Όταν κάνει ζέστη στην κουζίνα, ανοίγω τον ανεμιστήρα και αφήνω την κουτάλα δίπλα στην κατσαρόλα.

Όταν means when or whenever.

In this sentence, it introduces a time clause:

• Όταν κάνει ζέστη στην κουζίνα = When / Whenever it’s hot in the kitchen

Because the rest of the sentence is also in the present tense, the overall meaning is habitual or general:

• Whenever it gets hot in the kitchen, I turn on the fan...

So here όταν is not about one single event only; it can describe a repeated situation.

Greek often uses the impersonal expression κάνει ζέστη for it is hot.

Literally, κάνει means it makes / does, but as a whole:

• κάνει ζέστη = it’s hot
• κάνει κρύο = it’s cold

This is just a normal Greek weather/temperature pattern. English uses be here, but Greek commonly uses κάνει.

So don’t translate word-for-word; learn κάνει ζέστη as a set expression.

Στην is a contraction of:

• σε
  • την = στην

Here:

• σε = in / at / to
• την = the feminine singular article in the accusative

So:

• στην κουζίνα = in the kitchen

Greek usually uses an article where English sometimes can sound fine without stressing it. In this sentence, the kitchen is the natural phrasing.

It is in the accusative.

In Modern Greek, the preposition σε normally takes the accusative. Since στην = σε + την, the noun after it is accusative:

• στην κουζίνα

This is important because English speakers often expect location expressions to work differently, but in Greek σε + accusative is very common for in / at / to.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• η κουζίνα can mean the kitchen as a room
• it can also mean the stove / cooker

In στην κουζίνα, the meaning is clearly in the kitchen.

So context tells you which meaning is intended.

Yes, ανοίγω basically means open, but in Greek it is also used for switching devices on.

So:

• ανοίγω την πόρτα = I open the door
• ανοίγω το φως = I turn on the light
• ανοίγω τον ανεμιστήρα = I turn on the fan

This is very normal Greek usage. The opposite is often κλείνω:

• κλείνω τον ανεμιστήρα = I turn off the fan

So although the literal idea is open, the natural English translation here is turn on.

They differ because of gender and case.

Gender

• ο ανεμιστήρας = masculine
• η κουτάλα = feminine
• η κατσαρόλα = feminine

Case in this sentence

• τον ανεμιστήρα and την κουτάλα are direct objects, so they are in the accusative
• την κατσαρόλα is also accusative because it comes after σε inside στην

So:

• ο becomes τον in the masculine accusative singular
• η becomes την in the feminine accusative singular

That’s why the articles are not all the same.

Because Greek often leaves out subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

• ανοίγω = I open / I turn on
• αφήνω = I leave

The ending -ω already tells you the subject is I.

You could say εγώ ανοίγω, but that adds emphasis, something like:

• I turn on the fan

Without εγώ, it is the normal neutral way to say it.

Αφήνω can mean several related things:

• leave
• let
• put down
• leave behind

In this sentence, it means something like:

• I leave the ladle next to the pot
• I put the ladle down next to the pot

So it does not mean let in the sense of allowing someone to do something here. It means placing or leaving an object somewhere.

Δίπλα means next to / beside.

So:

• δίπλα στην κατσαρόλα = next to the pot

The structure is:

• δίπλα
  • location phrase

You will also often see:

• δίπλα από την κατσαρόλα
• δίπλα στην κατσαρόλα

Both can mean next to the pot. In your sentence, δίπλα στην κατσαρόλα is a natural compact way to say it.

Because the sentence describes a habit or usual action.

• κάνει
• ανοίγω
• αφήνω

All are in the present tense, but the meaning is not only right now. It can mean:

• Whenever it gets hot in the kitchen, I turn on the fan and leave the ladle next to the pot.

This is the normal way in both Greek and English to talk about routines or repeated situations.

No, Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Your sentence is:

• Όταν κάνει ζέστη στην κουζίνα, ανοίγω τον ανεμιστήρα και αφήνω την κουτάλα δίπλα στην κατσαρόλα.

This is a very natural order, but Greek could rearrange parts for emphasis. For example, you could move the time clause or emphasize a different object.

Still, the given version is standard and clear:

1. time condition first
2. then the main actions

So even though word order is flexible, this sentence uses a very normal, learner-friendly structure.