Learn Hardcore Greek: Η υπάλληλος μου λέει ότι έχω τη δυνατότητα να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα ή να τα επιστρέψω μέσα σε δύο εβδομάδες. - The employee tells me that I have the possibility to exchange the clothes or return them within two weeks.

The article (ο / η / το) and any adjectives will show the gender, not the noun ending itself. So η υπάλληλος clearly refers to a female employee.

What exactly does μου mean in Η υπάλληλος μου λέει? Is it “my employee” or “the employee tells me”?

On its own, μου can be:

A possessive: η υπάλληλός μου = my employee
An indirect object pronoun: η υπάλληλος μού λέει = the employee tells me

In your sentence, context shows it means “tells me” (indirect object).

In writing, Greeks sometimes use accents to disambiguate:

Η υπάλληλός μου λέει... → my employee says... (accent on -λός)
Η υπάλληλος μού λέει... → the employee tells me... (accent on μου)

In everyday writing, people often skip these accents and rely on context. Grammatically, μου λέει = λέει σε μένα (“says to me / tells me”).

Why is the verb λέει in the present tense instead of a past tense like είπε?

Λέει is the present tense, 3rd person singular of λέω.

(Η υπάλληλος) μου λέει = (The employee) tells me / is telling me (now, or as a general statement)
(Η υπάλληλος) μου είπε = (The employee) told me (at some specific time in the past)

So:

If you’re describing what is happening now in the shop: Η υπάλληλος μου λέει...
If you’re narrating something that happened earlier: Η υπάλληλος μού είπε ότι είχα τη δυνατότητα...

The choice of λέει vs είπε is just about time and perspective, like English “tells / is telling” vs “told”.

What does ότι do in this sentence, and can I replace it with πως?

Ότι is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a “that”-clause:

μου λέει ότι έχω τη δυνατότητα...
= she tells me that I have the possibility...

You can usually replace ότι with πως in this kind of sentence:

μου λέει ότι έχω τη δυνατότητα...
μου λέει πως έχω τη δυνατότητα...

Both are correct and common. Very roughly:

Ότι sounds a bit more neutral / standard.
Πως is also standard but can feel a bit more conversational in many contexts.

Important: this ότι is not the same as ό,τι (“whatever / anything that”), which has a comma and a different meaning.

What is the nuance of έχω τη δυνατότητα να compared to simply using μπορώ να?

Both structures express possibility / ability, but they differ slightly in tone:

Μπορώ να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα
= I can exchange the clothes / I’m able to.
→ Short, neutral, everyday.
Έχω τη δυνατότητα να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα
= I have the possibility / option to exchange the clothes.
→ A bit more formal, often used in rules, terms, official information, or when emphasizing the existence of an option / right, not just physical ability.

In a shop context explaining return policy, έχω τη δυνατότητα να... nicely matches the idea “I have the option / right to...”.

What verb forms are ανταλλάξω and επιστρέψω, and why are they used with να?

Both ανταλλάξω and επιστρέψω are:

Aorist subjunctive, 1st person singular:
- ανταλλάξω ← from ανταλλάζω (to exchange)
- επιστρέψω ← from επιστρέφω (to return something / go back)

In Modern Greek, the particle να is used to form what corresponds to subjunctive or to what English often expresses with “to + verb” or “can / may + verb”:

να ανταλλάξω = (in this context) to exchange
να επιστρέψω = to return

The choice of aorist (ανταλλάξω / επιστρέψω) instead of present (ανταλλάζω / επιστρέφω) suggests a single, complete action (exchange/return once), which fits the idea of one exchange or one return within a time limit.

If you said:

να ανταλλάζω τα ρούχα or να επιστρέφω τα ρούχα

it would sound more like repeated / ongoing actions (e.g. “to be exchanging / to keep returning clothes”), which is not what a policy normally describes.

Why is it να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα ή να τα επιστρέψω and not να τα ανταλλάξω ή να τα επιστρέψω?

Both are grammatically possible; they just sound slightly different:

να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα ή να τα επιστρέψω
- First clause: uses the full noun τα ρούχα.
- Second clause: uses the pronoun τα, referring back to τα ρούχα.
- Very natural and common: you name the object once, then replace it with a pronoun.
να τα ανταλλάξω ή να τα επιστρέψω
- Uses the pronoun τα in both parts.
- Also correct and maybe a bit shorter / more compact.
- Typically sounds natural if τα ρούχα has been mentioned just before.

Your version emphasizes “exchange the clothes” first, then “return them”; it reads very naturally as written. Greek often avoids repeating the full noun when a pronoun can stand in for it.

Why is τα used for τα ρούχα? What gender and number is ρούχα?

Ρούχα (clothes) is:

Neuter plural noun
The definite article is τα: τα ρούχα = the clothes

The pronoun τα matches the noun in:

Gender: neuter
Number: plural
Case: accusative (direct object)

So:

ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα = exchange the clothes
να τα επιστρέψω = return them (where τα = “the clothes”)

The same τα is used as article (τα ρούχα) and as object pronoun (να τα επιστρέψω); their function is understood from position.

What does μέσα σε δύο εβδομάδες mean exactly, and how is it different from σε δύο εβδομάδες or για δύο εβδομάδες?

Μέσα σε δύο εβδομάδες means “within two weeks”:

You have up to two weeks (from now / from purchase) to do the action.
It sets a deadline.

Comparison:

μέσα σε δύο εβδομάδες
- Within two weeks
- Anytime between now and two weeks from now (inclusive).
σε δύο εβδομάδες
- Most often “in two weeks (from now)” = at that time, not before.
- E.g. Θα φύγω σε δύο εβδομάδες. = I will leave (exactly) in two weeks.
για δύο εβδομάδες
- “for two weeks” (duration).
- E.g. Θα λείπω για δύο εβδομάδες. = I will be away for two weeks.

For a shop policy, μέσα σε δύο εβδομάδες is the natural way to say “within two weeks”.

Could you say ή να τα αλλάξω instead of να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα? Is there a difference between αλλάζω and ανταλλάζω here?

In this shopping context:

Ανταλλάζω τα ρούχα = exchange the clothes (swap them for others)
Αλλάζω τα ρούχα has two main meanings:
1. change my clothes (put on different clothes)
2. change / alter the clothes (e.g. adjust them)

So for shop policy:

να ανταλλάξω τα ρούχα is the precise, standard verb meaning “exchange (in a transaction)”.
να τα αλλάξω might be understood correctly from context, but it’s less precise and can also suggest “just change them (wear something else)” rather than a formal exchange at the store.

That’s why ανταλλάξω is preferred in return/exchange policies.

Can ότι ever be omitted, like English sometimes omits “that” (e.g. “She tells me I can…”)?

In Greek, ότι/πως is usually kept in this kind of sentence:

Μου λέει ότι έχω τη δυνατότητα...
Μου λέει πως έχω τη δυνατότητα...

Dropping ότι/πως is much less common and can sometimes sound a bit odd or informal, especially in writing. In speech, you may occasionally hear:

Μου λέει έχω τη δυνατότητα...

but it’s stylistically weaker and potentially confusing in more complex sentences. As a learner, it’s safer and more natural to keep ότι or πως in such constructions.