Learn Hardcore Greek: Η σάλτσα είναι λίγο καυτερή, αλλά ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο. - The sauce is a bit spicy, but it goes well with the chicken.

There’s no reliable rule from the ending -α alone, because -α can be feminine (η πόρτα, η γάτα) but also masculine in some cases (ο άντρας). So when you learn a new noun, learn it together with its article:

η σάλτσα – the sauce (feminine)
το κοτόπουλο – the chicken (neuter)

Why is the adjective καυτερή in that form? Why not καυτερό or καυτερός?

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

Noun: η σάλτσα
- gender: feminine
- number: singular
- case: nominative (subject of the sentence)
So the adjective must also be: feminine, singular, nominative.

The adjective καυτερός (spicy / hot) has these main forms in the singular nominative:

masculine: καυτερός
feminine: καυτερή
neuter: καυτερό

Since σάλτσα is feminine, we use καυτερή:
Η σάλτσα είναι (λίγο) καυτερή.

What exactly does λίγο mean here, and why isn’t it λίγη?

Here λίγο means a little / a bit / slightly, modifying the adjective καυτερή:

είναι λίγο καυτερή = it is a bit spicy.

In this use, λίγο is an adverb, not an adjective. As an adverb it:

does not change for gender, number, or case
stays λίγο in all contexts when it modifies verbs or adjectives:

Examples:

Μιλάει λίγο. – He/She speaks a little.
Είναι λίγο κουρασμένος. – He is a little tired.
Είναι λίγο καυτερή. – It is a bit spicy.

λίγη is the feminine form of the adjective λίγος (little / few) that goes with nouns, e.g.:

λίγη σάλτσα – a little (amount of) sauce.

What’s the difference between καυτερή and ζεστή or καυτή? Aren’t they all “hot”?

English uses hot for both temperature and spiciness, but Greek usually separates these meanings:

καυτερή (from καυτερός) = spicy / hot (because of chili, pepper, etc.)
ζεστή (from ζεστός) = warm / hot (temperature)
- Η σούπα είναι ζεστή. – The soup is hot (temperature).
καυτή (from καυτός) = very hot (temperature) or metaphorically “intense / burning”
- Το νερό είναι καυτό. – The water is scalding hot.

So η σάλτσα είναι λίγο καυτερή means “The sauce is a bit spicy”, not “a bit warm.”

Why is there no word for “it” in the Greek sentence before είναι?

Greek usually drops subject pronouns when they’re obvious from the verb form or the context.

English: It is a bit spicy.
Greek: (Η σάλτσα) είναι λίγο καυτερή.

The subject here is η σάλτσα, so we don’t need an extra pronoun like English “it.” Greek doesn’t use a dummy subject pronoun the way English does.

The structure is:

Η σάλτσα (subject)
είναι (is)
λίγο καυτερή (predicate adjective phrase).

What does αλλά do here, and why is there a comma before it?

αλλά means but and is a coordinating conjunction that connects two clauses or phrases:

Η σάλτσα είναι λίγο καυτερή, αλλά ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο.
- The sauce is a bit spicy, but it goes well with the chicken.

The comma before αλλά works like in English before “but”: it separates the two parts of the sentence:

Η σάλτσα είναι λίγο καυτερή – The sauce is a bit spicy.
ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο – (it) goes well with the chicken.

So αλλά introduces a contrast, just like English “but.”

How does the verb ταιριάζει work here? What pattern does it use?

ταιριάζω means to match / to go well (with).

In this sentence:

ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο = it goes well with the chicken.

Pattern:

[something] ταιριάζει (καλά) με [something]
- Η σάλτσα ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο.
- Αυτό το πουκάμισο ταιριάζει με το παντελόνι. – This shirt matches the trousers.

Grammar points:

ταιριάζει is 3rd person singular (he/she/it matches).
It takes the preposition με followed by an object in the accusative:
- με το κοτόπουλο (neuter, accusative).

Why is it με το κοτόπουλο and not με το κοτόπουλον or something else? What case is κοτόπουλο in?

Modern Greek has simplified many older endings, especially for neuter nouns.

The noun κοτόπουλο (“chicken” as food or animal) is neuter.
The definite article for neuter singular is το in both nominative and accusative:
- nominative: το κοτόπουλο – the chicken (subject)
- accusative: το κοτόπουλο – the chicken (object)

With the preposition με (with), the noun goes into the accusative case:

με το κοτόπουλο – with the chicken.

The form happens to look the same as the nominative, but its function here is object of the preposition, so it’s accusative.

Why is it καλά and not καλό after ταιριάζει?

καλά here is an adverb meaning well, modifying the verb ταιριάζει (goes / matches).

ταιριάζει καλά = it matches well / it goes well.

Compare:

καλός (m.), καλή (f.), καλό (n.) = good (adjective, used with nouns)
- καλό κοτόπουλο – good chicken.
καλά = well (adverb, used with verbs)
- Μιλάει καλά ελληνικά. – He/She speaks Greek well.
- Ταιριάζει καλά με το κοτόπουλο. – It goes well with the chicken.

So use καλά with verbs, καλό / καλή / καλός with nouns.

Can λίγο be placed somewhere else, like Η σάλτσα λίγο είναι καυτερή? Is word order strict here?

Greek word order is somewhat flexible, but not all positions sound natural.

The most natural positions for λίγο here are:

Η σάλτσα είναι λίγο καυτερή.
Η σάλτσα είναι καυτερή λίγο. (less common, more colloquial/emphatic)

Placing λίγο directly before είναι or before the subject would usually sound awkward or wrong:

✗ Η σάλτσα λίγο είναι καυτερή. → not natural.
✗ Λίγο η σάλτσα είναι καυτερή. → also odd in most contexts.

In general, when λίγο modifies an adjective, it normally goes immediately before the adjective:

είναι λίγο κουρασμένος – he is a bit tired
είναι λίγο καυτερή – it is a bit spicy.