Η ζύμη δεν είναι έτοιμη ακόμα, οπότε περιμένω λίγο πριν ανοίξω τον φούρνο.

Because ζύμη is a feminine singular noun meaning dough, and here it is the subject of the sentence.

So Greek uses:

• η for feminine singular nominative
• ζύμη = dough

Together, η ζύμη means the dough.

If the noun were in another case, the article would change. For example, as an object you would get τη ζύμη.

Because adjectives in Greek agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• ζύμη is feminine
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective must also be feminine singular nominative:

• έτοιμη = ready

Compare:

• ο φούρνος είναι έτοιμος = the oven is ready
• το ψωμί είναι έτοιμο = the bread is ready
• η ζύμη είναι έτοιμη = the dough is ready

Greek verbs normally agree with the subject in person and number, not in gender.

So:

• η ζύμη είναι = the dough is
• ο φούρνος είναι = the oven is
• το ψωμί είναι = the bread is

The verb stays είναι in all of these because they are all third person singular. Gender shows up on the adjective έτοιμη, not on the verb.

δεν is the normal way to negate a verb in Modern Greek.

So:

• είναι = is
• δεν είναι = is not

Greek does not need an extra helping verb like English do/does. You simply put δεν before the verb:

• δεν είναι έτοιμη = is not ready

Here ακόμα means yet.

So:

• δεν είναι έτοιμη ακόμα = it is not ready yet

In other contexts, ακόμα can also mean still or even depending on the sentence. In this one, the best sense is yet.

Here οπότε means so, therefore, or as a result.

It connects the two ideas:

• the dough is not ready yet
• therefore, I wait a little

So the sentence structure is:

• Η ζύμη δεν είναι έτοιμη ακόμα, οπότε...
• The dough isn’t ready yet, so...

A learner should know that οπότε can also mean when/whenever in other contexts, but here it clearly means so.

Here λίγο means a little, a bit, or for a short while.

So:

• περιμένω λίγο = I wait a little / I wait a bit

Greek often uses λίγο this way without adding another word like while. It works very naturally as a short adverbial expression of duration.

Greek often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person.

• περιμένω = I wait
• ανοίξω = I open / I will open in the right context

So Greek does not need εγώ here. You could say εγώ περιμένω if you wanted emphasis, but normally it is omitted.

After πριν meaning before, Greek usually uses the subjunctive/perfective form for a single completed action.

So:

• πριν ανοίξω τον φούρνο = before I open the oven

ανοίξω is the form used for one whole action, seen as a complete event. That fits naturally after πριν, because the opening has not happened yet.

A very rough contrast is:

• ανοίγω = I open / I am opening
• ανοίξω = I open, as one complete act, in a subjunctive-type environment

Because πριν can introduce this kind of clause without να.

So πριν ανοίξω τον φούρνο is completely normal Greek.

You may also encounter πριν να in some contexts, but the version without να is very common and natural. For a learner, the important thing is that πριν + subjunctive form is standard.

Because φούρνο is the direct object of ανοίξω.

The basic dictionary form is:

• ο φούρνος = the oven

But as a direct object, it goes into the accusative:

• τον φούρνο

So:

• ανοίγω τον φούρνο = I open the oven

This is a very common Greek pattern: both the noun ending and the article can change in the accusative.

It is literally before I open the oven, but in natural English it can often be translated as either:

• before I open the oven
• before opening the oven

Because the subject is the same as in the main clause, English often prefers the -ing version. Greek, however, keeps a full verb form:

• πριν ανοίξω = before I open

So this is a good example of Greek using a finite verb where English may use either a clause or a gerund-like structure.