Στη σαλάτα βάζω αγγούρι, πιπεριά και λίγο μαρούλι.

Στη is the contracted form of σε τη.

• σε = in / at / to / on depending on context
• τη = the (feminine accusative singular)

So:

• σε τη σαλάτα → στη σαλάτα

In modern Greek, this contraction is the normal form.
Here στη σαλάτα means in the salad.

Greek very often combines σε + the article:

• σε το → στο
• σε τη(ν) → στη(ν)
• σε τον → στον
• σε τα → στα

After the preposition σε, Greek uses the accusative case.
The noun σαλάτα is feminine singular, and in this noun the nominative and accusative look the same:

• nominative: η σαλάτα
• accusative: τη σαλάτα

So in στη σαλάτα, the noun is in the accusative because it follows σε.

Yes, in this sentence it does. But the preposition σε is broader than English in.

Depending on context, σε can mean:

• in
• to
• at
• on

Here, because we are talking about ingredients being added to a salad, στη σαλάτα is best understood as in the salad or into the salad.

βάζω literally means I put, but in food contexts it often means:

• I add
• I put in
• I include

So in this sentence, βάζω is very naturally understood as I put / I add.

Examples:

• Βάζω ζάχαρη στον καφέ. = I put sugar in the coffee.
• Βάζω ντομάτα στη σαλάτα. = I put tomato in the salad.

Yes. βάζω is the present tense, first person singular: I put.

In Greek, the present tense can often translate as either:

• I put
• I am putting

depending on context.

So this sentence could be understood as:

• I put cucumber, pepper and a little lettuce in the salad
• or I’m putting cucumber, pepper and a little lettuce in the salad

English chooses between simple present and present continuous more strictly than Greek does.

Greek often leaves out the article when talking about ingredients or substances in a general sense.

So:

• βάζω αγγούρι = I put cucumber
• βάζω πιπεριά = I put pepper
• βάζω μαρούλι = I put lettuce

This sounds natural when listing what goes into a dish.

If you added articles, the meaning could become more specific, depending on context:

• βάζω το αγγούρι = I put the cucumber
• βάζω την πιπεριά = I put the pepper
• βάζω το μαρούλι = I put the lettuce

That would sound more like specific items already known to the listener.

Because μαρούλι is neuter singular, and λίγο agrees with it.

• λίγος = masculine
• λίγη = feminine
• λίγο = neuter

So:

• λίγος καφές = a little coffee
• λίγη ζάχαρη = a little sugar
• λίγο μαρούλι = a little lettuce

Here λίγο means a little / some.

Because it modifies only μαρούλι.

So the list is:

• αγγούρι
• πιπεριά
• και λίγο μαρούλι

That means:

• cucumber
• pepper
• and a little lettuce

If the speaker wanted a little to apply to everything, Greek would be phrased differently.

Not necessarily. In food lists, Greek often uses the singular to name an ingredient in a general way.

So:

• αγγούρι = cucumber, as an ingredient
• πιπεριά = pepper, as an ingredient
• μαρούλι = lettuce

This is similar to English, where we might say:

• I put cucumber in the salad
• I put pepper in the salad
• I add a little lettuce

It does not always refer to exactly one whole cucumber or one whole pepper. It often just names the ingredient category.

Not exactly.

• πιπεριά usually means pepper as a vegetable, often a bell pepper
• πιπέρι usually means pepper as a spice

So in a salad sentence, πιπεριά is the natural word for the vegetable.

Compare:

• βάζω πιπεριά στη σαλάτα = I put pepper/bell pepper in the salad
• βάζω πιπέρι στη σαλάτα = I put pepper (spice) on/in the salad

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence starts with Στη σαλάτα to set the scene first:

• Στη σαλάτα βάζω... = In the salad, I put...

This is very natural in Greek.

You could also say something like:

• Βάζω αγγούρι, πιπεριά και λίγο μαρούλι στη σαλάτα.

That is also grammatical, but it places the location later in the sentence.

So the chosen word order gives a slight emphasis to the salad as the context.

Yes: they are the direct objects of βάζω, so they are in the accusative case.

However, for these nouns without articles, the form often looks the same as the dictionary form, so the case is not very visible.

For example:

• αγγούρι is neuter, and nominative and accusative are the same in the singular
• μαρούλι is also neuter, same situation
• πιπεριά is feminine, and here too the bare noun looks the same

If the articles were included, the accusative would be clearer:

• το αγγούρι
• την πιπεριά
• το μαρούλι

A simple pronunciation guide:

• Στη σαλάτα ≈ stee sa-LA-ta
• βάζω ≈ VA-zo
• αγγούρι ≈ a-GOO-ri
• πιπεριά ≈ pee-pe-RYA
• και ≈ ke
• λίγο ≈ LEE-gho
• μαρούλι ≈ ma-ROO-li

A few helpful notes:

• γγ in αγγούρι sounds like ng + g
• ρ is rolled or tapped
• stress matters a lot in Greek, so pay attention to the accented syllables:
  • σαλάτα
  • βάζω
  • αγγούρι
  • πιπεριά
  • λίγο
  • μαρούλι

Greek punctuation works similarly to English in lists.

In a simple list:

• αγγούρι, πιπεριά και λίγο μαρούλι

you normally put commas between earlier items, but not before και.

So this is just like English:

• cucumber, pepper and a little lettuce

Yes, very naturally.

Because this is a cooking/ingredient context, βάζω often corresponds to:

• put
• add

So a natural English translation could be:

• In the salad I add cucumber, pepper and a little lettuce.
• I put cucumber, pepper and a little lettuce in the salad.

Both capture the Greek well.

Yes, but it would add extra emphasis to the idea of inside.

• στη σαλάτα = in the salad
• μέσα στη σαλάτα = inside the salad / in the salad

In this sentence, στη σαλάτα is the most natural and simple version.
Using μέσα is possible, but usually unnecessary unless you want to stress the location more strongly.

It could be either. The Greek present tense allows both readings, depending on context.

It might mean:

• a habitual action: This is what I put in salad
• a current action: Right now I’m putting these ingredients in the salad

Without more context, both are possible.