Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα όταν πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

I hide my keys in the bag when I go to the gym.

Breakdown of Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα όταν πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

• πάω: to go
• μου: my
• σε: to
• σε: in
• όταν: when
• το κλειδί: the key
• η τσάντα: the bag
• το γυμναστήριο: the gym
• κρύβω: to hide

Questions & Answers about Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα όταν πάω στο γυμναστήριο.

Why is there no word for “I” in the Greek sentence?

In Greek, the subject pronoun (like εγώ = I) is usually omitted because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Κρύβω ends in -ω, which tells you it is 1st person singular → I hide.
• So εγώ κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου... is grammatically correct but sounds more emphatic: “I hide my keys…” (I, as opposed to someone else).
• The natural, neutral version is just Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου... without εγώ.

What tense is Κρύβω, and what nuance does it have here?

Κρύβω is in the present simple (ενεστώτας, active voice).

Here it expresses a habitual action: something you usually or regularly do.

• Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα όταν πάω στο γυμναστήριο.
  → I (usually) hide my keys in the bag when I go to the gym.

Other related forms:

• Έκρυψα τα κλειδιά μου = I hid my keys (once / completed event).
• Έκρυβα τα κλειδιά μου = I was hiding / used to hide my keys (past ongoing or habitual).

Why is it τα κλειδιά μου and not just κλειδιά μου?

Modern Greek almost always uses the definite article with a possessed noun.

• τα κλειδιά μου = my keys (normal, natural)
• Saying just κλειδιά μου is possible only in very poetic or very elliptical language. It is not the standard everyday form.

So:

• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• η τσάντα σου = your bag
• τα κλειδιά του = his keys

The pattern is: article + noun + weak genitive pronoun (μου, σου, του, της, μας, σας, τους).

What exactly is μου here? Is it “my” or “to me”?

The little word μου is the weak (clitic) genitive pronoun. It can mean different things depending on context:

1. Possessive:

   • τα κλειδιά μου = my keys
     → Here, μου = my.

2. Indirect object / “to me” in other sentences:

   • Δώσε μου τα κλειδιά. = Give me the keys.
     → Here, μου = to me.

Same form, different function. In your sentence, it clearly means my (possession).

Why is μου placed after κλειδιά instead of before, like μου τα κλειδιά?

In modern Greek, the standard position for the possessive weak pronoun is after the noun:

• τα κλειδιά μου = my keys
• η τσάντα μου = my bag
• το σπίτι μας = our house

Forms like τα μου κλειδιά or μου τα κλειδιά exist mainly in old-fashioned, literary or poetic styles. In everyday Modern Greek, you should say:

• τα κλειδιά μου, not μου τα κλειδιά.

Why is it στην τσάντα and not σε τσάντα?

στην is a contraction of the preposition σε + the feminine article την:

• σε + την τσάντα → στην τσάντα

Greek usually uses the definite article after prepositions, especially when we talk about a specific object:

• στην τσάντα = in the (specific) bag
• στο τραπέζι = on the table
• στο γυμναστήριο = at/to the gym

If you said σε τσάντα (without the article), it would feel like “in a bag” (nonspecific) and is less typical unless you deliberately mean “some bag or other.” The default when you mean your usual / known bag is στην τσάντα.

What’s the difference between στην and στο?

Both come from σε + definite article, but the article changes depending on gender/number:

• στην = σε + την (feminine singular, accusative)

  • στην τσάντα (την τσάντα) – the bag
  • στην πόλη (την πόλη) – the city

• στο = σε + το (neuter singular, accusative)

  • στο γυμναστήριο (το γυμναστήριο) – the gym
  • στο σπίτι (το σπίτι) – the house

So:

• στην τσάντα because η τσάντα is feminine.
• στο γυμναστήριο because το γυμναστήριο is neuter.

Why is it όταν πάω and not όταν πηγαίνω?

Both are possible, but they differ slightly in aspect / nuance:

• όταν πάω στο γυμναστήριο

  • Uses πάω, the “simple” (perfective) stem.
  • Focuses on the individual event: when I (happen to) go to the gym / when I go (each time).
  • It’s very common especially when the time clause can refer to future or repeated specific events.

• όταν πηγαίνω στο γυμναστήριο

  • Uses πηγαίνω, the “continuous” (imperfective) stem.
  • Emphasizes the habitual, ongoing character: whenever I go / when I usually go to the gym.

In everyday speech, όταν πάω for a habitual pattern, as in this sentence, sounds perfectly natural and very common. You could also say όταν πηγαίνω, with only a slight shift toward a more explicit “whenever I (regularly) go” feel.

Why is it στο γυμναστήριο and not just πάω γυμναστήριο?

Standard Greek normally uses σε + article with places:

• πάω στο γυμναστήριο = I go to the gym
• πάω στο σχολείο = I go to school
• πάω στην τράπεζα = I go to the bank

You may occasionally hear bare nouns without στο/στην, especially in certain set expressions or in some colloquial speech (πάω σχολείο, πάω δουλειά), but:

• πάω στο γυμναστήριο is the neutral, standard form.
• πάω γυμναστήριο sounds more colloquial/elliptical and is much less typical than πάω σχολείο or πάω δουλειά.

What cases are τα κλειδιά and την τσάντα in?

Both are in the accusative case, which is used:

1. For the direct object of the verb:

   • Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου
     
     • τα κλειδιά = direct object of κρύβω → accusative.

2. After the preposition σε:

   • στην τσάντα = in the bag
     
     • την τσάντα is accusative after σε.

Form details:

• τα κλειδιά (neuter plural): nominative and accusative forms are identical in neuter plural; the article τα shows it’s not genitive.
• την τσάντα (feminine singular): clear accusative form; nominative would be η τσάντα.

Could I say Κρύβω στην τσάντα τα κλειδιά μου instead? Is the word order flexible?

Yes, Greek word order is relatively flexible, so:

• Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα (more neutral)
• Κρύβω στην τσάντα τα κλειδιά μου
• Τα κλειδιά μου τα κρύβω στην τσάντα
• etc.

All can be correct, depending on emphasis and context.

The version you have:

• Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα...
  is a very natural, neutral order:
  verb – direct object – place phrase.

What’s the difference between κρύβω and κρύβομαι?

• κρύβω = I hide (something) → transitive, needs an object

  • Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου. = I hide my keys.

• κρύβομαι = I hide (myself) / I am hiding → reflexive / intransitive

  • Κρύβομαι πίσω από την πόρτα. = I hide behind the door.

In your sentence, you are hiding your keys, so you must use κρύβω, not κρύβομαι.

Is κρύβω exactly the same as “put” in English, like “I put my keys in the bag”?

No. κρύβω means “to hide”, with a nuance of making something difficult to find or see.

• Κρύβω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα
  → I hide my keys in the bag (so others don’t see/find them).

If you simply mean put/place without the idea of hiding, you’d use:

• Βάζω τα κλειδιά μου στην τσάντα. = I put my keys in the bag.

So:

• κρύβω = hide (for secrecy/safety)
• βάζω = put/place (neutral).