Μετράω το πλάτος πριν βάλω το ύφασμα στη ραπτομηχανή.

Because Greek usually drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Μετράω = I measure / I am measuring
• βάλω = I put in this clause structure

So εγώ is unnecessary unless you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

For example:

• Εγώ μετράω το πλάτος, όχι εσύ. = I’m the one measuring the width, not you.

In the original sentence, the plain version without εγώ sounds natural.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

Greek present tense often covers both:

• I measure (habitual / general)
• I am measuring (right now)

So Μετράω το πλάτος could mean:

• I measure the width
• I’m measuring the width

English forces you to choose more often than Greek does. Greek often lets the context do that work.

Both are correct.

Many Greek verbs have two common present-tense forms of this type:

• μετράω
• μετρώ

They both mean the same thing: I measure.

Very roughly:

• μετράω can sound a bit more everyday or transparent
• μετρώ can sound a bit shorter or slightly more formal/bookish in some contexts

But both are standard Modern Greek, and both are used by native speakers.

Because το is the definite article, meaning the.

So:

• το πλάτος = the width
• το ύφασμα = the fabric / the cloth

Greek uses the definite article very often, sometimes more often than English does. In this sentence, both nouns are specific things the speaker has in mind, so the article is natural.

They are in the accusative, because they are direct objects.

• Μετράω το πλάτος → I measure the width
• βάλω το ύφασμα → I put the fabric

A useful thing to notice: both πλάτος and ύφασμα are neuter singular nouns, and in Greek the nominative and accusative are often identical for neuter nouns.

So the form of the noun itself does not change here:

• το πλάτος
• το ύφασμα

The article το is also the same in nominative and accusative neuter singular.

Because Greek is using the aorist subjunctive form βάλω after πριν.

This is very common when talking about an action viewed as a single whole event:

• πριν βάλω το ύφασμα... = before I put the fabric...

Here the speaker means the single act of putting the fabric into/on the sewing machine. Greek sees that as a complete event, so it uses the aorist stem:

• βάζω = present / imperfective stem
• βάλω = aorist subjunctive form here

So the contrast is basically:

• βάζω → putting, placing, in an ongoing or repeated sense
• βάλω → put, as one complete action

In this sentence, βάλω is the natural choice.

Not by itself.

This is a very common point of confusion, because the form looks like one English speakers may associate with the future. But in Greek:

• θα βάλω = I will put → future
• να βάλω = that I put / to put kind of subjunctive use
• πριν βάλω = before I put

So βάλω here is not future tense on its own. It is the form used after words like πριν in subjunctive-type constructions.

Because after πριν, Greek often uses the subjunctive form directly, without να.

So πριν βάλω is perfectly normal and very common.

You may also hear πριν να βάλω in Greek, but πριν βάλω is a very natural standard pattern.

So for learners, a good rule is:

• after πριν, expect a verb like βάλω, φύγω, πάω, etc.
• να may appear in some usage, but it is not required here

στη is a contracted form of:

• σε + τη(ν)

So it literally combines the preposition σε with the feminine article.

Here:

• στη ραπτομηχανή = in / on / at the sewing machine

A few useful points:

• σε is very broad in Greek and can mean in, to, at, or on, depending on context
• ραπτομηχανή is feminine, so the article is feminine too
• the full form is historically στην, but the final -ν is often dropped before certain consonants, including the ρ in ραπτομηχανή

So στη ραπτομηχανή is exactly what you would expect.

Because Greek σε covers a wider range than any single English preposition.

Depending on context, σε can correspond to:

• in
• into
• to
• on
• at

With βάζω, English often wants something very specific, like:

• put in
• put into
• put on

Greek often just uses σε and lets the verb plus context carry the meaning.

So στη ραπτομηχανή is normal Greek, even if the best English translation might vary.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The original order is natural:

• Μετράω το πλάτος πριν βάλω το ύφασμα στη ραπτομηχανή.

But you could also say:

• Πριν βάλω το ύφασμα στη ραπτομηχανή, μετράω το πλάτος.

That brings before I put the fabric... to the front and gives it a bit more emphasis.

Greek word order often changes for:

• emphasis
• focus
• rhythm
• style

But the original sentence is a very normal, straightforward way to say it.