Το καταφύγιο ζώων είναι κοντά.

Το is the definite article, meaning the.

Greek articles change for gender, number, and case.
Here, καταφύγιο is a neuter singular noun in the nominative case, so the correct article is το.

So:

• το καταφύγιο = the shelter

A learner often notices that Greek uses articles more visibly than English because they must agree with the noun.

Καταφύγιο means shelter or refuge.

In this sentence, it means an animal shelter when combined with ζώων.

Grammatically:

• καταφύγιο is neuter
• singular nominative form: καταφύγιο
• stress: ka-ta-FY-gi-o

So the core noun of the sentence is the shelter.

This is one of the most important grammar points in the sentence.

• ζώα = animals as a subject or object
• ζώων = of animals

In καταφύγιο ζώων, Greek is using the genitive plural to show a relationship like shelter of animals or more naturally in English, animal shelter.

So:

• ζώα = animals
• ζώων = of animals

English often uses a noun directly before another noun, as in animal shelter. Greek usually does this with a genitive structure instead.

Because Greek often expresses of just by changing the noun’s case.

Here:

• ζώων is the genitive plural form of ζώο
• that genitive ending already carries the meaning of of animals

So Greek does not need a separate word like English of here.

Compare:

• English: shelter of animals / animal shelter
• Greek: καταφύγιο ζώων

Yes, but it does not mean exactly the same thing.

• το καταφύγιο ζώων = animal shelter / a shelter for animals in general
• το καταφύγιο των ζώων = the shelter of the animals / the animals’ shelter

Adding των makes the animals sound more specific.

So in a general label like animal shelter, Greek usually prefers καταφύγιο ζώων without των.

Είναι means is.

It is the 3rd person singular form of the verb είμαι = to be.

So:

• είμαι = I am
• είναι = he/she/it is

In this sentence, the subject is το καταφύγιο ζώων, which is singular, so είναι is the correct form.

Here κοντά means near or nearby.

In a sentence like είναι κοντά, it works like nearby / close.

Examples:

• Το σχολείο είναι κοντά. = The school is nearby.
• Το σπίτι είναι κοντά. = The house is close.

A useful extra point: if you want to say near something, Greek often uses:

• κοντά σε + accusative

For example:

• Το καταφύγιο είναι κοντά σε ένα πάρκο. = The shelter is near a park.

So in your sentence, κοντά stands on its own and means nearby.

That is just the natural Greek way to express it.

Greek commonly uses:

• είναι κοντά = is near / is nearby

English may use either:

• is near
• is close
• is nearby

Greek uses κοντά very naturally in this type of sentence, so είναι κοντά is a very normal everyday expression.

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English, although the version you have is the most neutral and natural one.

Standard order:

• Το καταφύγιο ζώων είναι κοντά.

You might also hear different orders for emphasis, such as putting κοντά earlier, but the basic sentence you have is the normal learner-friendly form:

• subject → verb → complement

So this sentence is a good default pattern to remember.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

To kata-FY-yo ZO-on EE-ne ko-NDA

A few notes:

• το = to
• καταφύγιο has the stress on FY
• ζώων has two vowel sounds: ZO-on
• είναι is commonly pronounced EE-ne
• κοντά has the stress on the last syllable: ko-NDA

So the full rhythm is:

To kata-FY-yo ZO-on EE-ne ko-NDA.

The sentence breaks down like this:

• Το καταφύγιο ζώων = the animal shelter

  • το = the
  • καταφύγιο = shelter
  • ζώων = of animals
• είναι = is
• κοντά = near / nearby

So the structure is:

[subject] + [to be] + [location/state]

In natural English, the sentence means:

• The animal shelter is nearby.
• or The animal shelter is close.

This is a very useful Greek sentence pattern to learn:

• Το/Η/Ο ... είναι κοντά. = The ... is nearby.