Questions & Answers about Η παροχή λειτουργεί.
What does Η mean at the beginning of the sentence?
Η is the definite article here, meaning the.
In this sentence, η is:
- feminine
- singular
- nominative
So η παροχή means the supply / the provision / the power supply, depending on context.
A native English speaker often notices that Greek articles change form. Unlike English the, Greek articles agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.
Why is it η παροχή and not some other form of the?
Because παροχή is a feminine singular noun in the nominative case.
Greek uses different forms of the:
- ο for masculine singular nominative
- η for feminine singular nominative
- το for neuter singular nominative
Since παροχή is feminine, the correct article is η.
What case is παροχή in here?
It is in the nominative case, because it is the subject of the sentence.
In Η παροχή λειτουργεί, the thing doing the action is the supply, so παροχή is the subject, and subjects normally appear in the nominative.
What kind of noun is παροχή?
Παροχή is a feminine noun. Its basic meaning is something like supply, provision, or service provision, but the exact meaning depends heavily on context.
For example, it can refer to:
- a supply in a technical sense
- a provision or benefit
- a utility supply such as electricity or water, depending on the situation
So even if the meaning has already been provided to the learner, it is useful to know that this word is somewhat broad and context-sensitive.
How do you pronounce Η παροχή λειτουργεί?
A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide would be:
ee pa-ro-KHEE lee-toor-GHEE
A few notes:
- η sounds like ee
- χ is not like English ch; it is a rough sound, somewhat like the h in some pronunciations of Scottish loch, though after front vowels it is often softer
- ει in λειτουργεί is pronounced ee
The stress falls on:
- παροχή → pa-ro-KHEE
- λειτουργεί → lee-toor-GHEE
What does λειτουργεί mean grammatically?
Λειτουργεί is a verb in the:
- present tense
- third person singular
So it means:
- works
- is working
- functions
- is functioning
Which English translation sounds best depends on context.
Because the subject is η παροχή (the supply), the verb is in third person singular: it works / it is functioning.
Why does λειτουργεί end in -εί?
That ending helps mark the verb as third person singular present for this verb type.
The dictionary form is λειτουργώ = I function / I operate.
A simplified present-tense pattern is:
- λειτουργώ = I function
- λειτουργείς = you function
- λειτουργεί = he/she/it functions
So λειτουργεί matches the singular subject η παροχή.
Why are there accent marks on παροχή and λειτουργεί?
Greek uses accent marks to show the stressed syllable.
So:
- παροχή is stressed on the last syllable
- λειτουργεί is also stressed on the last syllable
These accents are not optional in normal writing. They are an important part of standard Modern Greek spelling.
For learners, they are especially helpful because they show where to place the stress when speaking.
Can the word order change? Could you also say Λειτουργεί η παροχή?
Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.
Η παροχή λειτουργεί is the most neutral way to say The supply works / is functioning.
But Λειτουργεί η παροχή is also possible. It may sound:
- more marked
- more contextual
- more focused on the verb or the fact that it is working
English usually needs a fixed order, but Greek can move elements around more freely because endings and articles help show what each word is doing.
Is λειτουργεί only used for machines and systems, or can it be used more broadly?
It is used quite broadly.
Λειτουργεί can be used for:
- machines
- devices
- systems
- services
- institutions
- plans or methods, in some contexts
So it can mean works, functions, or operates, depending on what the subject is.
In Η παροχή λειτουργεί, it sounds quite natural for something technical, such as a supply, service, or system.
Why is there no separate word for it in the sentence?
Greek often does not need an explicit subject pronoun when the subject is already clear.
Here, the subject is not a pronoun anyway—it is the noun phrase η παροχή.
But even in sentences without a noun subject, Greek often leaves out pronouns because the verb ending already gives useful information about the person and number.
So Greek is less dependent than English on words like it, he, or she when the meaning is clear from context.
How would I make this sentence negative?
You would usually add δεν before the verb:
Η παροχή δεν λειτουργεί.
That means The supply is not working or The supply does not function.
This is a very common pattern in Greek:
- λειτουργεί = works
- δεν λειτουργεί = does not work / is not working
How would I turn this into a question?
In everyday written Greek, you usually keep the same word order and use a question mark:
Η παροχή λειτουργεί;
Greek uses a semicolon-like symbol as the question mark:
So visually, it looks different from the English question mark.
In speech, intonation also helps show that it is a question. Depending on context, this could mean:
- Is the supply working?
- Does the supply function?
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