Η φίλη μου πίνει νερό από την κανάτα, κάθεται στο σκαμπό και μου λέει ότι κοντεύει να κοιμηθεί.

In Greek, the weak possessive forms such as μου, σου, του, της usually come after the noun.

So:

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• literally, something like the friend my

This is the normal pattern in everyday Greek. English puts my before the noun, but Greek usually puts μου after it.

Yes, it is the same form, but here it has a different function.

• In η φίλη μου, μου means my and shows possession.
• In μου λέει, μου means to me and is an indirect object: she tells me.

So the form is the same, but the role changes depending on where it appears:

• after a noun → often possession
• before a verb → often to me / for me

This is very common in Greek.

Greek often leaves out the article with mass nouns when speaking in a general or non-specific way.

So:

• πίνει νερό = she drinks water
• πίνει το νερό would mean she drinks the water, referring to specific water

Here νερό is just the substance water, not a particular identified glass or portion of water, so no article is needed.

Both nouns are in the accusative, because in Modern Greek most common prepositions take the accusative.

• από την κανάτα = from the jug
• στο σκαμπό = on the stool

More specifically:

• την κανάτα = feminine singular accusative
• το σκαμπό = neuter singular accusative

So even though English uses different prepositions such as from and on, Greek still uses the accusative after them here.

Because σε + το normally contracts to στο in standard Greek.

So:

• σε το σκαμπό → στο σκαμπό

This is completely normal and expected. Similar contractions include:

• σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν)
• σε + τα → στα
• σε + τους → στους

So στο σκαμπό is just the regular contracted form.

Κάθεται comes from κάθομαι, which means sit / be sitting.

In context, it can mean either:

• she sits
• she is sitting
• sometimes even she sits down, depending on the situation

Greek present forms often cover both a simple present and a present continuous idea. So English chooses between sits and is sitting depending on context.

Also, κάθομαι has passive-looking endings, but its meaning here is active. It does not mean is being sat or anything passive.

Ότι introduces a clause meaning that:

• μου λέει ότι... = she tells me that...

Yes, in many cases πως can also be used here:

• μου λέει ότι κοντεύει να κοιμηθεί
• μου λέει πως κοντεύει να κοιμηθεί

Both are natural in Modern Greek.

A useful spelling note:

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

They are different words.

Κοντεύω να + verb is a very common Greek pattern meaning:

• to be close to
• to be on the verge of
• to be about to
• sometimes to almost

So:

• κοντεύει να κοιμηθεί = she is close to falling asleep / she is about to fall asleep

It does not mean that she has already fallen asleep. It means the action is very near.

Because κοιμηθεί focuses on the event of falling asleep, while κοιμάται describes the ongoing state of sleeping.

• να κοιμηθεί = to fall asleep
• να κοιμάται = to be sleeping

After κοντεύει να, the idea is that she is near the moment of entering sleep, so Greek uses the aorist subjunctive: να κοιμηθεί.

So the sentence is about the change of state, not the ongoing state.

Yes. In Modern Greek, where English often uses an infinitive such as to fall asleep, Greek usually uses να + subjunctive instead.

So here:

• να κοιμηθεί functions like to fall asleep

That is why κοντεύει να κοιμηθεί matches English she is about to fall asleep.

A very important general rule for learners is:

• English often uses to + verb
• Modern Greek often uses να + verb