Δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ τώρα, πάω στη δουλειά.

In Modern Greek, δεν is the normal word for not with most verb forms in ordinary statements.

So:

• έχω = I have
• δεν έχω = I do not have / I don’t have

Greek usually puts the negative particle directly before the verb:

• Δεν ξέρω = I don’t know
• Δεν πάω = I’m not going

So Δεν έχω καιρό is the standard way to say I don’t have time.

That is a very common learner question. καιρός can indeed mean weather, but it also has another meaning related to time, especially the right time, a period of time, or spare time/opportunity.

In this sentence:

• Δεν έχω καιρό = I don’t have time

Here καιρό is the accusative singular form of καιρός, because it is the direct object of έχω.

So the same noun can mean different things depending on context:

• Ο καιρός είναι καλός. = The weather is good.
• Δεν έχω καιρό. = I don’t have time.

Yes, you could. χρόνος also means time, and Δεν έχω χρόνο is perfectly correct.

The difference is mainly one of usage and nuance:

• Δεν έχω χρόνο = a more general I don’t have time
• Δεν έχω καιρό = often feels a bit more like I don’t have the time / I don’t have spare time right now

In everyday Greek, Δεν έχω καιρό is a very natural phrase in situations like this one.

Because καφές is the dictionary form, but here the noun is in the accusative case.

The forms are:

• ο καφές = the coffee nominative
• τον καφέ = the coffee accusative

After για, Greek uses the accusative, so:

• για καφέ = for coffee / for a coffee

Even though there is no article here, the noun still appears in the accusative form.

Because για καφέ is a very natural idiomatic expression meaning something like:

• for coffee
• to go for a coffee
• for a coffee break / coffee outing

Greek often omits the article in this kind of expression after για, especially when talking about purpose or activity.

Compare:

• Πάμε για καφέ. = Let’s go for coffee.
• Βγήκαμε για φαγητό. = We went out for food / to eat.

You could say για έναν καφέ, but that sounds more specific: for one coffee or for a coffee as an individual item. για καφέ is more idiomatic here.

τώρα means now, right now, or at the moment.

Here it explains why the speaker does not have time:

• Δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ τώρα = I don’t have time for coffee now / at the moment

It limits the statement to the present situation. The speaker is not necessarily saying never; just not now.

In everyday Modern Greek, πάω and πηγαίνω both mean to go, and in many situations they are interchangeable.

• Πάω στη δουλειά.
• Πηγαίνω στη δουλειά.

Both can mean I’m going to work.

A few notes:

• πάω is extremely common in speech
• it often sounds a bit shorter and more conversational
• πηγαίνω is also very common, but a little fuller in form

In this sentence, πάω στη δουλειά sounds very natural and everyday.

στη is a contraction of:

• σε + τη → στη

So:

• σε = to / at / in
• τη = the feminine accusative article
• στη δουλειά = to work / to the workplace

This is very common in Greek:

• στο = σε + το
• στη = σε + τη
• στον = σε + τον

So πάω στη δουλειά literally means I go to the work / workplace, but in natural English it is simply I’m going to work.

Because these are two different structures.

1. στη δουλειά

   • uses σε
     • article
   • Greek normally uses the article with common nouns in this kind of phrase
   • so πάω στη δουλειά is the normal way to say I’m going to work

2. για καφέ

   • is an idiomatic για + noun expression of purpose/activity
   • in these expressions, the article is often omitted

So the difference is not random; it comes from the grammar and the type of expression being used.

In this sentence, δουλειά is best understood as work in the everyday sense, but in the phrase πάω στη δουλειά it often really means I’m going to my workplace / I’m going to work.

So depending on context, δουλειά can mean:

• work
• job
• workplace in expressions like this

That is why πάω στη δουλειά is translated naturally as I’m going to work, not necessarily I’m going to the job.

Greek often links two short clauses with a comma when the relationship is obvious from context.

Here the meaning is:

• I don’t have time for coffee now, I’m going to work.

The second clause explains the first one, so the causal connection is understood automatically.

If you wanted to make it more explicit, you could say:

• Δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ τώρα, γιατί πάω στη δουλειά.
• I don’t have time for coffee now, because I’m going to work.

Both are possible, but the version with just a comma sounds very natural in conversation.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order, because Greek uses endings and articles to show grammatical relationships.

For example, these are all possible with slightly different emphasis:

• Δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ τώρα.
• Τώρα δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ.
• Για καφέ δεν έχω καιρό τώρα.

The original sentence sounds very natural and conversational. Moving τώρα earlier would emphasize now more strongly.

Because the thing you have is the direct object, and in Modern Greek direct objects normally appear in the accusative case.

So in:

• Δεν έχω καιρό

the speaker has / does not have time, and time is the direct object.

That is why the noun appears as καιρό, not καιρός.

The same idea appears elsewhere:

• Έχω ένα βιβλίο. = I have a book.
• Βλέπω τον φίλο μου. = I see my friend.

In each case, the object is in the accusative.

In this sentence, it most naturally means I’m going to work right now or I’m on my way to work.

The context makes that clear:

• Δεν έχω καιρό για καφέ τώρα = I don’t have time for coffee now
• πάω στη δουλειά = I’m going to work

Greek present forms can sometimes express either a general action or a current one, and context tells you which meaning is intended. Here, because of τώρα, the immediate meaning is the natural one.