Αυτή η λέξη αρχίζει με φωνήεν, γι’ αυτό τη διαβάζω αργά.

Because Greek often uses a demonstrative together with the definite article.

• Αυτή = this
• η = the (feminine singular nominative)
• λέξη = word

So Αυτή η λέξη literally looks like this the word, but it simply means this word.

This is very normal in Greek:

• αυτό το βιβλίο = this book
• αυτή η πόρτα = this door

They have to agree with λέξη, which is a feminine singular noun.

Greek words change form to match the noun’s:

• gender
• number
• case

Since λέξη is feminine singular and is the subject of the sentence, Greek uses:

• αυτή for this
• η for the

Compare:

• αυτό το βιβλίο = this book (neuter)
• αυτός ο άνθρωπος = this person/man (masculine)
• αυτή η λέξη = this word (feminine)

It is always feminine. In Greek, every noun has a grammatical gender, and λέξη is a feminine noun.

That means words connected to it must match:

• η λέξη = the word
• αυτή η λέξη = this word
• η μικρή λέξη = the small word

The gender is part of the noun itself, not something created by the sentence.

Because the subject is Αυτή η λέξη = this word, which is third person singular.

The verb αρχίζω means I begin / I start in its dictionary form. Here we need it begins / it starts, so Greek uses αρχίζει.

A few forms:

• αρχίζω = I begin
• αρχίζεις = you begin
• αρχίζει = he/she/it begins

So:

• Αυτή η λέξη αρχίζει... = This word begins...

Yes. με normally means with, and after verbs like begin or start, Greek uses it in the same way English does in begin with.

So:

• αρχίζει με φωνήεν = begins with a vowel

This is a very natural Greek structure.

Greek often leaves out ένας / μία / ένα when speaking generally.

So με φωνήεν means with a vowel in a general sense: the word starts with a vowel sound/letter.

If you said με ένα φωνήεν, it would still make sense, but it sounds a bit more specific or emphatic, as if you are stressing one vowel.

In this sentence, με φωνήεν is the most natural choice.

φωνήεν means vowel.

It is a neuter noun:

• το φωνήεν = the vowel
• ένα φωνήεν = a vowel

In the sentence, it appears without an article because the statement is general:

• αρχίζει με φωνήεν = it begins with a vowel

γι’ αυτό means therefore, so, or that’s why.

It comes from για αυτό, where για normally means for, and αυτό means this. In fast, natural Greek, για αυτό is often shortened to γι’ αυτό.

So:

• για αυτό = full form
• γι’ αυτό = contracted form

In this sentence, γι’ αυτό introduces the result:

• This word begins with a vowel, that’s why I read it slowly.

τη is a weak object pronoun meaning it here. It refers back to τη λέξη.

So:

• τη διαβάζω = I read it

Greek often uses these short object pronouns before the verb:

• τον βλέπω = I see him
• την ξέρω = I know her
• το γράφω = I write it

Because λέξη is feminine, the pronoun is feminine too:

• τη(ν) = her / it for a feminine noun

Both come from the same pronoun, but in Modern Greek the final -ν is often dropped in some contexts.

Before certain sounds, Greek keeps the -ν:

• before vowels
• and before some consonants such as κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, and some consonant clusters

Before διαβάζω, which starts with δ, the shorter form τη is normal:

• τη διαβάζω

So the sentence sounds natural as written.

In Greek, short object pronouns like με, σε, τον, τη, το, μας, σας, τους usually come before a finite verb.

So Greek says:

• τη διαβάζω = literally it I-read

This is just the normal Greek word order for clitic pronouns.

You will see this very often:

• τον θέλω = I want him
• τη βλέπω = I see her
• το ξέρω = I know it

Its basic meaning is read, but in context it can also suggest read aloud or pronounce while reading.

In this sentence, because we are talking about a word that begins with a vowel and reading it slowly, the idea is close to:

• I read it slowly
• I pronounce it slowly while reading

So the exact English wording depends on context, but διαβάζω itself is the normal verb for read.

Here αργά is an adverb, meaning slowly.

It describes how the reading happens:

• τη διαβάζω αργά = I read it slowly

Compare:

• αργός / αργή / αργό = slow (adjective)
• αργά = slowly / late (adverb, depending on context)

In this sentence it clearly means slowly, not late.

A natural pronunciation is roughly:

af-TI i LE-xi ar-HEE-zi me fo-NI-en, yi af-TO ti dhi-a-VA-zo ar-GHA

A few useful notes:

• χ in λέξη and αρχίζει is not like English h; it is a harsher Greek sound.
• γ in γι’ sounds like y here.
• δ in διαβάζω sounds like the th in this.
• The stress matters: αυτή, λέξη, αρχίζει, φωνήεν, αυτό, διαβάζω, αργά.

Yes. Greek can also say:

• Αυτή η λέξη...
• Η λέξη αυτή...

Both can mean this word.

The version in your sentence, Αυτή η λέξη, is very common and neutral.
Η λέξη αυτή can sound slightly more emphatic or stylistically different depending on context, but it is also correct.

Yes. Greek stress is written, and it matters for correct pronunciation.

In this sentence, notice the stressed syllables:

• Αυτή
• λέξη
• αρχίζει
• φωνήεν
• αυτό
• διαβάζω
• αργά

If you move the stress, the word may sound wrong or even become a different form. So when learning vocabulary, it is best to memorize the stress together with the word.