Στην ταβέρνα παραγγέλνουμε ένα σουβλάκι, μια πίτα με σπανάκι και μια σαλάτα.

Στην is the usual contracted form of σε την.

• σε = in / at / to
• την = the for a feminine noun in the accusative

So:

• σε την ταβέρνα → στην ταβέρνα

This contraction is extremely common in modern Greek:

• στο = σε το
• στη / στην = σε τη(ν)
• στους = σε τους
• στις = σε τις

It can mean any of those in different contexts, because σε + accusative is used for location and direction in Greek.

Here, with παραγγέλνουμε (we order), it clearly means location:

• Στην ταβέρνα παραγγέλνουμε... = At/In the taverna, we order...

If the verb showed movement, it could mean to the taverna.

Because after σε and after many prepositions, Greek uses the accusative case.

So στην ταβέρνα is feminine singular accusative.

In this particular noun, ταβέρνα, the nominative and accusative look the same:

• nominative: η ταβέρνα
• accusative: την ταβέρνα

So the article shows the case more clearly than the noun itself.

Because Greek usually does not need subject pronouns unless you want emphasis or contrast.

The verb ending already tells you the subject:

• παραγγέλνουμε = we order

So εμείς is normally omitted.

You would add εμείς only if you wanted emphasis, for example:

• Εμείς παραγγέλνουμε σαλάτα, όχι πατάτες.
• We are ordering salad, not fries.

The ending -ουμε marks 1st person plural in the present tense, so it means we.

• παραγγέλνω = I order
• παραγγέλνεις = you order
• παραγγέλνει = he/she/it orders
• παραγγέλνουμε = we order

So even without a pronoun, the ending tells you who is doing the action.

Yes, it is present tense.

Depending on context, Greek present tense can correspond to different English translations, such as:

• we order
• we are ordering

In this sentence, both can work depending on the situation:

• a general statement: At the taverna, we order...
• a current action: At the taverna, we’re ordering...

These are the indefinite articles: a / an.

They must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Here:

• ένα σουβλάκι — neuter singular
• μια πίτα — feminine singular
• μια σαλάτα — feminine singular

So Greek does not use one single word for a/an. The form changes depending on the noun.

You usually learn each noun together with its article.

In this sentence:

• το σουβλάκι = neuter
• η πίτα = feminine
• η σαλάτα = feminine
• η ταβέρνα = feminine

That is why the sentence uses:

• ένα with σουβλάκι
• μια with πίτα
• μια with σαλάτα
• την in στην ταβέρνα

A very good habit is to memorize nouns as article + noun, not just the noun by itself.

Because σπανάκι here means spinach as an ingredient in a general sense.

Greek often leaves out the article with ingredients or materials when speaking generally:

• πίτα με σπανάκι = pie with spinach
• μακαρόνια με τυρί = pasta with cheese

If you said με το σπανάκι, it would sound more specific, like with the spinach — a particular spinach that has already been mentioned or is understood from context.

Not necessarily. πίτα in Greek can mean different things depending on context.

Very often, it means:

• pie — especially a savory pie like spinach pie

So μια πίτα με σπανάκι is very naturally understood as a spinach pie or a pie with spinach.

Greek πίτα is broader than the English word pita.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Στην ταβέρνα puts the location first:

• At the taverna, we order...

This is very natural in Greek. It can set the scene or highlight the context.

A more neutral order would also be possible:

• Παραγγέλνουμε ένα σουβλάκι... στην ταβέρνα.

But the original sentence sounds completely normal.

The commas separate items in a list:

• ένα σουβλάκι
• μια πίτα με σπανάκι
• μια σαλάτα

Greek punctuation works similarly to English here. Normally, Greek does not use a comma before και in a simple list, so the sentence is written:

• ένα σουβλάκι, μια πίτα με σπανάκι και μια σαλάτα

That is the standard pattern.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

pa-ra-ngGHEL-nou-me

More naturally:

• παρα-γΓΕΛ-νου-με

A few useful points:

• the stress is on γγέλ
• γγ in modern Greek is pronounced like an ng sound followed by g, roughly like the middle of finger
• the final -ουμε sounds like -oo-me

So the whole word is approximately: para-NGHEL-noome

Not exact English, of course, but close enough for a learner.

In Greek, the written accent mark shows which syllable is stressed.

For example:

• ταβέρνα → stress on -βέρ-
• παραγγέλνουμε → stress on -γγέλ-
• σουβλάκι → stress on -βλά-
• σπανάκι → stress on -νά-
• σαλάτα → stress on -λά-

This is very important in Greek, because stress is part of the correct pronunciation of the word. When learning new vocabulary, it is best to learn the stress together with the word.