Η μαμά μου δεν βάζει πολλά μπαχαρικά στο μοσχάρι, αλλά ο μπαμπάς μου θέλει δυνατή γεύση.

These are the definite articles in Greek, and they show gender, number, and case.

• η = feminine singular
• ο = masculine singular
• το = neuter singular

So:

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• ο μπαμπάς μου = my dad

Greek uses the article much more often than English does, even with family words.

In Greek, the weak possessive form μου usually comes after the noun.

• η μαμά μου = my mom
• ο μπαμπάς μου = my dad
• το σπίτι μου = my house

So English says my mom, but Greek usually says the equivalent of the mom my.

Greek does not use an auxiliary verb like English do for negation.

• δεν = not
• βάζει = puts / adds

So:

• δεν βάζει = she doesn’t put / she doesn’t add

The negative word δεν goes directly before the verb.

The basic verb is βάζω, which means put, place, or in cooking contexts often add.

βάζει is the third person singular form in the present tense, used with she/he/it.

Since the subject is η μαμά μου, the verb must be βάζει:

• εγώ βάζω = I put
• εσύ βάζεις = you put
• αυτή / η μαμά μου βάζει = she / my mom puts

Because μπαχαρικά is a plural countable noun: spices.

So Greek uses πολλά = many / a lot of with plural countable nouns.

• πολλά μπαχαρικά = many / a lot of spices

By contrast, πολύ is used with singular mass nouns or adverbially:

• πολύ αλάτι = a lot of salt
• πολύ καλό = very good

So:

• πολλά μπαχαρικά = correct
• πολύ μπαχαρικά = not correct

Because it has to agree with μπαχαρικά.

μπαχαρικά is neuter plural, so the word modifying it must also be neuter plural:

• masculine plural: πολλοί
• feminine plural: πολλές
• neuter plural: πολλά

Since μπαχαρικά is neuter plural, Greek uses πολλά μπαχαρικά.

στο is a contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

Depending on context, σε can mean in, on, at, or to.

So στο μοσχάρι literally means something like:

• in the beef
• on the beef
• to the beef

In this sentence, it means that she does not add many spices to the beef dish.

Greek often uses the definite article where English does not.

With foods, meals, and familiar things in context, the article is very common and natural:

• στο μοσχάρι
• στο κοτόπουλο
• στη σούπα

So even if English might leave the article out, Greek usually keeps it.

Yes, literally θέλει means wants.

But in sentences about food and preference, θέλω can also sound like prefer, like, or want things to be a certain way.

So:

• ο μπαμπάς μου θέλει δυνατή γεύση

can mean:

• my dad wants strong flavor
• my dad likes strong flavor
• my dad prefers a strong taste

It is not just a one-time wish; it can describe a general preference.

Because the adjective must agree with the noun.

γεύση is a feminine singular noun, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• masculine: δυνατός
• feminine: δυνατή
• neuter: δυνατό

So:

• δυνατή γεύση = correct

This means strong flavor or intense taste.

Not exactly.

δυνατή γεύση means strong, intense, or powerful flavor. It does not necessarily mean hot/spicy in the chili-pepper sense.

If you want to say spicy, Greek often uses:

• πικάντικος / πικάντικη / πικάντικο

So:

• δυνατή γεύση = strong flavor
• πικάντικη γεύση = spicy flavor

A food can have δυνατή γεύση without being spicy-hot.

Because Greek often leaves out the article when talking about something indefinite or a general quality.

So:

• θέλει δυνατή γεύση = he wants strong flavor / a strong flavor

This sounds general and natural.

If you said θέλει τη δυνατή γεύση, that would sound more like he wants the strong flavor, referring to a specific flavor already known from context.

Most likely it describes a habit or a general preference.

• Η μαμά μου δεν βάζει πολλά μπαχαρικά...
• ο μπαμπάς μου θέλει δυνατή γεύση

This sounds like a general statement about how your mom cooks and what your dad likes.

Greek present tense can cover both:

• what is happening now
• what usually happens

Context tells you which meaning is intended.

Two useful pronunciation points:

1. μπ At the beginning of a word, μπ is usually pronounced like English b.

• μπαμπάς sounds like bah-BAHS
• μπαχαρικά starts with a b sound

2. χ The χ in μοσχάρι is not like English ch in chair.
It is a rough sound, like the ch in German Bach or Scottish loch.

So μοσχάρι has that Greek kh sound in the middle.