Learn Hardcore Greek: Διαβάζω μια απλή συνταγή για σαλάτα με τυρί και ντομάτα. - I am reading a simple recipe for salad with cheese and tomato.

It literally means I read or I am reading.
Greek has only one present form, and it covers both English simple present and present continuous, so context tells you whether it’s I read (in general) or I am reading (right now).

In this sentence, it’s natural to understand it as I am reading a simple recipe….

Why is there no word for “I” in the sentence?

Greek is a “pro‑drop” language, which means subject pronouns are usually left out when they’re obvious from the verb ending.

The ending ‑ω in διαβάζω already tells you the subject is I.
The pronoun εγώ (I) is used mainly for emphasis or contrast, for example:
- Εγώ διαβάζω, όχι εσύ. – I am reading, not you.

So Διαβάζω μια απλή συνταγή… naturally means I am reading a simple recipe… without needing εγώ.

What does μια mean, and why is this form used here?

μια is the feminine singular form of the indefinite article (the Greek equivalent of a / an).

The indefinite article in the nominative/accusative singular is:

ένας – masculine
μία / μια – feminine
ένα – neuter

Here we have μια απλή συνταγή:

συνταγή (recipe) is feminine singular,
so the article must also be feminine singular → μια.

Note: You will see both spellings μία and μια. In modern everyday Greek, they are pronounced the same; μια is more common in informal writing.

Why does the adjective απλή come before συνταγή? Could it come after?

In Greek, adjectives usually come before the noun, especially in neutral, everyday descriptions:

μια απλή συνταγή – a simple recipe

You can also put the adjective after the noun:

μια συνταγή απλή

This post‑position is less common and can sound a bit more descriptive or contrastive, like “a recipe that is simple (as opposed to complicated)”.

In normal speech and writing, adjective + noun (μια απλή συνταγή) is the default and most natural order here.

Why is the adjective απλή ending in ‑ή and not ‑ος or ‑ο?

The base adjective is απλός, απλή, απλό (simple):

απλός – masculine
απλή – feminine
απλό – neuter

Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

συνταγή is feminine singular.
It is the direct object (I am reading what? → a simple recipe), so it’s in the accusative singular.
For this adjective, the feminine nominative and accusative singular form is απλή.

So μια απλή συνταγή is correct agreement:

feminine (συνταγή) → feminine adjective (απλή), feminine article (μια).

What case is συνταγή in, and how can I tell?

συνταγή here is in the accusative singular, because it is the direct object of the verb:

Διαβάζω (τι;) μια απλή συνταγή – I am reading what? a simple recipe.

Feminine nouns ending in ‑ή often have the same form in the nominative and accusative singular:

η συνταγή – nominative
τη(ν) συνταγή – accusative

You know it’s accusative here from its function in the sentence (direct object) and from the article μια, which is used as the object here.

What does για mean in για σαλάτα, and why is it used?

για is a preposition that most often means for, and it takes the accusative. Here:

για σαλάτα = for salad

So μια απλή συνταγή για σαλάτα means a simple recipe for (a) salad.

Other common uses of για:

για σένα – for you
για διακοπές – for vacation
για αύριο – for tomorrow

In this sentence, για shows the purpose of the recipe: it is for making salad.

Why is there no article before σαλάτα in για σαλάτα?

Leaving out the article in για σαλάτα makes σαλάτα more general:

για σαλάτα – for salad (salad in general, salad as a type of dish)
για μια σαλάτα – for a salad (one salad, some specific instance)
για τη σαλάτα – for the salad (a particular salad already known in context)

Here we are talking about a generic type of recipe: a recipe for salad (not a particular one), so no article is natural.

What does με mean in με τυρί και ντομάτα?

με is a preposition that means with, and it also takes the accusative.

In this sentence:

με τυρί και ντομάτα = with cheese and tomato

Common patterns with με:

καφές με γάλα – coffee with milk
πάω με το λεωφορείο – I go by bus (literally: with the bus)
μένω με τους γονείς μου – I live with my parents

So here, με introduces the ingredients that the salad includes.

What are the genders of σαλάτα, τυρί, and ντομάτα, and what articles do they take?

The nouns in the sentence have these genders:

η σαλάτα – feminine
το τυρί – neuter
η ντομάτα – feminine

With articles in the nominative singular:

η σαλάτα – the salad
το τυρί – the cheese
η ντομάτα – the tomato

In the sentence they appear without definite articles because they are:

σαλάτα: part of the prepositional phrase για σαλάτα (generic)
τυρί, ντομάτα: objects of με, functioning like ingredient types (also generic).

Why are τυρί and ντομάτα singular? In English I might say “cheese and tomatoes.”

Greek often uses the singular to refer to ingredients or food types in a general way, similar to English expressions like “a salad with chicken and cheese” (where chicken and cheese are singular).

σαλάτα με τυρί και ντομάτα – salad with cheese and tomato (as types of ingredients)

You can use the plural if you want to emphasize multiple pieces or varieties:

σαλάτα με τυριά και ντομάτες – salad with cheeses and tomatoes

But for a normal recipe description, the singular is perfectly natural and more common.

Can the word order of the last part (για σαλάτα με τυρί και ντομάτα) be changed?

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible, especially with prepositional phrases. Some possible variants:

Διαβάζω μια απλή συνταγή με τυρί και ντομάτα για σαλάτα.
Διαβάζω μια απλή συνταγή για σαλάτα, με τυρί και ντομάτα.

All are understandable. However, the original order:

μια απλή συνταγή για σαλάτα με τυρί και ντομάτα

flows very naturally and groups the idea as “recipe for salad (of the kind) with cheese and tomato.”

Word order changes can sometimes slightly shift which part feels more closely connected (e.g. is it a recipe for salad with cheese and tomato, or a recipe with cheese and tomato for salad), but in everyday usage people will understand the intended meaning from context.

How do you pronounce the sentence, especially Δ, υ, η, and ντ?

Approximate pronunciation (stressed syllables in CAPS):

Διαβάζω – [ðia‑VÁ‑zo]
μια – [mya]
απλή – [a‑PLÍ]
συνταγή – [sin‑da‑YÍ]
για – [ya]
σαλάτα – [sa‑LÁ‑ta]
με – [me]
τυρί – [ti‑RÍ]
ντομάτα – [do‑MÁ‑ta]

Key sounds:

Δ δ is [ð], like th in this.
υ here (in τυρί) is pronounced [i], like ee in see.
η (in συνταγή) is also [i].
ντ at the start of ντομάτα is pronounced [d].

So Διαβάζω starts with ð (as in this), not with a d or z sound.

Why is ντομάτα spelled with ντ and not just τομάτα?

In modern Greek spelling, the sound [d] is usually written as ντ.

At the beginning of a word, ντ is typically pronounced [d].
Inside words, it can be [nd] or [d], depending on the word and speaker.

ντομάτα is a loanword (from Italian pomodoro via earlier forms), and the standard modern form is ντομάτα, pronounced [do‑MÁ‑ta].

You may also see τομάτα (especially in older texts or certain contexts), but ντομάτα is the usual contemporary spelling in everyday Greek.