Η φίλη μου δουλεύει σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια σε ένα αρτοποιείο, και ο αδερφός μου σαν φούρναρης στο διπλανό μαγαζί.

In Greek, possessive words like μου (my) usually come after the noun:

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• ο αδερφός μου = my brother

Very often, Greek also keeps the definite article:

• η φίλη μου literally = the friend of me
• ο αδερφός μου literally = the brother of me

This is completely normal Greek structure. English usually says my friend, but Greek usually says the friend my.

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English. With family members and other familiar people, the article is very common and natural:

• η φίλη μου
• ο αδερφός μου
• η μάνα μου
• ο πατέρας μου

So even though English says my brother, Greek normally says the brother my.

δουλεύει is the 3rd person singular form of δουλεύω (to work).

It matches η φίλη μου (my friend), which is she:

• εγώ δουλεύω = I work
• εσύ δουλεύεις = you work
• αυτός / αυτή δουλεύει = he / she works

So:

• Η φίλη μου δουλεύει... = My friend works...

Here σαν means as:

• δουλεύει σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια = she works as a pastry chef
• σαν φούρναρης = as a baker

So the sentence gives both the job role and the workplace:

• σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια = as a pastry chef
• σε ένα αρτοποιείο = in a bakery

Because the sentence is parallel:

• Η φίλη μου δουλεύει σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια...
• και ο αδερφός μου σαν φούρναρης...

The second part leaves out the verb δουλεύει, because it is understood from the first part. This is very natural in Greek, just like in English:

• My friend works as a pastry chef..., and my brother as a baker...

So the full underlying meaning is:

• και ο αδερφός μου δουλεύει σαν φούρναρης...

but Greek omits δουλεύει to avoid repetition.

Greek nouns usually have grammatical gender, and many job titles have different masculine and feminine forms.

Here:

• ζαχαροπλάστρια = female pastry chef / female confectioner
• φούρναρης = male baker

Greek often makes this distinction more clearly than English does.

For example:

• δάσκαλος = male teacher
• δασκάλα = female teacher

So the form changes to match the person being described.

Both expressions involve σε (in / at / to), but they are built differently.

1. σε ένα αρτοποιείο

This means in a bakery.

• σε = in / at
• ένα = a / one
• αρτοποιείο = bakery

2. στο διπλανό μαγαζί

This means in / at the shop next door.

• στο = contraction of σε + το
• διπλανό = next / neighboring
• μαγαζί = shop

So:

• σε ένα = in a
• στο = in the / at the

Greek often contracts σε + το into στο.

They are not the same kind of word.

• αρτοποιείο = bakery
  This is a specific type of business.
• μαγαζί = shop / store
  This is a more general word.

So:

• σε ένα αρτοποιείο = in a bakery
• στο διπλανό μαγαζί = in the neighboring shop / in the shop next door

The second phrase does not specify exactly what kind of shop it is, only that it is the one next door.

διπλανό means next / neighboring / next-door.

It agrees with μαγαζί, which is a neuter singular noun:

• το διπλανό μαγαζί = the next-door shop

Greek adjectives change form to match the noun’s gender, number, and case.

For example:

• ο διπλανός φούρνος = the neighboring oven / bakery shop
• η διπλανή πόρτα = the next door
• το διπλανό μαγαζί = the neighboring shop

So -ό appears because μαγαζί is neuter singular.

Both exist.

• αδελφός is the more formal or traditional form
• αδερφός is very common in everyday spoken Greek

So in natural modern Greek, especially casual speech, ο αδερφός μου sounds very normal.

You may also see the same kind of variation in related words:

• αδερφή / αδελφή = sister

For learners, it is useful to recognize both forms.

They do different jobs in the sentence.

• σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια tells you the person’s role or profession:
  as a pastry chef
• σε ένα αρτοποιείο tells you the place where she works:
  in a bakery

So the sentence combines:

1. what she works as
2. where she works

That is why both are needed.

Yes, absolutely. That would also be correct.

• και ο αδερφός μου δουλεύει σαν φούρναρης στο διπλανό μαγαζί

But omitting the repeated verb is very natural and makes the sentence smoother. Greek often leaves out repeated words when the meaning is obvious from context.

So both are possible, but the version without the second δουλεύει sounds efficient and natural.

Not always. σαν can also mean like, depending on context.

For example:

• Μιλάει σαν δάσκαλος.
  This could mean He speaks like a teacher or He speaks as a teacher, depending on context.

In your sentence, the meaning is clearly as because it is talking about someone’s job:

• δουλεύει σαν ζαχαροπλάστρια
• σαν φούρναρης

So here it means working in the role of that profession.