Δεν είχα καν χρόνο να κρύψω την έκπληξή μου.

Greek often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• είχα = I had
• So Δεν είχα... already means I didn’t have...

You could add εγώ for emphasis, but it is not necessary.

είχα is the past form of έχω (to have).

In English, we say I didn’t have time with the simple past. In Greek, είχα is the normal past form used here, even though it is historically the imperfect.

So:

• έχω χρόνο = I have time
• δεν είχα χρόνο = I didn’t have time

With a negative, καν usually means even or at all, depending on context.

So Δεν είχα καν χρόνο... means:

• I didn’t even have time...

It adds emphasis: not only was there little time, there wasn’t even enough time for this one thing.

Because χρόνο is the accusative singular, and it is the direct object of είχα.

• ο χρόνος = the time
• τον χρόνο / χρόνο = time, as the object

Since have takes a direct object, Greek uses the accusative:

• Έχω χρόνο = I have time
• Δεν είχα χρόνο = I didn’t have time

Modern Greek does not normally use an infinitive the way English does. Instead, it usually uses:

• να
  • verb

So English to hide becomes Greek να κρύψω in this kind of structure.

Here:

• χρόνο να κρύψω... = time to hide...

This is a very common pattern in Greek.

This is an aspect question.

• κρύψω = perfective stem, viewing the action as a whole, single act
• κρύβω = imperfective stem, viewing the action as ongoing, repeated, or general

Here the meaning is I didn’t even have time to hide it once / to conceal it, so Greek naturally uses κρύψω.

Using να κρύβω would sound more like to be hiding or to hide repeatedly, which does not fit as well here.

Greek normally uses the definite article with possessive expressions.

So:

• η έκπληξή μου = my surprise
• literally: the surprise of mine

This is standard Greek grammar. Even when English has no the, Greek usually keeps the article.

This happens because μου is an enclitic, a weak unstressed word that leans on the word before it.

The noun έκπληξη is stressed on the antepenultimate syllable. When an enclitic like μου follows, Greek often adds an extra written accent:

• έκπληξη
• η έκπληξή μου

So the extra accent is not changing the meaning. It is there because of Greek accent rules.

Here it means my.

Greek μου can have different roles:

• after a noun: possessive
  
  • η φίλη μου = my friend
  • η έκπληξή μου = my surprise
• with a verb: often to me / for me
  • μου είπε = he told me

So in this sentence, because it follows the noun έκπληξη, it means my.

Because δεν is used to negate indicative verb forms like είχα.

• Δεν είχα = I didn’t have

μη(ν) is used with subjunctive forms, imperatives, and some non-indicative structures.

For example:

• να μην κρύψω = not to hide / that I not hide

So in this sentence, δεν correctly negates the main verb είχα.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible, but the original sentence is very natural and neutral.

• Δεν είχα καν χρόνο να κρύψω την έκπληξή μου.

If you move things around, you change the emphasis:

• Καν χρόνο δεν είχα... = stronger emphasis on time
• Την έκπληξή μου δεν είχα καν χρόνο να κρύψω. = stronger emphasis on my surprise

So the original order is probably the most straightforward version for everyday use.