Μετά τα μακαρόνια, πλένω το σουρωτήρι και την κατσαρόλα.

In Modern Greek, μετά meaning after is normally followed by the accusative case.

So you get:

• μετά το φαγητό = after the meal
• μετά τη δουλειά = after work
• μετά τα μακαρόνια = after the pasta

Here, τα μακαρόνια is accusative plural. For neuter plural nouns like μακαρόνια, the nominative and accusative forms are the same, so it looks unchanged.

In Greek, μακαρόνια is very commonly used as a plural noun for pasta / spaghetti / macaroni in general.

So:

• το μακαρόνι = one piece/type of macaroni
• τα μακαρόνια = pasta, spaghetti, macaroni as food

This is similar to how some foods are naturally plural in one language but not in another.

The comma marks a pause after the fronted time expression Μετά τα μακαρόνια.

It is like saying:

• After the pasta, I wash...

In Greek, that comma is very natural when a time phrase comes first. You may also see sentences without it in informal writing, but with the comma the structure is especially clear.

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you who the subject is.

Here:

• πλένω = I wash

The ending -ω shows first person singular, so εγώ is not necessary.

You could say:

• Εγώ πλένω το σουρωτήρι...

but that would usually add emphasis, as in:

• I wash it
• I, not someone else, wash it

It can mean both, depending on context.

The Greek present tense often covers:

• I wash = habitual / general action
• I am washing = action happening now

So πλένω could mean:

• I wash the colander and the pot
• I’m washing the colander and the pot

If you want to make the future explicit, Greek usually uses θα:

• θα πλύνω = I will wash

Because the two nouns have different grammatical genders.

• σουρωτήρι is neuter
• κατσαρόλα is feminine

Since both are direct objects of πλένω, they are in the accusative case, so their articles are:

• το σουρωτήρι = neuter singular accusative
• την κατσαρόλα = feminine singular accusative

So the article changes to match the noun’s gender and case.

Both τη and την are forms of the feminine accusative article, but the final -ν is kept before certain sounds.

Before κ, π, τ, ξ, ψ, and vowels, Greek normally keeps the -ν.

Since κατσαρόλα begins with κ, the standard form is:

• την κατσαρόλα

So this is exactly what you would expect here.

Usually yes, if you mean two specific items.

So:

• το σουρωτήρι και την κατσαρόλα = the colander and the pot

This is the most natural standard phrasing.

If you dropped the second article, the sentence would sound less natural in this context. Repeating the article helps keep the two nouns clear and properly matched.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible.

This sentence starts with the time phrase:

• Μετά τα μακαρόνια, πλένω...

But you could also say:

• Πλένω το σουρωτήρι και την κατσαρόλα μετά τα μακαρόνια.

Both are grammatical. The version with Μετά τα μακαρόνια first puts more focus on when the action happens.

A rough English-style guide:

• Μετά = meh-TA
• μακαρόνια = ma-ka-RO-nya
• πλένω = PLE-no
• σουρωτήρι = su-ro-TI-ri
• κατσαρόλα = ka-tsa-RO-la

The stressed syllable is the one with the capital letters here. Greek stress is important, so it is good to notice the accent marks:

• Μετά
• μακαρόνια
• πλένω
• σουρωτήρι
• κατσαρόλα

Yes. Το σουρωτήρι is a normal everyday word for a colander or strainer, depending on context.

Because this sentence is about pasta, colander is the most natural English match.

They are in the accusative case, because they are the direct objects of the verb πλένω.

So:

• πλένω το σουρωτήρι
• πλένω την κατσαρόλα

For some nouns, the accusative form looks different from the nominative. For others, especially many neuter nouns, it may look the same. That is why το σουρωτήρι does not visibly change, while την κατσαρόλα clearly shows the feminine accusative article.