Breakdown of Στην αρχή ένιωσε αμηχανία, αλλά η τρυφερότητα της δασκάλας την βοήθησε να μιλήσει.
μιλάω
to speak
να
to
αλλά
but
βοηθάω
to help
Questions & Answers about Στην αρχή ένιωσε αμηχανία, αλλά η τρυφερότητα της δασκάλας την βοήθησε να μιλήσει.
Why is στην written as one word, and what exactly is στην αρχή?
Στην is the contracted form of σε + την.
- σε = in / at / to
- την = the feminine singular accusative article the
So:
- σε την αρχή → στην αρχή
The phrase στην αρχή is a very common expression meaning at first or in the beginning.
Grammatically, αρχή is feminine:
- nominative: η αρχή
- accusative: την αρχή
Because σε normally takes the accusative in Modern Greek, we get στην αρχή.
Why is it ένιωσε and not ένιωθε?
This is a question about aspect in the past tense.
- ένιωσε = she felt / she came to feel
This is the aorist, which presents the action as a single whole event. - ένιωθε = she was feeling / she used to feel
This is the imperfect, which emphasizes duration, repetition, or ongoing background.
In this sentence, ένιωσε αμηχανία means that at the beginning, she felt embarrassment/awkwardness as a complete event. It fits the storyline better than the more continuous .