Κράτα καλά το τιμόνι όταν ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος.

Κράτα is the singular informal imperative of κρατάω / κρατώ, meaning hold, keep holding, or grip.

In this sentence, it is giving a direct instruction to one person, like:

• Hold the steering wheel firmly
• Keep a good grip on the steering wheel

A native speaker would use this with:

• one person they address informally
• advice, warnings, or commands

Related forms:

• κρατάω / κρατώ = I hold
• κράτα = hold! (to one person)
• κρατήστε = hold! (to more than one person, or politely)

Because Κράτα is a command, while κρατάς means you hold / you are holding.

Compare:

• Κρατάς το τιμόνι. = You are holding the steering wheel.
• Κράτα το τιμόνι. = Hold the steering wheel.

So the sentence is not describing what someone does; it is telling them what to do.

Here καλά means something like well, properly, securely, or firmly.

So Κράτα καλά το τιμόνι means:

• Hold the steering wheel firmly
• Keep a good grip on the steering wheel

This is a very common use of καλά in Greek. It often does not mean only well in the abstract, but can also mean:

• properly
• carefully
• securely
• strongly enough

For example:

• Κλείσε καλά την πόρτα. = Close the door properly / securely.
• Δέσε καλά τα κορδόνια σου. = Tie your shoelaces well / tightly.

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English.

So το τιμόνι literally means the steering wheel, but in natural English we may simply say the steering wheel too. In Greek, using the article here is normal and expected.

This happens a lot:

• Άνοιξε το παράθυρο. = Open the window.
• Πλύνε τα χέρια σου. = Wash your hands.

Even where English sometimes omits an article, Greek often keeps it.

Because τιμόνι is the direct object of Κράτα.

You are holding what?
→ το τιμόνι

So it appears in the accusative case. For this noun, the nominative and accusative singular happen to look the same:

• nominative: το τιμόνι
• accusative: το τιμόνι

That is common with many neuter nouns in Greek.

όταν means when.

It introduces a time clause:

• όταν ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος = when the road is wet

In Greek, όταν is used very naturally for:

• general situations
• repeated situations
• future-related situations

Examples:

• Τηλεφώνησέ μου όταν φτάσεις. = Call me when you arrive.
• Όταν βρέχει, μένω σπίτι. = When it rains, I stay home.

In your sentence, it means in situations where the road is wet.

ο δρόμος means the road and is the subject of the clause ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος.

You can identify it as the subject because it is the thing that is wet.

• ο δρόμος = the road
• είναι βρεγμένος = is wet

The article ο is the masculine singular nominative article, matching δρόμος.

βρεγμένος is an adjective meaning wet.

Historically, it comes from the verb βρέχω (to wet / to rain), and it is a kind of participial adjective. But for a learner, the important thing is that in this sentence it simply functions like an adjective:

• ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος = the road is wet

It changes form to agree with the noun it describes:

• masculine: βρεγμένος
• feminine: βρεγμένη
• neuter: βρεγμένο

Examples:

• ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος = the road is wet
• η πετσέτα είναι βρεγμένη = the towel is wet
• το πάτωμα είναι βρεγμένο = the floor is wet

Because in Greek, grammatical gender is not based on whether something is a person.

δρόμος is a masculine noun, so any adjective describing it must also be masculine:

• ο δρόμος → masculine
• therefore βρεγμένος → masculine

This is called agreement. Adjectives agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• case

So even though a road is an object, Greek grammar still treats δρόμος as masculine.

Greek word order is more flexible than English, but ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος is the most neutral and natural order here.

It follows a very common pattern:

• subject + verb + adjective/complement

So:

• ο δρόμος = subject
• είναι = is
• βρεγμένος = wet

Other orders are possible in Greek for emphasis or style, but they would sound less neutral in an ordinary driving instruction.

It usually suggests a continuous or repeated practical action: keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.

The imperative κράτα often has an ongoing feel in context, especially with something like driving. It is not just grab it once, but rather maintain control / keep holding it properly.

That is why English translations such as these work well:

• Hold the steering wheel firmly
• Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel

Not exactly as the main translation, though in context it overlaps a little.

καλά here is more about:

• firmness
• proper control
• secure grip

So firmly or securely is better than carefully.

If you say carefully, the meaning shifts a bit toward general caution, while καλά here is specifically about how you hold the steering wheel.

It is informal singular, because of Κράτα.

If you wanted to say the same thing:

• to more than one person, or
• more politely to one person,

you would say:

Κρατήστε καλά το τιμόνι όταν ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος.

So:

• Κράτα = informal singular
• Κρατήστε = plural or polite singular

Usually, that would be unclear here.

Greek can omit subjects when they are understood, especially pronouns, but in this clause the noun ο δρόμος is important because it tells us what is wet.

If you only said όταν είναι βρεγμένος, the listener might ask:

• what is wet?

So keeping ο δρόμος makes the sentence complete and natural.

Not exactly.

Both can relate to wetness, but they are not always interchangeable.

• βρεγμένος usually means wet in the sense of having gotten wet
• υγρός often means moist, damp, or liquid-related

For a road after rain, βρεγμένος is very natural:

• ο δρόμος είναι βρεγμένος = the road is wet

So in this sentence, βρεγμένος is the better and more everyday choice.