Η γάζα έμεινε στο συρτάρι, αλλά τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου.

Η is the feminine singular definite article, meaning the.

So:

• η γάζα = the gauze / the bandage gauze

Here, γάζα is a feminine singular noun, so it takes η in the nominative singular.

Greek articles change for:

• gender: masculine, feminine, neuter
• number: singular, plural
• case: nominative, accusative, genitive, etc.

In this sentence, η γάζα is the subject of έμεινε, so it appears in the nominative.

Because the subject is η γάζα (the gauze), not I.

• έμεινα = I stayed / I remained
• έμεινε = he/she/it stayed / remained

Since γάζα is a thing, Greek uses the third person singular verb form:

• Η γάζα έμεινε... = The gauze stayed/remained...

Even though γάζα is feminine, the verb form is the same as for he/she/it in the past tense.

Yes. Both έμεινε and έβαλα are in the aorist.

The Greek aorist usually expresses:

• a completed action
• a single whole event in the past

So here:

• έμεινε = stayed / remained
• έβαλα = I put

The sentence is describing two completed past events:

• the gauze remained in the drawer
• I put the drops in my eyes immediately

This is different from the imperfect, which would suggest an ongoing, repeated, or background action.

στο is a contraction of σε + το.

• σε = in / at / to
• το = the
• σε το becomes στο

So:

• στο συρτάρι = in the drawer

Also notice that after σε, Greek normally uses the accusative:

• το συρτάρι is nominative/accusative neuter singular
• after σε, it is understood as accusative

This contraction is very common:

• στο = σε το
• στη = σε τη(ν)
• στην = σε την
• στον = σε τον
• στα = σε τα

Τις σταγόνες is accusative plural feminine.

• singular: η σταγόνα = the drop
• plural nominative: οι σταγόνες = the drops
• plural accusative: τις σταγόνες = the drops

It is accusative because it is the direct object of έβαλα:

• τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα... = the drops, I put them...

So Greek marks the object with the accusative, and the article changes accordingly.

This is a very common Greek structure called clitic doubling.

You have:

• τις σταγόνες = the drops
• τις = them

So literally it is something like:

• the drops, I put them immediately in my eyes

In English, this sounds redundant, but in Greek it is normal and often natural, especially when:

• the object is moved forward
• the speaker wants emphasis or contrast
• the object is a specific known thing

Here, the sentence contrasts two things:

• Η γάζα έμεινε στο συρτάρι
• αλλά τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου

So the forward placement of τις σταγόνες plus the extra τις helps highlight that the drops, unlike the gauze, were used immediately.

Yes, that would also be grammatical.

A version like:

• αλλά έβαλα αμέσως τις σταγόνες στα μάτια μου

is more neutral in word order.

The actual sentence:

• αλλά τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου

puts extra focus on the drops. It feels more like:

• but the drops, I put them in my eyes immediately

So the chosen wording adds contrast and emphasis.

Greek normally uses the plural for eyes:

• το μάτι = eye
• τα μάτια = eyes

So:

• στα μάτια μου = in my eyes

This is exactly what you would expect in Greek when talking about applying eye drops. Even when English sometimes uses wording like in my eye, Greek often naturally uses the plural if both eyes are meant.

Also:

• στα = σε + τα
• so στα μάτια = in the eyes

Because μου here is the weak possessive form meaning my, and in Greek these unstressed possessive pronouns usually come after the noun.

So:

• τα μάτια μου = my eyes
• literally: the eyes my

This is completely normal Greek structure.

Some examples:

• το σπίτι μου = my house
• η μητέρα μου = my mother
• τα βιβλία μου = my books

So στα μάτια μου means:

• in my eyes

Yes, έβαλα literally means I put, from βάζω = to put.

But Greek often uses βάζω in situations where English might use more specific verbs such as:

• put on
• apply
• insert
• add

So with medicine or drops:

• βάζω σταγόνες στα μάτια = I put drops in my eyes / I apply eye drops

This is normal and idiomatic Greek.

English prefers a more specialized verb in some contexts, but Greek often uses βάζω very naturally.

Αμέσως means immediately / right away.

In this sentence:

• τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου

it modifies έβαλα and tells you when the action happened: I put them in my eyes immediately.

Greek word order is flexible, so αμέσως can move around depending on emphasis. For example:

• Τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου
• Τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα στα μάτια μου αμέσως

Both are possible, but the original placement sounds natural and keeps the focus on the fact that the drops were used without delay.

Yes, αλλά means but.

It creates a contrast between the two clauses:

• Η γάζα έμεινε στο συρτάρι
• αλλά τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου

So the idea is:

• the gauze was left unused in the drawer,
• but the drops were used immediately.

This kind of contrast is one reason why the second clause brings τις σταγόνες to the front and repeats it with τις. The structure helps underline the difference between the two items.

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

A very neutral English-style order would be something like:

• Η γάζα έμεινε στο συρτάρι, αλλά έβαλα τις σταγόνες αμέσως στα μάτια μου.

But the actual sentence says:

• Η γάζα έμεινε στο συρτάρι, αλλά τις σταγόνες τις έβαλα αμέσως στα μάτια μου.

This fronting of τις σταγόνες does two things:

• it makes the object more prominent
• it strengthens the contrast with η γάζα

So one important lesson is that Greek often uses word order for focus, topic, and emphasis, not just for basic grammar.