Learn Hardcore Greek: Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές.

If you were clearly talking about a specific masculine or feminine noun (already mentioned), you might use αυτός (masc.) or αυτή (fem.), but when you just point at something as an undefined “this”, neuter αυτό is very natural.

What exactly does λέγεται mean, and what is its verb form?

Λέγεται means is called or is said.

Grammatically, it is:

3rd person singular
present tense
middle/passive voice of the verb λέγομαι (from λέω, “to say, to tell”)

A short part of the conjugation:

(εγώ) λέγομαι – I am called
(εσύ) λέγεσαι – you are called
(αυτός/αυτή/αυτό) λέγεται – he/she/it is called

So Αυτό λέγεται… literally: This is called…

Why is it λέγεται and not είναι? What is the difference between “is called” and “is”?

Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές.
Focus: the name of the thing = “This is called Greek coffee.”
Αυτό είναι ελληνικός καφές.
Focus: identifying what it is = “This is Greek coffee.”

In many everyday situations you could use either, but:

Use λέγεται when you are explaining the name/term for something.
Use είναι when you are just stating what it is.

Example:

Pointing to a drink and teaching vocabulary:
Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές. (This is called Greek coffee.)
Answering “What is that drink?”:
Αυτό είναι ελληνικός καφές. (This is Greek coffee.)

What is the literal word‑for‑word order and translation of Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές?

Word order:

Αυτό – This
λέγεται – is called
ελληνικός – Greek (adjective)
καφές – coffee

Literal translation:

Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές.
→ This is called Greek coffee.

Why is it ελληνικός καφές and not something with Ελλάδα?

Ελλάδα means Greece (the country).
ελληνικός is the adjective meaning Greek (relating to Greece).

Greek normally uses an adjective before a noun, just like English:

ελληνικός καφές – Greek coffee
ελληνική μουσική – Greek music
ελληνικό φαγητό – Greek food

So you don’t say καφές Ελλάδα; you say ελληνικός καφές, literally “Greek coffee”.

Why is ελληνικός written with a lowercase ε, not capitalized?

In Greek, adjectives derived from country or nationality names are usually lowercase:

Έλληνας / Ελληνίδα = a Greek man / a Greek woman (nouns, capitalized)
ελληνικός / ελληνική / ελληνικό = Greek (adjective, lowercase)

So:

Ελλάδα – Greece (proper noun, capitalized)
ελληνικός καφές – Greek coffee (adjective, lowercase)

This is normal spelling: adjectives like ελληνικός, αγγλικός, γαλλικός are lowercase unless they start the sentence.

Why is it καφές here and not καφέ? I often see καφέ in other sentences.

Καφές is a masculine noun.

Main singular forms:

ο καφές – the coffee (nominative)
τον καφέ – the coffee (accusative)

In Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές, the phrase ελληνικός καφές is in the nominative, because it describes the subject Αυτό (like a predicate noun):

Αυτό (subject, nominative)
… λέγεται … ελληνικός καφές (also nominative, telling you what it is called)

When you see καφέ without an article, it’s usually accusative, often meaning “(some) coffee”:

Θέλω καφέ. – I want (some) coffee.
Παίρνεις καφέ; – Do you take coffee?

So:

ελληνικός καφές (nominative) after είναι / λέγεται
ελληνικό καφέ (accusative) after verbs like “drink / want / make”, etc. (with adjusted adjective):
Πίνω ελληνικό καφέ. – I drink Greek coffee.

Why is there no article (like ένας or ο) before ελληνικός καφές?

Here ελληνικός καφές is used more as a type of thing (“Greek coffee” as a general category), not “one particular Greek coffee”.

So Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές =
“This is called (the type of drink known as) Greek coffee.”

If you add an article, the meaning shifts:

Αυτό είναι ένας ελληνικός καφές.
“This is a Greek coffee.” (one specific coffee of that type)

In the naming pattern Αυτό λέγεται + type/name, Greek often leaves out the article:

Αυτό λέγεται τζατζίκι. – This is called tzatziki.
Αυτό λέγεται φραπέ. – This is called frappé.
Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές. – This is called Greek coffee.

How would I say “This coffee is called Greek coffee”, not just “This is called Greek coffee”?

You include the noun καφές as the subject:

Αυτός ο καφές λέγεται ελληνικός καφές.
Literally: “This coffee is called Greek coffee.”

Here:

Αυτός ο καφές – this coffee (masculine)
λέγεται – is called
ελληνικός καφές – Greek coffee

Contrast:

Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές. – This (thing) is called Greek coffee.
Αυτός ο καφές λέγεται ελληνικός καφές. – This coffee is called Greek coffee.

Is there another common way to say “This is called Greek coffee” in Greek?

Yes. A very common colloquial pattern is το λένε… (“they call it…”):

Αυτό το λένε ελληνικό καφέ.

Here:

Αυτό – this
το λένε – they call it
ελληνικό καφέ – Greek coffee (accusative, because it’s the object of λένε)

So you have two natural options:

Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές. – This is called Greek coffee.
Αυτό το λένε ελληνικό καφέ. – They call this Greek coffee.

How do I pronounce Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές?

Approximate pronunciation (standard modern Greek):

Αυτό → /af‑TÓ/ (stress on τό)
λέγεται → /LÉ‑ye‑te/ (or /LÉ‑ɣe‑te/, stress on λέ)
ελληνικός → /e‑li‑ni‑KÓS/ (stress on κός)
καφές → /ka‑FÉS/ (stress on φές)

All together:
Αυτό λέγεται ελληνικός καφές.
/afˈto ˈleʝete eliniˈkos kaˈfes/

Key points:

γ before ε, ι is a soft sound, like the y in yes, but voiced and a bit throaty.
Each word has exactly one stressed syllable (marked by the written accent).

How would the sentence change in the plural, for example “These are called Greek coffees”?

If you really want a plural (talking about several different kinds or cups), you change αυτό and the verb and noun:

Αυτά λέγονται ελληνικοί καφέδες.
“These are called Greek coffees.”

Breakdown:

Αυτά – these (neuter plural)
λέγονται – are called (3rd person plural)
ελληνικοί καφέδες – Greek coffees (masc. plural nominative)

In real life, though, people often still talk about ελληνικός καφές as a type, even when pointing to several cups, and might simply say:

Αυτά είναι ελληνικός καφές. – These are Greek coffee. (meaning: these are cups of Greek coffee)