Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο τώρα.

Because Greek normally uses the definite article much more often than English.

• το = the for a neuter singular noun
• φαγητό is a neuter singular noun, so it takes το

So Greek says το φαγητό μου literally like the food/my food, not just my food without an article as in English.

In Greek, the unstressed possessive forms like μου usually come after the noun.

• το φαγητό μου = my food
• literally: the food of me

This is very normal Greek word order. English puts my before the noun, but Greek often uses this short genitive form after it.

μου is the weak form meaning my / of me.

Grammatically, it is the genitive form of εγώ (I). In sentences like this, Greek uses the genitive pronoun to show possession:

• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• η φίλη μου = my friend
• το φαγητό μου = my food / my meal

So even though the English meaning is my, the Greek structure is closer to of me.

Because adjectives in Greek must agree with the noun they describe.

φαγητό is:

• neuter
• singular

So the adjective must also be:

• neuter
• singular

That gives:

• έτοιμος = masculine
• έτοιμη = feminine
• έτοιμο = neuter

Since φαγητό is neuter, Greek uses έτοιμο.

είναι means is.

The sentence has the structure:

• subject: Το φαγητό μου
• verb: είναι
• adjective/complement: έτοιμο
• time word: τώρα

So Greek, like English here, uses the verb to be:

• Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο = My food is ready

You normally do not leave out είναι in a standard sentence like this.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English, especially with adverbs like τώρα (now).

The most neutral version here is:

• Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο τώρα.

But you may also hear:

• Τώρα το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο.
• Το φαγητό μου τώρα είναι έτοιμο.

These are all possible, but the emphasis can shift slightly depending on placement. The original sentence sounds natural and straightforward.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• food in a general sense
• a meal in many everyday situations

So Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο τώρα could mean:

• My food is ready now
• My meal is ready now

If someone is waiting for something to be cooked or served, English often prefers meal or simply food, depending on the situation.

A natural approximation is:

to fa-yee-TO mou EE-ne EH-ti-mo TO-ra

A few notes:

• φαγητό is pronounced roughly fa-yee-TO
• είναι in Modern Greek is usually pronounced EE-ne
• Stress matters in Greek:
  • φαγητό
  • είναι
  • έτοιμο
  • τώρα

A more accurate pronunciation for φαγητό includes a soft sound like y in the middle: fa-yi-TO.

Because in Greek, the article and the possessive idea often appear together.

So Greek prefers:

• το φαγητό μου

not just:

• φαγητό μου in a neutral standalone sentence

Sometimes the article can be omitted in special contexts, but for a basic sentence like this, το φαγητό μου is the normal form.

It is neutral everyday Greek. It works well in both spoken and written language.

It is not especially formal, but it is perfectly standard. A native speaker could easily say it in ordinary conversation.

Yes. That would simply mean My food is ready.

Adding τώρα makes the time explicit:

• Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο. = My food is ready.
• Το φαγητό μου είναι έτοιμο τώρα. = My food is ready now.

So τώρα adds the idea of at this moment.