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Κράτα τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη, σε περίπτωση που θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις, αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα.

Κράτα τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη, σε περίπτωση που θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις, αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα.
Keep the packaging and the receipt, in case you want to return it, as long as everything is inside.

Breakdown of Κράτα τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη, σε περίπτωση που θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις, αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα.

είμαι
to be
θέλω
to want
και
and
να
to
μέσα
inside
το
it
όλα
everything
κρατάω
to keep
επιστρέφω
to return
η απόδειξη
the receipt
αρκεί να
as long as
η συσκευασία
the packaging
σε περίπτωση που
in case
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Questions & Answers about Κράτα τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη, σε περίπτωση που θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις, αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα.

What does Κράτα mean grammatically, and why is it written like that?

Κράτα is the imperative (command) form of the verb κρατάω / κρατώ (to keep/hold), addressed to one person informally (2nd person singular).
So it’s like saying Keep … to a friend/customer in an informal tone.
More formal/plural would be Κρατήστε.

Why are there two different words for the: τη and την?

Both are forms of the feminine accusative article την (the, feminine, object form).
In everyday Greek, την often shortens to τη before a consonant sound:

  • τη συσκευασία (s- is a consonant)
  • την απόδειξη (a- is a vowel, so it usually stays την)

This is mainly about pronunciation flow.

What do συσκευασία and απόδειξη mean, and what genders are they?
  • η συσκευασία = the packaging (feminine)
  • η απόδειξη = the receipt / proof (feminine)

Because they’re feminine, they take τη/την in the accusative as direct objects of Κράτα.

Why is there a comma after την απόδειξη? How should I read the sentence?

The commas separate an inserted clause:

  • Main command: Κράτα τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη
  • Extra info: σε περίπτωση που θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις
  • Condition/requirement: αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα

You can read it as: Keep the packaging and the receipt — in case you want to return it — provided everything is inside.

What does σε περίπτωση που mean, and why use που?

σε περίπτωση που means in case (that). It’s a fixed expression.
Greek often uses που here (literally that/which) rather than αν:

  • σε περίπτωση που… = in case…
  • αν… = if… (more direct conditional)

Both can sometimes translate as if, but σε περίπτωση που sounds more like “as a precaution”.

Why do I see θέλεις να and what is that structure?

Greek commonly expresses want to + verb as:

  • θέλω + να + verb

So θέλεις να το επιστρέψεις literally is you want that you return it, i.e. you want to return it.

What is το in να το επιστρέψεις referring to, and why is it before the verb?

το is a neuter object pronoun meaning it (the item/product).
In Greek, weak object pronouns typically come before the verb:

  • να το επιστρέψεις = to return it

Even if the noun isn’t stated, το points back to the thing you bought.

Why is it επιστρέψεις and not something like επιστρέφεις?

After να, Greek uses the subjunctive. Here it’s the aorist subjunctive:

  • (να) επιστρέψεις from επιστρέφω (to return)

Aorist subjunctive often views the action as a single complete event: to return it (once).
να επιστρέφεις would be more like to be returning (habitually/ongoing), which doesn’t fit as well here.

What does αρκεί να mean grammatically?

αρκεί means it is enough / it suffices and it’s commonly used as:

  • αρκεί να + subjunctive = as long as / provided that

So αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα = as long as everything is inside.

Why is it να είναι (present) and not “future” or something else?

After αρκεί να, Greek again uses να + verb (subjunctive).
να είναι is the subjunctive form using the present stem of είμαι (to be). It expresses a condition/state that must be true: everything must be inside.

What does όλα μέσα mean exactly, and why is όλα neuter plural?

όλα is neuter plural meaning everything / all items. Neuter plural is often used for “everything” in general.
μέσα means inside (adverb).
So να είναι όλα μέσα means everything must be inside—i.e., all parts/accessories/documents are included in the package.

Is the sentence informal or formal, and how would I make it more polite?

As written, it’s informal singular because of Κράτα and θέλεις.
More formal/polite (or plural) would be:

  • Κρατήστε τη συσκευασία και την απόδειξη, σε περίπτωση που θέλετε να το επιστρέψετε, αρκεί να είναι όλα μέσα.