Μπορείς να βάλεις αγγούρι και ελιές στη σαλάτα, αρκεί να μην ξεχάσεις το ξίδι.

You can put cucumber and olives in the salad, as long as you don’t forget the vinegar.

Breakdown of Μπορείς να βάλεις αγγούρι και ελιές στη σαλάτα, αρκεί να μην ξεχάσεις το ξίδι.

• και: and
• μπορώ: to be able
• να: to
• μην: not

Questions & Answers about Μπορείς να βάλεις αγγούρι και ελιές στη σαλάτα, αρκεί να μην ξεχάσεις το ξίδι.

Why does the sentence start with Μπορείς να? Does it mean can you or you can?

Μπορείς να literally means you can / you are able to.

In Greek, this form can work in a few ways depending on context:

• You can... = permission or possibility
• Can you...? = a question, if said with question intonation or a question mark

In this sentence, since the meaning is already given, it is most naturally understood as You can put...

So:

• Μπορείς να βάλεις... = You can put...

Why is there no word for you in the Greek sentence?

Greek usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, μπορείς means you can:

• the ending -εις tells you it is 2nd person singular: you

So Greek often says:

• Μπορείς = you can

Adding εσύ (you) is possible, but only when you want emphasis or contrast.

Why is it βάλεις and not βάζεις?