Ήταν καλή μπλόφα.

Ήταν is the past form of είμαι (to be). Specifically, it is the 3rd person singular imperfect.

In this sentence, it means was, as in:

• he was
• she was
• it was

Which one it means depends on context. In Ήταν καλή μπλόφα, the natural English translation is usually It was a good bluff.

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are understood from the verb or from context. This is very normal.

So instead of saying:

• Αυτό ήταν καλή μπλόφα = That/it was a good bluff

Greek can simply say:

• Ήταν καλή μπλόφα

English usually needs it, but Greek often does not.

Because καλή has to agree with μπλόφα.

In Greek, adjectives change form to match the noun’s:

• gender
• number
• case

μπλόφα is a feminine singular noun, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• masculine: καλός
• feminine: καλή
• neuter: καλό

So:

• καλή μπλόφα = good bluff

Μπλόφα is feminine.

You can tell from both:

• its article: η μπλόφα
• the adjective form used with it: καλή

So if you wanted the full noun phrase with the article, it would be:

• η καλή μπλόφα = the good bluff

Ήταν μια καλή μπλόφα is also completely natural and very common.

Greek can sometimes omit the indefinite article ένας / μία / ένα, especially in predicate expressions after είμαι / ήταν, where English would normally still use a/an.

So both are possible:

• Ήταν καλή μπλόφα.
• Ήταν μια καλή μπλόφα.

The version with μια is a little more explicit and may sound slightly closer to the English structure It was a good bluff.
The version without μια is shorter and still perfectly natural Greek.

They are functioning as a predicate noun phrase after ήταν.

After the verb to be, Greek normally uses the nominative for this kind of complement.

So in grammatical terms:

• Ήταν = was
• καλή μπλόφα = predicate nominative phrase

A small note: with a feminine noun like μπλόφα, the singular nominative and accusative look the same, so you do not see a different ending here. But its role in the sentence is still nominative-type, because it is linked to ήταν.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• Ήταν ≈ EE-tan
• καλή ≈ ka-LEE
• μπλόφα ≈ BLO-fa

So the whole sentence is roughly:

• EE-tan ka-LEE BLO-fa

A few useful notes:

• The accent mark shows the stressed syllable.
• μπ at the beginning of a word is usually pronounced like English b.
• So μπλόφα starts with a real b sound, not an m sound.

In Modern Greek, the letter β is pronounced like v, not like English b.

So Greek usually writes the b sound with μπ.

That is why:

• μπλόφα sounds like bluff
• not like something starting with m

This is very common in Modern Greek spelling.

No, μπλόφα is a loanword. It comes from the same general European vocabulary as English bluff.

In Modern Greek, it can mean:

• a bluff
• a deceptive move
• a fake claim or pretence

It can be used:

• literally, for card games or poker
• figuratively, in everyday speech

So Ήταν καλή μπλόφα could be about an actual bluff in a game, or about a clever deception in a broader situation.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The basic version here is:

• Ήταν καλή μπλόφα.

But you could also hear:

• Καλή μπλόφα ήταν.

That version puts more emphasis on καλή μπλόφα, almost like:

• It was a good bluff, actually
• A good bluff it was

The original order is the most neutral and straightforward.

Yes. By itself, Ήταν can mean:

• he was
• she was
• it was

Greek does not have to state the subject if context makes it clear.

In this sentence, it was is the most natural English choice because καλή μπλόφα refers to some action, move, or situation. But in another context, Ήταν καλή μπλόφα could theoretically refer to something previously mentioned in a way that English might still translate with that or it.