Η μαμά μου λέει ότι το σκόρδο δίνει καλύτερη γεύση στα φασόλια.

Yes, literally it is the mom my, but in natural English it means my mom.

Greek usually uses:

• the definite article + noun + possessive pronoun

So:

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• ο αδερφός μου = my brother
• το σπίτι μου = my house

This is a very normal Greek pattern. The article is usually kept even when you say my, your, his, etc.

Because Greek nouns have grammatical gender, and the article changes to match.

Here:

• η μαμά is feminine
• το σκόρδο is neuter
• τα φασόλια is plural neuter

The articles in this sentence are:

• η = feminine singular the
• το = neuter singular the
• τα = neuter plural the

So the article always agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Μου means my here.

It is the weak form of the first-person singular possessive/object pronoun. After a noun, it commonly means my:

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• το βιβλίο μου = my book

The same form μου can also mean to me or me, depending on context:

• Μου λέει = he/she tells me
• η μαμά μου = my mom

So Greek uses the same form in different ways, and the sentence structure tells you which meaning is intended.

In Greek, the verb ending often shows the subject.

λέει is the 3rd person singular form of λέω (to say, to tell), so it can mean:

• he says
• she says
• it says

Since the subject is η μαμά μου, we understand it as my mom says.

Greek often does not need a separate subject pronoun like she, because the verb form already gives that information.

Ότι means that and introduces a subordinate clause.

So:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι... = My mom says that...

Everything after ότι is the content of what she says:

• το σκόρδο δίνει καλύτερη γεύση στα φασόλια

In everyday speech, Greeks sometimes also use πως in similar contexts:

• λέει ότι...
• λέει πως...

Both can mean says that...

Exactly. Greek often uses the definite article in places where English would not.

So:

• το σκόρδο = literally the garlic
• but in English we often just say garlic

Greek uses the article very naturally with general nouns and ingredients. So this does not necessarily mean a specific single garlic; it can still mean garlic in general.

Δίνει means gives.

Literally, this part says:

• το σκόρδο δίνει καλύτερη γεύση στα φασόλια
• the garlic gives better flavor to the beans

Greek often uses δίνω (to give) in expressions where English might also say:

• gives flavor
• adds flavor
• gives a better taste

So this is a very natural Greek way to express that garlic improves the taste of the beans.

Because γεύση is a feminine noun, and the adjective must agree with it.

• γεύση = feminine singular
• καλύτερη = feminine singular form of better

So:

• καλύτερη γεύση = better flavor/taste

Greek adjectives change form to match the noun’s:

• gender
• number
• case

That is why the adjective is καλύτερη here.

Yes. Καλύτερη means better, so it is the comparative form.

The basic adjective is:

• καλός / καλή / καλό = good

Its comparative is:

• καλύτερος / καλύτερη / καλύτερο = better

In this sentence, the feminine singular form is used because it describes γεύση:

• καλύτερη γεύση = better taste

Στα is a contraction:

• σε + τα = στα

So:

• στα φασόλια literally means to/in/on the beans, depending on context

Here it means:

• to the beans
• more naturally in English: in the beans or to beans

Greek σε is a very flexible preposition. With food and flavor, δίνει γεύση στα φασόλια means that the garlic gives flavor to the beans.

Other common contractions are:

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

Yes. After σε, Greek often uses the accusative case.

The noun here is:

• τα φασόλια = the beans

After σε + τα, it becomes:

• στα φασόλια

For neuter plural nouns like φασόλια, the nominative and accusative forms are the same, so you do not see a change in the noun itself. But grammatically it is functioning as accusative after σε.

Sometimes in everyday speech, Greeks may omit ότι, especially in informal language, but with a verb like λέει, keeping ότι is very normal and clear.

So:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι... is standard and natural.

You may also hear:

• Η μαμά μου λέει πως...

For a learner, ότι is the safest standard choice here.

The given word order is very natural, but Greek word order is more flexible than English.

Standard order here:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι το σκόρδο δίνει καλύτερη γεύση στα φασόλια.

You could change parts for emphasis, for example:

• Η μαμά μου λέει ότι στα φασόλια το σκόρδο δίνει καλύτερη γεύση.

That might put more focus on στα φασόλια.

Because Greek uses case endings and agreement, word order can move more freely than in English, although not every order sounds equally natural.

Yes. Γεύση can mean both taste and flavor, depending on context.

In this sentence, flavor is often the more natural English choice:

• garlic gives better flavor to beans

But better taste is also possible.

So γεύση is a useful Greek word that covers both ideas in many contexts.

Greek does not always use an indefinite article in the same way English does.

The phrase:

• δίνει καλύτερη γεύση literally means:
• gives better flavor

In English, you might also say:

• gives a better flavor
• gives better flavor

Both are possible depending on style.

Greek often sounds natural without inserting a word corresponding exactly to English a in this kind of expression.

Μαμά is an informal, affectionate word, so it usually corresponds to:

• mom in American English
• mum in British English

It is less formal than mother.

A more formal Greek word is:

• μητέρα = mother

So in this sentence, my mom or my mum is the best match, not my mother, unless you want to sound more formal than the Greek does.