Πριν φύγουμε, ο πατέρας μου κοίταξε το ρεζερβουάρ και είπε ότι χρειάζεται βενζίνη.

Greek often leaves subject pronouns unstated because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• φύγουμε = we leave / we go
• the ending -ουμε tells you it is 1st person plural: we

So Greek does not need εμείς unless you want emphasis or contrast.

After πριν (before), Greek normally uses a subjunctive-type form, not the simple past.

So:

• πριν φύγουμε = before we leave / before we left, depending on context
• φύγαμε is a simple past form and is not the normal choice after πριν in this structure

In this sentence, because the main narration is in the past (κοίταξε, είπε), Πριν φύγουμε is understood as before we left.

κοίταξε is the aorist of κοιτάζω.

The Greek aorist is commonly used for a single completed action in the past. Here it means that the father looked / checked the tank as one completed event.

So κοίταξε fits well because the sentence is telling the sequence of events:

1. before leaving
2. he checked the tank
3. he said something

If Greek wanted to emphasize an ongoing or repeated action, it would use a different past form, such as the imperfect.

Greek usually expresses possession with:

• article + noun + weak possessive pronoun

So:

• ο πατέρας μου = my father
• literally, it is something like the father of mine

This is the normal everyday pattern in Greek:

• η μητέρα μου = my mother
• ο αδερφός σου = your brother
• το σπίτι τους = their house

If you want extra emphasis, Greek can also use δικός:

• ο δικός μου πατέρας = my father (with emphasis, like my own father or my father, not someone else’s)

Because Greek normally uses the definite article when talking about a specific, known thing.

Here it is not just any tank; it is the tank relevant to the situation, probably the car’s fuel tank. So Greek says:

• το ρεζερβουάρ = the tank

Also, ρεζερβουάρ is a neuter noun in Greek, so the article is το.

A useful extra note: ρεζερβουάρ is a loanword and is commonly treated as an indeclinable neuter noun, so the article helps show its role and gender.

ότι introduces a clause that reports what someone said, thought, knew, etc. It works like English that.

So:

• είπε ότι... = he said that...

English often drops that:

• He said it needs gas

Greek can sometimes omit ότι in casual speech, but it is very common to include it, and including it is often clearer.

Also, do not confuse:

• ότι = that
• ό,τι = whatever / anything that

Those are different words.

The subject is not stated explicitly, but Greek often leaves it out when it is clear from context.

Here, the meaning is that the car / the tank / it needs gasoline, not the father.

So:

• χρειάζεται = it needs / is needed, depending on context

The verb is in 3rd person singular, which matches an implied singular subject such as the car or the tank.

It looks like a middle/passive form, but in Modern Greek χρειάζομαι / χρειάζεται is very commonly used with the meaning need.

So in practice, learners should recognize:

• χρειάζεται βενζίνη = it needs gasoline / gasoline is needed

Which English translation sounds best depends on context. In this sentence, the natural interpretation is it needs gasoline.

So yes, the form may look passive-like, but its real everyday meaning here is simply need.

Because βενζίνη is a mass noun or substance noun, like water, milk, or gasoline in English.

When Greek is talking about some amount of a substance in a general or indefinite way, it often leaves out the article:

• χρειάζεται βενζίνη = it needs gasoline / gas

This is similar to English, where we usually do not say it needs the gasoline unless we mean some very specific gasoline.

So the lack of article here makes perfect sense.

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

For example, you could also say:

• Ο πατέρας μου κοίταξε το ρεζερβουάρ πριν φύγουμε...

That would still be grammatical.

The original order:

• Πριν φύγουμε, ο πατέρας μου...

puts the time phrase first, so it sets the scene immediately: before we left...

In Greek, word order often helps show focus or emphasis, because articles and verb endings already carry a lot of the grammar.

Yes. After verbs like είπε, Greek can often use either:

• ότι
• πως

Both can mean that in this kind of sentence.

So these are both possible:

• είπε ότι χρειάζεται βενζίνη
• είπε πως χρειάζεται βενζίνη

In many everyday contexts, the difference is small or nonexistent. A learner should mainly know that both are common ways to introduce reported speech.