Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω το νεσεσέρ μου έτοιμο, γιατί ταξιδεύω συχνά για δουλειά.

I have gotten used to keeping my toiletry bag ready, because I travel often for work.

Breakdown of Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω το νεσεσέρ μου έτοιμο, γιατί ταξιδεύω συχνά για δουλειά.

• η δουλειά: the work
• έχω: to have
• να: to
• μου: my

Questions & Answers about Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω το νεσεσέρ μου έτοιμο, γιατί ταξιδεύω συχνά για δουλειά.

Why is it έχω συνηθίσει and not just συνηθίζω?

They are related, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.

• έχω συνηθίσει να... = I have got used to... / I am used to...
• συνηθίζω να... = I usually... / I tend to...

So in this sentence, Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω... means the speaker has become accustomed to doing this. It describes a state of being used to it.

Compare:

• Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω το νεσεσέρ μου έτοιμο.
  = I’m used to keeping my toiletry bag ready.

• Συνηθίζω να κρατάω το νεσεσέρ μου έτοιμο.
  = I usually keep my toiletry bag ready.

The second one focuses more on a repeated habit. The first one focuses more on familiarity/adjustment.

Why is there να before κρατάω?

Because Modern Greek normally uses να + finite verb where English often uses an infinitive like to keep.

So:

• να κρατάω = literally something like that I keep, but in natural English it becomes to keep

After expressions like έχω συνηθίσει, Greek uses να to introduce the action someone is used to doing.

This is very common in Greek because Modern Greek does not use the old infinitive the way English does.

So:

• Έχω συνηθίσει να κρατάω...
  = I’m used to keeping...

What does κρατάω mean here? Does it mean hold?