Μετά το πλύσιμο διπλώνω τις πετσέτες και τις βάζω στο πάνω ράφι.

Because πλύσιμο is being used as a noun here, and Greek normally uses an article with a definite noun phrase.

• μετά = after
• το πλύσιμο = the washing / the wash

So μετά το πλύσιμο literally means after the washing, but in natural English that is often just after washing or after the wash.

Greek often uses the + action noun where English might prefer a gerund.

No. πλύσιμο is a noun, not a verb form.

It comes from the verb πλένω (to wash) and means:

• washing
• wash
• sometimes laundry/washing process, depending on context

This is very common in Greek: a verb can produce a noun that names the action.

So:

• πλένω = I wash
• πλύσιμο = washing / wash

Greek uses the present tense here for a normal action or routine:

• διπλώνω = I fold
• βάζω = I put

This can describe:

• something the speaker usually does
• a general sequence of actions
• a simple present statement

So even if English says After washing, I fold the towels and put them..., Greek naturally uses the present tense in this kind of sentence.

Because πετσέτες is the direct object of διπλώνω.

The dictionary form is:

• η πετσέτα = the towel

Plural:

• οι πετσέτες = the towels

As a direct object, Greek uses the accusative:

• τις πετσέτες = the towels

So the article changes from οι to τις in the plural feminine accusative.

They have the same form, but they do different jobs.

1. In τις πετσέτες, τις is the article = the
2. In και τις βάζω, τις is the object pronoun = them

So:

• τις πετσέτες = the towels
• τις βάζω = I put them

This is very common in Greek, and learners often notice it right away.

Because once the towels have already been mentioned, Greek normally uses a pronoun:

• διπλώνω τις πετσέτες και τις βάζω...
• literally: I fold the towels and put them...

Repeating the full noun is possible, but it sounds more repetitive:

• διπλώνω τις πετσέτες και βάζω τις πετσέτες...

Greek prefers the pronoun here, just like English prefers them.

Because Greek weak object pronouns usually go before a finite verb.

So Greek says:

• τις βάζω = I put them
• τον βλέπω = I see him
• τα παίρνω = I take them

This is one of the basic word-order patterns of Modern Greek.

English puts object pronouns after the verb, but Greek often puts them before it.

στο is a contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• σε can mean in, at, on, to
• το = the (neuter singular)

In this sentence:

• στο πάνω ράφι = on the upper shelf

Greek often uses σε where English chooses between in, on, or to depending on context.

Here πάνω means upper / top.

So:

• το πάνω ράφι = the upper shelf / the top shelf

Although πάνω often means up / above / on top, it can also be used before a noun in an adjective-like way.

Examples:

• πάνω όροφος = upper floor
• πάνω ράφι = upper shelf

So in this sentence it is not just up, but specifically the upper/top shelf.

Because ράφι is simply a neuter noun in Greek.

Its article is:

• το ράφι = the shelf

So with σε + το, you get:

• στο ράφι

And with πάνω:

• στο πάνω ράφι

This is just something you learn with the noun: every Greek noun has a gender.

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible, but the version you have is a very natural neutral one.

The sentence is:

• Μετά το πλύσιμο διπλώνω τις πετσέτες και τις βάζω στο πάνω ράφι.

You could move things around for emphasis, for example:

• Τις πετσέτες τις διπλώνω μετά το πλύσιμο και τις βάζω στο πάνω ράφι.

That sounds more marked, as if emphasizing the towels.

So the original order is probably the best one to learn first.

They are different forms.

• τις = feminine plural accusative article/pronoun

  • τις πετσέτες = the towels
  • τις βάζω = I put them

• της = feminine singular genitive article/pronoun

  • το χρώμα της πετσέτας = the color of the towel
  • της μίλησα = I spoke to her

So in your sentence, it must be τις, because the sentence is talking about the towels / them, which is plural and accusative.