Στο γκισέ μού έδωσαν ένα μικρό χαρτάκι με τον αριθμό μου.

Because it is a contraction of σε + το.

• σε can mean in, at, on, to
• το is the for a neuter noun

So:

• σε το γκισέ → στο γκισέ

This is completely normal in Modern Greek. In this sentence, στο γκισέ means at the counter / at the service window.

γκισέ means counter, desk, service window—the place where a clerk serves people.

It is a loanword, originally from French (guichet).

About the spelling:

• At the beginning of a word, γκ usually represents a g sound.
• So γκισέ is pronounced roughly like gee-SÉ.

Also, γκισέ is an indeclinable noun in Modern Greek, so its form usually does not change across cases. The article around it shows the grammar.

Here μού means to me.

So:

• μού έδωσαν = they gave me

This is the indirect object pronoun. English uses to me or just me, but Greek uses the weak pronoun μου.

A useful point for learners: Modern Greek no longer has a normal everyday dative case, so forms like μου often do the job that to me would do in English.

They are the same basic word, but the accent can be added to the first one for clarity or emphasis.

In this sentence:

• μού έδωσαν = gave to me
• ο αριθμός μου = my number

Writers often put an accent on μού before the verb to help the reader see immediately that it means to me, not my.

So:

• μού = same pronoun, written with an accent here
• μου = same form, but here used possessively: my

You may also see sentences where the first one is written μου without the accent. The accented spelling is very common when it helps avoid confusion.

Because Greek uses the same weak genitive form μου in more than one way.

In this sentence:

• μού έδωσαν = they gave me → indirect object
• τον αριθμό μου = my number → possession

So Greek uses μου both for:

• to me
• my

English splits these into different words, but Greek often does not.

Έδωσαν is they gave, but Greek often uses the third person plural when the people are unspecified.

So this can mean something like:

• they gave me
• someone there gave me
• I was given

In context, it means the staff at the counter gave it to the speaker. Greek does this quite naturally when the exact person is not important.

Also, Greek usually omits subject pronouns, because the verb ending already shows the person and number. So there is no need to say αυτοί (they) unless you want emphasis.

It is the aorist of δίνω (to give).

Here it means a completed action in the past:

• έδωσαν = they gave

A few useful details:

• present: δίνουν = they give / are giving
• aorist: έδωσαν = they gave

This verb is a little irregular, so it is worth learning as a whole set.

Χαρτάκι is a diminutive form of χαρτί.

• χαρτί = paper
• χαρτάκι = little paper, small slip of paper

In this sentence, ένα μικρό χαρτάκι suggests a small slip, like a ticket, token, or numbered piece of paper.

Diminutives in Greek are very common and do not always sound especially “cute.” Sometimes they simply describe size or a familiar everyday object.

Here με means with.

So:

• με τον αριθμό μου = with my number

The noun αριθμός is masculine, and after με, Greek uses the accusative:

• nominative: ο αριθμός
• accusative: τον αριθμό

That is why you see τον αριθμό and not ο αριθμός.

Because Greek normally keeps the definite article with possessed nouns.

So Greek says:

• ο φίλος μου = my friend
• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• τον αριθμό μου = my number (accusative here)

This is one of the big differences from English. In Greek, my number is usually expressed as the number my, not just my number without an article.

Yes, Greek word order is more flexible than English.

This order is natural because:

• Στο γκισέ sets the scene first: At the counter...
• μού comes before the verb, which is the normal place for this kind of weak object pronoun in an affirmative sentence
• then the thing given appears: ένα μικρό χαρτάκι
• then an extra description: με τον αριθμό μου

So the sentence flows like this:

• At the counter, they gave me a little slip with my number.

Other word orders are possible, but this one sounds very normal and natural.