Στην κασετίνα μου έχω ένα μολύβι, μια γόμα και μια μικρή ξύστρα.

Στην is the contracted form of σε + την.

• σε = in / at / to
• την = the for a feminine singular noun in the accusative

So:

• σε την κασετίνα → στην κασετίνα

In this sentence, στην κασετίνα μου means in my pencil case.

Greek very often contracts σε + article like this:

• σε το → στο
• σε τη(ν) → στη(ν)
• σε τα → στα

The exact English translation of σε depends on context: it can mean in, at, or to.

Because Greek normally uses the article where English often does too, and sometimes even where English does not.

Here, κασετίνα is a specific thing: my pencil case. So Greek says:

• στην κασετίνα μου = in my pencil case

Leaving out the article would sound unnatural here.

Also, after σε, Greek uses the accusative case, so the article is την, which becomes part of στην.

In Greek, the unstressed possessive forms like μου, σου, του, της usually come after the noun.

So:

• η κασετίνα μου = my pencil case
• literally: the pencil case my

This is completely normal Greek word order.

Compare:

• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• η φίλη μου = my friend
• ο αδερφός μου = my brother

If you want strong emphasis, Greek can use other structures, but the basic everyday pattern is noun + μου.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Στην κασετίνα μου puts the location first, almost like setting the scene:

• In my pencil case, I have...

This sounds natural in Greek.

You could also say:

• Έχω ένα μολύβι, μια γόμα και μια μικρή ξύστρα στην κασετίνα μου.

That is also grammatical, but the focus is slightly different. The original sentence gives prominence to where the objects are.

Έχω means I have.

Greek uses έχω to talk about possession, just like English uses have:

• έχω ένα βιβλίο = I have a book
• έχω μια γόμα = I have an eraser

So in this sentence:

• Στην κασετίνα μου έχω... = In my pencil case I have...

Greek is not using a verb meaning to be here, because the speaker is expressing what they possess or what is in their pencil case from their point of view.

Because Greek nouns have grammatical gender, and the indefinite article must agree with the noun.

Here:

• μολύβι is neuter → ένα μολύβι
• γόμα is feminine → μια γόμα
• ξύστρα is feminine → μια ξύστρα

So the article changes according to gender:

• ένας = masculine
• μια / μία = feminine
• ένα = neuter

These mean a / an, and sometimes also one, depending on context.

Yes. They are the direct objects of έχω, so they are in the accusative.

In this sentence:

• έχω ένα μολύβι
• έχω μια γόμα
• έχω μια μικρή ξύστρα

For these particular nouns, the accusative form looks the same as the nominative form, so you do not see much change in the noun itself. But grammatically they are still accusative because they are the things the speaker has.

This is very common in Greek: sometimes the case is easier to notice in the article or adjective than in the noun.

Because adjectives in Greek must agree with the noun they describe in:

• gender
• number
• case

Ξύστρα is feminine singular, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• masculine: μικρός
• feminine: μικρή
• neuter: μικρό

So:

• μια μικρή ξύστρα = a small sharpener

If the noun were neuter, you would use μικρό:

• ένα μικρό βιβλίο = a small book

If it were masculine, you would use μικρός:

• ένας μικρός σκύλος = a small dog

Yes. Μια and μία are the same word.

Both mean a / one for feminine nouns.

• μια γόμα
• μία γόμα

In everyday writing, μια is very common.
Μία may appear in more careful writing or when someone wants clearer stress or emphasis.

So in this sentence, μια γόμα and μια μικρή ξύστρα are completely normal.

Because Greek lists work much like English lists.

The pattern is:

• item 1, item 2 και item 3

So:

• ένα μολύβι, μια γόμα και μια μικρή ξύστρα

This is exactly like:

• a pencil, an eraser, and a small sharpener

Greek normally uses commas between earlier items and και before the final one.

Not normally, if you want the meaning a pencil, an eraser, and a small sharpener.

The articles are part of the natural phrasing:

• ένα μολύβι
• μια γόμα
• μια μικρή ξύστρα

If you remove them, the sentence sounds less natural and more like a label or a note rather than a normal full sentence.

In ordinary Greek, when you count or mention singular items like this, using the indefinite articles is the normal choice.