Η μικρή φοβάται τη μέλισσα, αλλά χαμογελάει όταν βλέπει μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα.

In Greek, an adjective can be used on its own as a noun when the noun is understood from context.

So η μικρή literally means the small/little one (female), but in everyday usage it often means the little girl or the young girl.

• η = the (feminine singular)
• μικρή = small / little (feminine singular)

A native English speaker may expect a separate word for girl, but Greek often leaves it out when it is obvious.

Φοβάται comes from the verb φοβάμαι, which means to be afraid or to fear.

This verb is deponent in Modern Greek: it has passive/middle endings but an active meaning.

So:

• φοβάμαι = I am afraid / I fear
• φοβάται = he/she/it is afraid / fears

Even though the form looks passive to an English learner, here it is just the normal way to say she is afraid of.

Τη is the feminine singular accusative form of the definite article the.

Greek marks direct objects, so after the verb φοβάται, the thing being feared appears in the accusative:

• nominative: η μέλισσα = the bee
• accusative: τη μέλισσα = the bee (as object)

So:

• Η μέλισσα... = The bee... (subject)
• Φοβάται τη μέλισσα = She is afraid of the bee (object)

Both τη and την can be correct in Modern Greek.

• την is the full form
• τη is the shortened form often used before a consonant

Since μέλισσα begins with μ, Greek commonly shortens την to τη:

• τη μέλισσα

Before a vowel or certain consonant clusters, speakers are more likely to keep την.

So this is mainly a matter of normal pronunciation and spelling convention, not a change in meaning.

Μια means a / an, the feminine singular indefinite article.

So:

• μια πεταλούδα = a butterfly

It is used because the butterfly is being introduced as one butterfly, not a specific already-known butterfly.

Also:

• μια is a common spelling of the feminine form
• you may also see μία, especially when stress or clarity is being emphasized

Both are standard.

Because it has to agree with πεταλούδα, which is feminine singular accusative here.

Greek adjectives agree with the nouns they describe in:

• gender
• number
• case

So:

• χρωματιστός = masculine
• χρωματιστή = feminine
• χρωματιστό = neuter

Since πεταλούδα is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine:

• μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα = a colorful butterfly

In this case, the feminine nominative and accusative singular look the same.

Βλέπει is the 3rd person singular present tense form of βλέπω (to see).

So it can mean:

• he sees
• she sees
• it sees

Greek verbs already show the person, so you usually do not need to state the subject pronoun.

Here, the subject is understood from the earlier noun phrase η μικρή, so βλέπει means she sees.

Όταν means when.

It introduces a time clause:

• όταν βλέπει μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα
  = when she sees a colorful butterfly

So the structure is:

• main clause: Η μικρή φοβάται τη μέλισσα, αλλά χαμογελάει
• time clause: όταν βλέπει μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα

It tells us when she smiles.

Αλλά means but.

It connects two contrasting ideas:

• she is afraid of the bee
• but she smiles when she sees a colorful butterfly

So αλλά marks a clear contrast, just like but in English.

Yes, χαμογελάει is present tense, meaning she smiles or she is smiling, depending on context.

It comes from χαμογελάω / χαμογελώ (to smile).

You may also see alternative present forms such as:

• χαμογελάει
• χαμογελά

Both are used in Modern Greek.
In learner materials, -άει forms are often shown clearly because they make the conjugation easier to recognize.

Here χαμογελάει = she smiles.

Because Greek is a pro-drop language: the subject pronoun is often omitted when the verb ending already shows the person.

For example:

• φοβάται already tells us it is 3rd person singular
• χαμογελάει also shows 3rd person singular
• βλέπει also shows 3rd person singular

Since η μικρή has already been introduced, Greek does not need to repeat she.

This is very normal and natural in Greek.

Greek uses articles much like English, but often a bit more consistently.

In this sentence:

• τη μέλισσα = the bee → definite
• μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα = a colorful butterfly → indefinite

This suggests that the bee is treated as a specific or generic known thing in the situation, while the butterfly is presented as a butterfly that she sees.

The exact choice of definite vs. indefinite article depends on context, just as in English, but Greek generally requires an article more often than English does.

It is a very natural Greek word order.

Structure:

• Η μικρή = subject
• φοβάται τη μέλισσα = verb + object
• αλλά χαμογελάει = contrasting main verb
• όταν βλέπει μια χρωματιστή πεταλούδα = time clause

Greek word order is more flexible than English because case endings help show grammatical roles, but this sentence uses a straightforward, learner-friendly order.

So yes, it is normal and unmarked.