Στον σταθμό παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα, όχι το ασανσέρ.

Στον is a contraction of σε + τον.

• σε = in / at / to
• τον = the (masculine accusative singular)

So:

• σε τον σταθμό → στον σταθμό

This contraction is standard in everyday Greek. You will also see:

• στη(ν) = σε + τη(ν)
• στο = σε + το
• στους = σε + τους

In this sentence, Στον σταθμό means at the station or in the station, depending on context.

Because σε normally takes the accusative case in Modern Greek.

The dictionary form is:

• ο σταθμός = the station

But after σε, it becomes:

• στον σταθμό

So:

• σταθμός = nominative
• σταθμό = accusative

This is very common in Greek. For example:

• ο δρόμος → στον δρόμο
• ο κήπος → στον κήπο

Yes. Παίρνω literally means I take, but Greek uses it in some places where English might use a different verb.

Here, παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα means:

• I take the escalator
• more naturally in English: I use the escalator

So this is a normal Greek way to talk about choosing a means of moving somewhere, similar to:

• παίρνω το λεωφορείο = I take the bus
• παίρνω το μετρό = I take the metro

Because they are both part of the direct object of παίρνω, so they must match in gender, number, and case.

The noun is:

• η σκάλα = the staircase / stairs

The adjective/participle is:

• κυλιόμενη = moving

Together:

• η κυλιόμενη σκάλα = the escalator
  literally: the moving stairs

In the sentence, this phrase is the object of παίρνω, so it appears in the accusative singular feminine:

• την κυλιόμενη σκάλα

Literally, it means moving staircase or rolling stairs.

• κυλιόμενη comes from a verb related to rolling / moving
• σκάλα means stairs, staircase, or ladder, depending on context

So κυλιόμενη σκάλα is the normal Greek expression for escalator.

Because όχι is being used for contrast: not the elevator.

Compare the two:

• δεν negates a verb
• όχι can negate or reject a word, phrase, or idea, especially in contrasts

In this sentence:

• παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα, όχι το ασανσέρ
• I take the escalator, not the elevator

You are not negating the verb παίρνω. You are contrasting two choices:

• the escalator
• not the elevator

If you said δεν, that would not fit this structure.

Ασανσέρ is a loanword, ultimately from French, and it means elevator / lift.

In Modern Greek, it is usually treated as a neuter noun:

• το ασανσέρ

A useful thing to know is that it is often indeclinable, meaning its form does not change much across cases. So you commonly see:

• το ασανσέρ = nominative
• το ασανσέρ = accusative

There is also a more formal Greek word:

• ο ανελκυστήρας = elevator / lift

But in everyday speech, ασανσέρ is extremely common.

Greek usually uses the definite article more often than English does.

Here:

• την κυλιόμενη σκάλα
• το ασανσέρ

The articles help show that these are specific, familiar things: the escalator, the elevator.

In English, we also use the here, so this sentence matches quite closely. But more generally, Greek often keeps the article in places where English might drop it.

Leaving the articles out here would sound unnatural in normal speech.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The given sentence:

• Στον σταθμό παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα, όχι το ασανσέρ.

is perfectly natural. But other orders are also possible, depending on emphasis. For example:

• Παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα στον σταθμό, όχι το ασανσέρ.
• Την κυλιόμενη σκάλα παίρνω στον σταθμό, όχι το ασανσέρ.

These alternatives shift the emphasis a bit. The original version sounds like a neutral statement beginning with the setting: At the station...

Παίρνω is pronounced roughly like PEHR-no.

Greek often does not use subject pronouns like I, you, he, she unless they are needed for emphasis or clarity, because the verb ending already shows the person.

Here:

• παίρνω = I take

So Greek does not need to say εγώ unless you want emphasis:

• Εγώ παίρνω την κυλιόμενη σκάλα, όχι το ασανσέρ.
• I’m the one who takes the escalator, not the elevator.

In isolation, στον σταθμό can sometimes mean to the station, at the station, or in the station, because σε covers several ideas that English splits into different prepositions.

But in this sentence, the natural meaning is at the station / in the station, because the rest of the sentence talks about using the escalator there.

So although σε + accusative is broad in meaning, context makes at the station the best interpretation here.

A useful way to break it down is:

• Στον σταθμό = prepositional phrase (at the station)
• παίρνω = verb (I take / I use)
• την κυλιόμενη σκάλα = direct object (the escalator)
• όχι το ασανσέρ = contrast phrase (not the elevator)

So the overall pattern is:

location + verb + object + contrast

This is a very common Greek structure, and you can build many similar sentences with it:

• Στο αεροδρόμιο παίρνω το λεωφορείο, όχι ταξί.

• At the airport I take the bus, not a taxi.

• Στο γραφείο πίνω καφέ, όχι τσάι.
• At the office I drink coffee, not tea.