Μπαλώνω, κονταίνω ή μακραίνω το παντελόνι.

This is a list of services or actions:

• μπαλώνω = I patch / mend
• κονταίνω = I shorten
• μακραίνω = I lengthen

The word ή means or, so the sentence is listing options: patching, shortening, or lengthening the trousers.

All three verbs are in the present tense, 1st person singular:

• μπαλώνω = I patch
• κονταίνω = I shorten
• μακραίνω = I lengthen

In Greek, the present tense can also be used in a more general or professional sense, especially in signs or advertisements. So this could mean something like:

• I patch, shorten, or lengthen trousers
• I do trouser repairs, shortening, or lengthening

Greek usually does not need a subject pronoun if the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, the endings tell you it is I:

• μπαλώνω
• κονταίνω
• μακραίνω

So εγώ (I) is normally omitted unless you want emphasis.

ή means or.

So:

• κονταίνω ή μακραίνω = I shorten or lengthen

Be careful not to confuse ή with η:

• ή = or
• η = the (feminine singular)

The accent matters here.

Greek often uses the definite article where English may or may not use the.

• το παντελόνι literally = the trousers / the pair of trousers

In a sentence like this, the article sounds natural because it refers to the garment being worked on. Greek commonly says το παντελόνι where English might say either:

• the trousers
• a pair of trousers
• just trousers, depending on context

That is a very common learner question. In Greek, παντελόνι is a singular noun, even though the natural English translation is often trousers or a pair of trousers.

So:

• το παντελόνι = the trousers / the pair of trousers
• ένα παντελόνι = a pair of trousers

Greek treats it as one item grammatically.

Because the correct noun is παντελόνι, a neuter noun ending in -ι.

Its basic forms are:

• το παντελόνι = nominative / accusative singular
• του παντελονιού = genitive singular
• τα παντελόνια = plural

So παντελόνι is just the normal dictionary form.

It is the direct object of the verbs.

The subject is understood as I from the verb endings, and το παντελόνι is the thing being patched, shortened, or lengthened.

So the structure is:

• [I] patch / shorten / lengthen [the trousers]

Because παντελόνι is neuter singular, the nominative and accusative look the same, so the form itself does not change here.

Greek often avoids repetition when the same object belongs to several verbs.

So instead of saying:

• Μπαλώνω το παντελόνι, κονταίνω το παντελόνι ή μακραίνω το παντελόνι

Greek naturally says:

• Μπαλώνω, κονταίνω ή μακραίνω το παντελόνι.

This is efficient and completely natural. English does the same thing:

• I patch, shorten, or lengthen the trousers.

Yes, that is a useful way to think about them.

• κοντός = short

• κονταίνω = make shorter / shorten

• μακρύς = long
• μακραίνω = make longer / lengthen

These verbs are very common and can be used for clothes, hair, time, distance, and so on, depending on context.

Not only for clothes, but clothing is one of its most common uses.

μπαλώνω means to patch, to mend with a patch, or sometimes more generally to fix up roughly. With clothes, it is very natural:

• Μπαλώνω το παντελόνι. = I patch the trousers.

In other contexts, it can also have a more figurative sense, like patching something up temporarily.

Yes, absolutely. It sounds very natural as a shop sign, advertisement, or description of services.

For example, on a tailoring or alteration sign, Greek often uses the present tense like this to mean:

• I/We do repairs
• I/We shorten or lengthen trousers

So the sentence may feel less like a full conversational sentence and more like a practical statement of services offered.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Μπαλώνω → ba-LO-no
• κονταίνω → kon-DE-no
• ή → ee
• μακραίνω → ma-KRE-no
• το παντελόνι → to pan-de-LO-ni

A few notes:

• μπ at the start of a word is pronounced like b
• αι here sounds like e
• The written accent shows which syllable is stressed

So the overall rhythm is roughly:

ba-LO-no, kon-DE-no ee ma-KRE-no to pan-de-LO-ni

Yes, the order could be changed without changing the basic grammar. For example:

• Κονταίνω, μακραίνω ή μπαλώνω το παντελόνι.

That said, the original order may reflect what sounds most natural to the speaker or what they want to emphasize. In a service list, word order is fairly flexible.

Yes. Το παντελόνι normally means the whole garment, that is, a pair of trousers / pants.

If someone wanted to refer specifically to one trouser leg, they would say something more specific, such as a word meaning leg of the trousers. On its own, παντελόνι means the full item of clothing.