zemi no kyouzyu ha kibisii keredo, situmonsureba itumo teinei ni kotaete kureru.

ゼミ is short for ゼミナール, and in Japanese university contexts it usually means a seminar, research group, or lab-style class led by a professor.

So ゼミの教授 is not just any professor—it means the professor in charge of the seminar/lab/research group.

の connects nouns. Here it shows a relationship like of or belonging to.

• ゼミ = seminar/lab
• 教授 = professor
• ゼミの教授 = the seminar’s professor / the professor of the seminar

This is a very common noun-modifying pattern in Japanese.

は marks ゼミの教授 as the topic: As for the seminar professor...

It sets up the sentence as a comment about that professor:

• ゼミの教授は厳しいけれど...
• As for the seminar professor, he/she is strict, but...

Using は also helps create the contrast in the sentence:

• strict, but
• answers kindly

This sentence is in a plain-style form, not a polite です／ます form.

• 厳しい = plain
• 厳しいです = polite

Both are grammatical, but the plain style is common in casual writing, explanations, and dictionary-style examples.

A polite version could be:

• ゼミの教授は厳しいけれど、質問すればいつも丁寧に答えてくれます。 or
• ゼミの教授は厳しいですが、質問すればいつも丁寧に答えてくれます。

けれど means but, although, or even though.

It connects two ideas that contrast:

• the professor is strict
• but if you ask questions, they always answer politely

So the structure is:

• A けれど、B
• A, but B

Compared with English, it often sounds a little softer or less blunt than just a hard but.

質問すれば is the conditional form of 質問する.

Breakdown:

• 質問する = to ask a question
• 質問すれば = if someone asks a question / if you ask

This is the -ば conditional:

• する → すれば
• 食べる → 食べれば
• 読む → 読めば

So here it means:

• if (you/someone) ask a question

Japanese often leaves the subject unstated when it is obvious from context.

It is originally a noun meaning question or inquiry, but it can become a verb with する:

• 質問 = a question
• 質問する = to ask a question

In 質問すれば, the する is still there—it has just changed form to すれば.

So this is not just the noun 質問 by itself; it is the verb 質問する in the conditional form.

丁寧 is a na-adjective, and when a na-adjective modifies a verb, it usually takes に to become adverbial.

• 丁寧な説明 = a polite/careful explanation
• 丁寧に答える = to answer politely/carefully

So:

• 丁寧に = politely / carefully
• 答えてくれる = answers for me/us

Together:

• 丁寧に答えてくれる = answers politely

This is a very common learner question.

• 答える = to answer
• 答えてくれる = to answer for me/us, as a favor, or in a way the speaker appreciates

The 〜てくれる pattern often shows that someone does something that benefits the speaker or the speaker’s side.

So:

• 質問すればいつも丁寧に答える = if asked, he/she always answers
• 質問すればいつも丁寧に答えてくれる = if asked, he/she always kindly answers for us / answers and that is appreciated

In English this nuance is often not translated directly, but it is definitely there in Japanese.

The subject is omitted, which is very normal in Japanese.

Depending on context, it could mean:

• if I ask a question
• if you ask a question
• if we ask a question
• if someone asks a question

In this kind of sentence, English often uses if you ask, but Japanese leaves it unsaid because the listener can infer it from context.

It is omitted because it is understood from context.

If someone asks a question, then naturally the professor answers it. Japanese often leaves out information that is obvious.

A fuller version might be something like:

• 質問すれば、いつもその質問に丁寧に答えてくれる。
• If you ask a question, he/she always answers that question politely.

So the missing object is understood as the question or what was asked.

いつも means always.

It modifies the second part:

• 質問すれば いつも 丁寧に 答えてくれる
• if you ask a question, he/she always answers politely

It shows this is the professor’s regular habit, not just something that happens once.

Yes. The sentence presents a very natural contrast:

• 厳しい = strict
• けれど = but
• いつも丁寧に答えてくれる = always answers politely

So the overall nuance is something like:

• the professor may be strict,
• but is still approachable and helpful when students ask questions.

This kind of contrast is very common in Japanese descriptions of teachers or professors.