• she is reading

In this sentence, because of τώρα and the contrast with the past, the meaning is more general:

• now she reads aloud without fear

So it sounds more like a present ability or current habit, not necessarily one action happening at this exact second.

Here δυνατά means aloud or literally loudly.

It comes from δυνατός, which can mean strong or loud, depending on context.

With reading, διαβάζω δυνατά is the normal way to say:

• read aloud
• read out loud

So:

• διαβάζει δυνατά = she reads aloud

Because χωρίς often appears without the article when speaking in a general sense.

So:

• χωρίς φόβο = without fear
• χωρίς τον φόβο would sound more specific, like without the fear of something already identified

Here the meaning is general and natural:

• she reads aloud without fear

This is similar to English, where we normally say without fear, not without the fear.

Yes. In Modern Greek, χωρίς is followed by the accusative.

So:

• ο φόβος = fear (nominative)
• φόβο = fear (accusative)

That is why the sentence has:

• χωρίς φόβο

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English, but the given order is very natural.

This order highlights the contrast clearly:

• Στην αρχή = sets the past stage
• αλλά τώρα = introduces the contrast with the present

You could move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• Είχε στην αρχή δυσκολία με την προφορά...
• Τώρα διαβάζει δυνατά χωρίς φόβο

But the original version is smooth and standard.

Yes, the subject is omitted because Greek often drops subject pronouns when they are understood from the verb or the context.

Both verbs are third person singular:

• είχε = he/she/it had
• διαβάζει = he/she/it reads

So the subject could be he or she, depending on the wider context. Greek does this very often, much more than English.

It has two main parts joined by αλλά (but):

1. Στην αρχή είχε δυσκολία με την προφορά

   • At first, she had difficulty with pronunciation

2. αλλά τώρα διαβάζει δυνατά χωρίς φόβο

   • but now she reads aloud without fear

So the sentence is built around a clear contrast:

• past problem → present confidence

That contrast is one of the main things the sentence is expressing.