Η μαμά μου λέει ότι το παλιό κάδρο δεν ταιριάζει με τη νέα ταπετσαρία του σαλονιού.

In this sentence, μου means my, so η μαμά μου = my mom.

Greek usually puts these short possessive words after the noun:

• το σπίτι μου = my house
• ο φίλος μου = my friend

A useful warning: μου can also mean to me, so a phrase like Η μαμά μου λέει... can be ambiguous if you see it without context. Here, since the meaning is already given, it is understood as My mom says....

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English. So η μαμά μου is the normal Greek way to say my mom.

Also, μαμά is an informal word, like mom or mum. A more formal word would be μητέρα.

Λέει is the 3rd person singular present form of λέω, which means to say.

So:

• λέω = I say
• λες = you say
• λέει = he/she/it says

In Greek, the present tense can often mean either a simple present or a present-in-progress, depending on context. So λέει can mean says or is saying.

Ότι introduces a clause and means that:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι... = My mom says that...

In English, that is often omitted, but in Greek it is very common to include ότι.

You may also see πως used in a similar way:

• λέει ότι...
• λέει πως...

Both can mean says that...

No.

• ότι = that
• ό,τι = whatever or anything that

So in this sentence, ότι is the conjunction that, not ό,τι.

Because Greek adjectives change form to agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• το παλιό κάδρο is neuter singular
• τη νέα ταπετσαρία is feminine singular

So the adjective must match each noun:

• παλιό matches κάδρο
• νέα matches ταπετσαρία

This kind of agreement is very important in Greek.

Κάδρο usually refers to a frame or a framed picture. Depending on context, English may translate it as:

• picture frame
• framed picture
• sometimes just picture

In this sentence, the given meaning uses old picture frame, which fits the context of home decoration.

Δεν is the normal word for not in Modern Greek, and it comes before the verb:

• ταιριάζει = it matches
• δεν ταιριάζει = it does not match

Greek does not need a separate word like English do/does for negation. So Greek simply says not + verb.

Ταιριάζει με means matches, goes with, or suits.

So:

• ταιριάζει με τη νέα ταπετσαρία = matches the new wallpaper / goes with the new wallpaper

The verb ταιριάζω often uses the preposition με when talking about two things that go well together.

The full feminine accusative article is την, but in Modern Greek the final -ν is often dropped before certain sounds.

So both of these may appear:

• τη νέα ταπετσαρία
• την ταπετσαρία

In this sentence, τη νέα is perfectly normal. The noun phrase is in the accusative because it follows the preposition με.

Του σαλονιού is a genitive phrase, meaning of the living room.

So:

• η ταπετσαρία του σαλονιού = the wallpaper of the living room = the living-room wallpaper

The basic noun is:

• το σαλόνι = the living room

Its genitive form is:

• του σαλονιού = of the living room

This word order is natural and neutral, but Greek word order is more flexible than English.

The sentence as written:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι το παλιό κάδρο δεν ταιριάζει με τη νέα ταπετσαρία του σαλονιού.

This presents the information in a straightforward way: My mom says that...

Greek could rearrange parts for emphasis, for example:

• Το παλιό κάδρο δεν ταιριάζει με τη νέα ταπετσαρία του σαλονιού, λέει η μαμά μου.

That still means nearly the same thing, but the emphasis shifts slightly toward the old frame and the mismatch.