Αφήνω τα κλειδιά μου στο τραπέζι όταν μπαίνω στο σπίτι.

I leave my keys on the table when I enter the house.

Breakdown of Αφήνω τα κλειδιά μου στο τραπέζι όταν μπαίνω στο σπίτι.

• το σπίτι: the home
• μου: my
• σε: on
• το τραπέζι: the table

Questions & Answers about Αφήνω τα κλειδιά μου στο τραπέζι όταν μπαίνω στο σπίτι.

What exactly does Αφήνω mean here? Does it mean leave like leave a place or something else?

Αφήνω is a very common verb that roughly corresponds to English leave or let, depending on context.

In this sentence, Αφήνω τα κλειδιά μου στο τραπέζι means:

• I leave / I put down and leave my keys on the table.

Some common meanings of αφήνω:

1. To leave something somewhere
   
   • Αφήνω τα κλειδιά στο τραπέζι. – I leave the keys on the table.
2. To let / allow
   
   • Μη με αφήνεις μόνο. – Don’t leave me alone / don’t let me be alone.
3. To stop / give up
   
   • Άφησα το κάπνισμα. – I gave up smoking.

Here it clearly has meaning (1): putting the keys somewhere and not taking them with you.

Why is it τα κλειδιά and not something else? What are the gender and number here?

Κλειδιά is the plural form of κλειδί (key).

• το κλειδί – the key (neuter, singular)
• τα κλειδιά – the keys (neuter, plural)

In this sentence:

• τα = definite article, neuter plural, accusative
• κλειδιά = neuter plural, accusative (direct object of αφήνω)

So τα κλειδιά literally means the keys, grammatically: the (neuter plural) keys (neuter plural).

Why do we say τα κλειδιά μου (article + noun + my)? Why not just κλειδιά μου for ?