Μετά τη δουλειά πέρασα από το κατάστημα για να πάρω ένα αρκουδάκι, ένα μικρό βιβλίο με αυτοκόλλητα και μια μολυβοθήκη.

In Modern Greek, μετά can work in two main ways:

• μετά + accusative = after
  • Μετά τη δουλειά = after work
• μετά από + accusative = after
  • Μετά από τη δουλειά = also after work

So Μετά τη δουλειά is completely normal. The noun δουλειά is in the accusative, and the article changes accordingly:

• nominative: η δουλειά
• accusative: τη δουλειά

In everyday speech, μετά τη δουλειά is very common.

Both are possible. The full form is την, but before many words beginning with certain consonants, Greek often uses the shorter spoken form τη in everyday language.

So:

• την δουλειά
• τη δουλειά

Both mean the same thing, but τη δουλειά sounds more natural and conversational here.

Literally, πέρασα comes from περνάω / περνώ, which often means to pass or to go by.

So:

• πέρασα από το κατάστημα = I passed by the shop/store
• in natural English here: I stopped by the store/shop

This is a very common Greek way to say someone dropped in somewhere briefly.

Πέρασα is the aorist form of περνάω / περνώ.

Here it means a completed past action:

• περνάω = I pass / I am passing / I go by
• πέρασα = I passed / I stopped by

Greek uses the aorist a lot for single completed events in the past, so πέρασα από το κατάστημα means something like I went by the store or I stopped by the store.

Because περνάω από is the normal pattern for pass by / go by / stop by a place.

Examples:

• Πέρασα από το σπίτι σου. = I stopped by your house.
• Περνάω από το φούρνο. = I’m stopping by the bakery.

So από here does not literally need to be translated word-for-word as from. In this expression, it helps form the meaning stop by.

για να introduces purpose. It means:

• in order to
• so that
• often just to

So:

• για να πάρω = in order to get / to buy

In this sentence:

• πέρασα από το κατάστημα για να πάρω...
• I stopped by the store to get...

This is one of the most common ways Greek expresses purpose.

After να, Greek uses the subjunctive, and the choice between aorist and present depends on the kind of action.

Here:

• να πάρω = aorist subjunctive
• it refers to one complete action: getting/buying the items

If you said να παίρνω, that would suggest something more repeated, ongoing, or habitual, which does not fit here.

So:

• για να πάρω ένα αρκουδάκι... = to get/buy a teddy bear...

This is the normal choice.

Because the nouns have different grammatical genders.

In the sentence:

• ένα αρκουδάκι → αρκουδάκι is neuter
• ένα μικρό βιβλίο → βιβλίο is neuter
• μια μολυβοθήκη → μολυβοθήκη is feminine

So the indefinite article changes:

• masculine: ένας
• feminine: μια / μία
• neuter: ένα

This is why Greek does not use the same word for a/an with every noun.

Αρκουδάκι is a diminutive form. It comes from αρκούδα (bear) and means:

• little bear
• very often teddy bear

The ending -άκι is extremely common in Greek and often adds the idea of:

• small size
• affection
• cuteness

So ένα αρκουδάκι here is very naturally understood as a teddy bear.

In Greek, adjectives often come before the noun, just like in English:

• ένα μικρό βιβλίο = a small book

That is the most straightforward word order.

Greek can sometimes place adjectives after the noun too, but before the noun is very common, especially in simple descriptions.

Also notice agreement:

• βιβλίο is neuter singular
• so the adjective is also neuter singular: μικρό

Because Greek often leaves out the article when speaking generally about the contents or features of something.

So:

• βιβλίο με αυτοκόλλητα = a sticker book / a book with stickers

This does not mean specific stickers already known to the listener. It just describes the type of book.

If you said με τα αυτοκόλλητα, it would sound more like with the stickers—specific stickers that both speaker and listener already know about.

Μολυβοθήκη means a pencil case, pencil holder, or container for pencils, depending on context.

It is built from:

• μολύβι = pencil
• -θήκη = holder / case / container

So it is literally something like pencil-holder.

In a shopping context like this, pencil case is often the most natural translation.

Greek often uses και before the last item in a list, but it can also omit it, especially in simple written lists or when the rhythm of the sentence already makes the list clear.

So you could also say:

• ...ένα αρκουδάκι, ένα μικρό βιβλίο με αυτοκόλλητα και μια μολυβοθήκη.

That version may sound even more explicitly like A, B, and C.

Without και, the sentence is still understandable and natural enough, especially in some styles of narration.

Yes, there is a slight difference in tone.

• κατάστημα = more neutral or formal, often store/shop
• μαγαζί = very common, more everyday, often shop/store

So:

• πέρασα από το κατάστημα sounds a bit more neutral or written
• πέρασα από το μαγαζί sounds a bit more casual

Both are common, but κατάστημα can feel slightly more formal.

Not here, if you want the meaning stopped by.

• πέρασα από το κατάστημα = I stopped by the store
• πήρα is from παίρνω = I took / got
• πήγα is from πηγαίνω = I went

You could say:

• Πήγα στο κατάστημα για να πάρω... = I went to the store to get...

That is correct, but it means I went to the store, not specifically I stopped by.
So πέρασα από adds the nuance of a brief visit or passing stop.

A very natural spoken version might be:

• Μετά τη δουλειά, πέρασα από το μαγαζί να πάρω ένα αρκουδάκι, ένα μικρό βιβλίο με αυτοκόλλητα και μια μολυβοθήκη.

Two differences:

• μαγαζί instead of κατάστημα = more conversational
• να πάρω instead of για να πάρω = also very common in speech

Both versions are correct. The original sentence is perfectly good Greek; this alternative just sounds a bit more casual.