Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο τώρα, γιατί δεν σε βλέπω.

I’m calling you now because I don’t see you.

Breakdown of Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο τώρα, γιατί δεν σε βλέπω.

• τώρα: now
• δεν: not
• γιατί: because
• σε: you
• βλέπω: to see
• παίρνω τηλέφωνο: to call (on the phone)

Questions & Answers about Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο τώρα, γιατί δεν σε βλέπω.

Why does the sentence start with Σε? What does that σε mean here?

Here Σε is the unstressed object pronoun σε (= you in the singular, informal). It’s placed before the verb (or, as here, it can also be fronted for emphasis/topic), and it refers to the person being called.
So Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο = I’m calling you.

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Why is there another σε later: δεν σε βλέπω? Is that the same word?

Yes—same pronoun σε again, still meaning you. It’s repeated because Greek typically uses an object pronoun with each verb that takes it.
So you get:

• Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο = I’m calling you
• (γιατί) δεν σε βλέπω = because I don’t see you

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What tense is παίρνω and βλέπω? Is Greek using the present even though it’s happening “right now”?

Both παίρνω (I take / I call) and βλέπω (I see) are in the present tense. Greek often uses the present for actions happening now or for “I’m doing it (right now)” situations—especially with τώρα to make the immediacy explicit.

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Why does Greek say παίρνω τηλέφωνο literally “I take phone”? Is that just an idiom?

Yes, it’s a very common idiomatic way to say to call (someone):

• παίρνω κάποιον τηλέφωνο = to phone/call someone
  There is also a verb τηλεφωνώ (I phone), but παίρνω τηλέφωνο is extremely natural in everyday speech.

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Why is it τηλέφωνο without an article? Shouldn’t it be το τηλέφωνο?

In this expression, τηλέφωνο often appears without an article because it functions like a “fixed object” in the phrase παίρνω τηλέφωνο (similar to “make a call”).
You can sometimes see articles in related contexts, but for I’m calling you, σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο is the default, idiomatic phrasing.

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Why is the word order Σε παίρνω τηλέφωνο τώρα and not Παίρνω σε...?

Unstressed object pronouns like σε normally appear before the verb in standard Greek:

• Σε βλέπω (not Βλέπω σε in neutral speech)
  Fronting Σε at the very beginning is also natural when the speaker is focusing on you (e.g., “It’s you I’m calling…”).

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What exactly does γιατί mean here—“because” or “why”?

γιατί can mean because or why, depending on context.
In this sentence it means because, introducing the reason:
… τώρα, γιατί δεν σε βλέπω = … now, because I can’t see you.

If it were a question meaning “Why?”, it would typically have question intonation and/or a question mark.

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How does negation work in δεν σε βλέπω?

The basic negation for indicative verbs is δεν, placed right before the verb phrase (and before object pronouns that precede the verb are still kept close to it):

• δεν σε βλέπω = I don’t see you / I can’t see you
  So the order is: δεν + (clitic pronoun) + verb.

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Does δεν σε βλέπω mean “I don’t see you” or “I can’t see you”?

It can be either, depending on context. Greek often uses the simple present with δεν to cover both “don’t” and “can’t” when the idea is practical inability (e.g., you’re not visible). If you want to make “can’t” explicit, Greek can also say δεν μπορώ να σε δω, but the short form δεν σε βλέπω is very common.

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Is σε informal? What would I say to someone I address formally or to more than one person?

Yes, σε is singular informal.
Formal singular or plural “you” uses σας:

• Σας παίρνω τηλέφωνο τώρα, γιατί δεν σας βλέπω.

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What’s the difference between βλέπω and δω? Could I use a different form here?

βλέπω is the present tense (“I see / I’m seeing”).
δω is the aorist subjunctive form used after να (roughly “to see” as a single complete event): να σε δω.
Here, because it’s a statement about the current situation, δεν σε βλέπω is the natural choice. δεν μπορώ να σε δω (“I can’t manage to see you”) is another option with a slightly different nuance.

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Why is there a comma before γιατί?

The comma separates the main clause from the reason clause introduced by γιατί. It’s common (though punctuation can vary by style) to write:
…, γιατί … = “…, because …”