Δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι στη σαλάτα.

Δεν is the standard word for not in Greek. It goes before the verb, so:

• βάζω = I put / I add
• δεν βάζω = I do not put / I don’t add

In ordinary statements, δεν is the normal negation word used before the verb.

Greek usually does not need subject pronouns like I, you, he, because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, βάζω ends in -ω, which tells you the subject is I.

So:

• βάζω = I put / I add
• εγώ βάζω = I put / I add too, but with extra emphasis on I

If you include εγώ, it often adds contrast or emphasis.

Βάζω is a very common verb with a broad meaning: put, place, add, set, and more depending on context.

In this sentence, with salt and salad, the most natural sense is add or put:

• βάζω αλάτι = add/put salt

So even though the core meaning is often put, in food contexts English usually says add.

Because αλάτι is usually treated as an uncountable noun, like salt in English.

With uncountable nouns, Greek uses πολύ for much / a lot of:

• πολύ νερό = much water / a lot of water
• πολύ αλάτι = much salt / a lot of salt

Πολλά is used with plural countable nouns:

• πολλά βιβλία = many books

So πολύ αλάτι is correct because salt is not being counted as separate items.

Greek often omits the article with substances or general quantities, especially after words like πολύ.

So:

• πολύ αλάτι = a lot of salt / much salt

This is similar to English, where we usually say a lot of salt, not a lot of the salt, unless we mean some specific salt already known in the conversation.

You could use an article in other contexts, but here the article is not needed.

Στη is a contracted form of:

• σε + τη → στη

Here:

• σε = in, to, at, on (depending on context)
• τη = the (feminine accusative singular form of the definite article)

So στη σαλάτα means in the salad.

This contraction is very common in modern Greek:

• στο = σε + το
• στη = σε + τη
• στον = σε + τον

In Greek, the preposition σε takes the accusative case.

The noun here is η σαλάτα in the dictionary form (nominative), but in this particular word, the accusative singular happens to look the same:

• nominative: η σαλάτα
• accusative: τη σαλάτα

So after σε / στη, Greek uses the accusative:

• στη σαλάτα

Even though σαλάτα itself does not visibly change, the article shows the case.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order. The neutral order here is:

• Δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι στη σαλάτα.

But other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

• Στη σαλάτα δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι.
  Emphasis on in the salad
• Πολύ αλάτι δεν βάζω στη σαλάτα.
  Emphasis on a lot of salt

The original sentence is the most neutral and natural way to say it.

The Greek present tense often covers both:

• what you are doing now
• what you generally do
• habitual actions

So Δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι στη σαλάτα can mean:

• I’m not putting much salt in the salad
• I don’t put much salt in salad
• I don’t usually add much salt to the salad

The exact meaning depends on context.

Because πολύ is modifying the noun phrase αλάτι and expressing quantity: much salt / a lot of salt.

So the basic structure is:

• πολύ αλάτι = a lot of salt

That is the normal order in Greek, just as in English we say much salt, not salt much.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

Dhen VAZ-o po-LEE a-LA-ti stee sa-LA-ta

A few helpful notes:

• δ in modern Greek sounds like th in this
• β sounds like v
• γ is not in this sentence, but learners often expect ancient-style sounds, so it is good to remember that modern Greek pronunciation is different from Ancient Greek
• Stress falls where the accent mark is:
  • βάζω
  • πολύ
  • αλάτι
  • σαλάτα

So the rhythm is fairly clear once you follow the accent marks.

That would mean something completely different.

• Δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι στη σαλάτα = I don’t put much salt in the salad
• Δεν βάζω πολλή σαλάτα = I don’t put much salad

So πολύ is modifying αλάτι, not σαλάτα. The sentence is specifically about the quantity of salt, not the quantity of salad.

This is a very common learner question.

• βάζω = imperfective/present stem
• βάλω = perfective stem, used in certain other constructions

In this sentence, βάζω is correct because it is a present-tense statement:

• Δεν βάζω πολύ αλάτι στη σαλάτα.

You will see βάλω in forms like:

• να βάλω = for me to put / should I put
• θα βάλω = I will put

So for a normal present statement, use βάζω, not βάλω.