Η μαμά μου είπε να πάρω χαρτοπετσέτες και ένα καθαρό φλιτζάνι, γιατί οι καλεσμένοι έρχονται σε λίγο.

In Greek, possessive phrases usually still take the definite article.

So η μαμά μου is the normal way to say my mom:

• η = the
• μαμά = mom
• μου = my / of me

Literally it looks like the mom of me, but that is just standard Greek structure.

This is very common:

• ο φίλος μου = my friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house
• η αδερφή μου = my sister

English usually does my mom, but Greek usually does the mom my.

Here μου is a weak possessive pronoun, meaning my.

It is historically/genetically the genitive form of I/me, but in everyday grammar it is best to think of it as the normal unstressed word for my:

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• το βιβλίο μου = my book

Greek puts this little possessive word after the noun, not before it as English does.

είπε is the past tense form of λέω (to say / tell), and it is irregular.

So:

• λέω = I say / I am saying
• είπε = he/she said

This is one of those forms you mostly just have to learn as a common irregular verb.

In this sentence, είπε means said / told.

This is a very common Greek pattern:

verb of saying/telling/requesting + να + verb

So είπε να πάρω means something like:

• she said I should get
• she told me to get

The word να introduces the action that is supposed to happen. It does not match one single English word exactly. Depending on context, να can correspond to things like:

• to
• that ... should
• a subjunctive-style idea

So it is best to learn είπε να πάρω as a normal Greek structure rather than trying to translate να word-for-word.

Because Greek is using the aorist form after να.

• παίρνω = I take / I am taking
• να πάρω = that I get / to get, with a single complete action feel

Here the mother is talking about one simple action: go get napkins and a clean cup. That is why Greek prefers να πάρω.

If Greek used να παίρνω, it would sound more like an ongoing, repeated, or habitual action:

• να παίρνω = to be taking / to take regularly

So:

• να πάρω χαρτοπετσέτες = get some napkins once
• να παίρνω χαρτοπετσέτες = be getting napkins regularly / repeatedly

Because Greek does not need it here.

The form πάρω is first person singular, so it already tells you that the person who will do the action is I.

So Greek can simply say:

• Η μαμά μου είπε να πάρω ...

Even though natural English often says:

• My mom told me to get ...

Greek can leave that me unspoken because the verb form already makes the subject clear.

If you wanted to make the indirect object explicit, you could also say:

• Η μαμά μου μού είπε να πάρω ...

  That means more literally My mom told me to get ...
  But in many contexts, the shorter version is perfectly natural.

Because χαρτοπετσέτες is an indefinite plural, while ένα καθαρό φλιτζάνι is an indefinite singular.

Greek often leaves indefinite plurals without an article:

• πάρω χαρτοπετσέτες = get napkins / some napkins

That is similar to English:

• I need napkins

But with a singular count noun, Greek normally uses ένας / μία / ένα:

• ένα καθαρό φλιτζάνι = a clean cup

So the contrast is very normal:

• χαρτοπετσέτες = napkins / some napkins
• ένα φλιτζάνι = a cup

If the speaker meant specific napkins already known to both people, Greek would likely use:

• τις χαρτοπετσέτες = the napkins

Because the adjective has to agree with the noun it describes.

The noun φλιτζάνι is:

• neuter
• singular
• here in the accusative form

So the adjective must match it:

• masculine: καθαρός
• feminine: καθαρή
• neuter: καθαρό

That is why Greek says:

• ένα καθαρό φλιτζάνι

This kind of agreement is one of the biggest differences from English, where clean never changes form.

οι καλεσμένοι means the guests.

There are two things to notice:

1. The article Greek often uses the definite article when talking about a specific group already known in the situation. These are not just any guests in the world; they are the guests who are expected.

2. The masculine plural Greek masculine plural can refer to:

• an all-male group, or
• a mixed group of men and women

So οι καλεσμένοι can easily mean the guests in a mixed group.

If the guests were all female, Greek would use:

• οι καλεσμένες

Because Greek often uses the present tense for a near future event, especially when there is a time expression that makes the future meaning clear.

So:

• οι καλεσμένοι έρχονται σε λίγο

means:

• the guests are coming soon
• the guests will be here shortly

This is similar to English sentences like:

• They’re coming soon
• The train leaves in five minutes

Greek could also use an explicit future:

• οι καλεσμένοι θα έρθουν σε λίγο

But έρχονται σε λίγο sounds very natural for something imminent.

It can mean both, depending on the sentence.

• In a question: Γιατί; = Why?
• In a statement: γιατί = because

Here it clearly means because, since it introduces the reason:

• ... γιατί οι καλεσμένοι έρχονται σε λίγο
• ... because the guests are coming soon

This is very common in Greek.

σε λίγο is a very common time expression meaning:

• soon
• in a little while
• shortly

Literally, it is something like in a little [time].

You can think of σε here as the preposition used in time expressions:

• σε μία ώρα = in an hour
• σε πέντε λεπτά = in five minutes
• σε λίγο = in a little while / soon

So έρχονται σε λίγο is a very natural way to say they’ll be here soon.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence as written is perfectly natural:

• Η μαμά μου είπε να πάρω ...

But Greek can move things around for emphasis or style more easily than English can.

For example, you may also hear:

• Μου είπε η μαμά μου να πάρω ...

That still means essentially the same thing, but the emphasis feels a little different.

English depends heavily on word order for grammar. Greek depends more on endings, articles, and verb forms, so the order is often freer.