Βάζω τα πιάτα στην πιατοθήκη όταν τελειώνω το πλύσιμο.

in

Breakdown of Βάζω τα πιάτα στην πιατοθήκη όταν τελειώνω το πλύσιμο.

• όταν: when
• βάζω: to put
• τελειώνω: to finish

Questions & Answers about Βάζω τα πιάτα στην πιατοθήκη όταν τελειώνω το πλύσιμο.

Why is there no word for I in the sentence?

Greek often drops the subject pronoun when it is clear from the verb ending.
Βάζω already means I put / I am putting, and τελειώνω already means I finish / I am finishing.

So εγώ is not needed unless you want extra emphasis or contrast, for example:

Εγώ βάζω τα πιάτα... = I put the dishes...
implying maybe someone else does something different.

Does βάζω mean I put or I am putting?

It can mean either one, depending on context.

The Greek present tense often covers both:

• simple present: I put
• present continuous: I am putting

In this sentence, because of όταν and the general everyday context, it sounds habitual: I put the dishes in the dish rack/cupboard when I finish the washing up
or more naturally in English, Whenever I finish washing up, I put the dishes away.

Why is στην one word?

Στην is a very common contraction of σε + την.

• σε = in, at, on, to
• την = for a feminine noun in the accusative