Η συνταγή λέει ότι ένα βασικό συστατικό είναι το ελαιόλαδο.

The recipe says that a basic ingredient is olive oil.

Breakdown of Η συνταγή λέει ότι ένα βασικό συστατικό είναι το ελαιόλαδο.

• είμαι: to be
• ένα: one
• ότι: that
• λέω: to say
• το ελαιόλαδο: the olive oil
• η συνταγή: the recipe
• βασικός: basic
• το συστατικό: the ingredient

Questions & Answers about Η συνταγή λέει ότι ένα βασικό συστατικό είναι το ελαιόλαδο.

Why does Η συνταγή mean the recipe—what is Η doing?

Η is the definite article (like the) for a feminine singular noun in the nominative case.

• η συνταγή = the recipe
  The noun συνταγή is feminine, so it takes η (not ο or το).

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Why is the verb λέει used here, and what form is it?

λέει is the 3rd person singular, present tense of λέω (to say).
So Η συνταγή λέει... literally means The recipe says..., which is a normal Greek way to express what written instructions state (similar to English).

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Can I also use γράφει instead of λέει since a recipe is written?

Yes, often.

• Η συνταγή γράφει ότι... = The recipe says/states that... (more explicitly “writes”)
• Η συνταγή λέει ότι... = also very common, even though it’s written.

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What does ότι mean here, and how is it different from πως?

Here ότι is the conjunction meaning that (introducing a content clause).

• λέει ότι... = says that...

πως can also mean that in many contexts:

• λέει πως... is often interchangeable with λέει ότι... in everyday Greek.

Important spelling difference:

• ότι (that) vs ό,τι (whatever / anything that). The comma changes the meaning.

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Why is there no comma before ότι?

In Greek, a comma before ότι/πως is usually not used when it simply introduces a content clause after verbs like λέω.
So Η συνταγή λέει ότι... is standard without a comma.

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Why does Greek say ένα βασικό συστατικό είναι... instead of using “of” like “one basic ingredient is...” (Is anything missing?)

Nothing is missing—Greek can express the same idea directly with a predicate structure:

• ένα βασικό συστατικό είναι το ελαιόλαδο = one basic ingredient is olive oil

If you wanted the “one of the basic ingredients” idea, Greek would typically say:

• ένα από τα βασικά συστατικά είναι το ελαιόλαδο = one of the basic ingredients is olive oil

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Why is ένα βασικό συστατικό in this form—what case is it?

It’s nominative, because it functions as the subject of είναι (is).
Greek often structures this as:

• [Subject] είναι [predicate] Here, the subject is ένα βασικό συστατικό and the predicate is το ελαιόλαδο.

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Why is the adjective βασικό ending in -ό?

Because it agrees with συστατικό, which is neuter singular.
Agreement in Greek: adjective matches the noun’s gender, number, and case:

• ένα βασικό συστατικό (neuter singular)

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How do I know συστατικό is neuter, and what does it mean exactly?

συστατικό is a neuter noun (you can tell here from ένα and βασικό, both neuter). It means ingredient / component.
So:

• ένα συστατικό = an ingredient

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Why is it το ελαιόλαδο with το (the), not just ελαιόλαδο or ένα ελαιόλαδο?

ελαιόλαδο (olive oil) is typically treated as a mass noun (uncountable), so Greek commonly uses the definite article:

• το ελαιόλαδο = olive oil / the olive oil (often just “olive oil” in English)

You could omit the article in some contexts (especially lists/labels), but in a full sentence like this, το is very natural.

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Is the word order flexible? Could I say Το ελαιόλαδο είναι ένα βασικό συστατικό?

Yes, and it’s also very natural:

• Το ελαιόλαδο είναι ένα βασικό συστατικό. = Olive oil is a basic ingredient.

The original sentence places ένα βασικό συστατικό first, which can feel like it’s introducing the category first (“a key ingredient is...”), then naming it.

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What are the pronunciations / stress points I should watch in this sentence?

Key stress (accent) points:

• συνταγή: stress on the last syllable (-γή)
• λέει: stress on λέ-
• ότι: stress on ό-
• βασικό: stress on -κό
• συστατικό: stress on -κό
• ελαιόλαδο: stress on -λά- (ελαιόλαδο)

A rough phonetic guide (not IPA):
I sin-ta-GI LE-i O-ti e-NA va-si-KO si-sta-TI-KO I-ne to e-le-O-la-do