Εγώ προτιμώ κολοκύθι και μπρόκολο, αλλά η φίλη μου θέλει γαρίδες με ρύζι.

Yes. Greek often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is. So προτιμώ by itself already means I prefer.

Adding εγώ makes the subject more explicit. It can add emphasis or contrast, especially because the sentence then goes on to mention what my friend wants. So the feeling is a bit like:

I prefer zucchini and broccoli, but my friend wants shrimp with rice.

Προτιμώ means I prefer.

It is:

• 1st person singular
• present tense
• from the verb προτιμώ = to prefer

The ending -ώ tells you it means I.

Some related forms:

• προτιμώ = I prefer
• προτιμάς = you prefer
• προτιμά = he/she/it prefers
• προτιμούμε or προτιμάμε = we prefer
• προτιμάτε = you all prefer
• προτιμούν or προτιμάνε = they prefer

In Greek, food items are often used in the singular when speaking generally about what someone likes, prefers, or eats.

So:

• προτιμώ κολοκύθι = I prefer zucchini
• προτιμώ μπρόκολο = I prefer broccoli

This does not necessarily mean only one single zucchini or one single piece of broccoli. It often means the food in general.

English does something similar sometimes, especially with mass nouns like broccoli, but Greek uses the singular with many foods where English learners may expect plural.

Greek does not always use the definite article the way English does. When talking about foods in a general, indefinite way, it is very common to leave the article out.

So:

• προτιμώ κολοκύθι και μπρόκολο = I prefer zucchini and broccoli
• θέλει γαρίδες με ρύζι = she wants shrimp with rice

If you added articles, it could sound more specific, depending on context:

• το κολοκύθι
• το μπρόκολο
• τις γαρίδες
• το ρύζι

Without the article here, the foods are presented more generally.

Αλλά means but.

It connects two contrasting ideas:

• Εγώ προτιμώ κολοκύθι και μπρόκολο
• αλλά η φίλη μου θέλει γαρίδες με ρύζι

So it shows a contrast between what I prefer and what my friend wants.

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

So:

• η φίλη μου literally looks like the friend my
• but it means my friend

This is completely normal Greek structure. Possessive expressions like this commonly use:

• article + noun + possessive weak pronoun

Examples:

• η αδερφή μου = my sister
• ο φίλος μου = my friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house

Μου is a weak possessive pronoun here, meaning my.

In Greek, these possessive words usually come after the noun:

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• το βιβλίο μου = my book
• οι γονείς μου = my parents

So Greek says something more like:

• the friend of me
• the book of me

That is just the normal Greek pattern.

Θέλει means he/she/it wants.

Here it refers to η φίλη μου, so it means my friend wants.

It is:

• 3rd person singular
• present tense
• from the verb θέλω = to want

Some related forms:

• θέλω = I want
• θέλεις = you want
• θέλει = he/she/it wants
• θέλουμε or θέλομε in older/literary usage = we want
• θέλετε = you all want
• θέλουν or θέλουνε = they want

Γαρίδες is the plural of γαρίδα, meaning shrimp or prawns.

It is plural because shrimp are usually thought of as separate countable pieces in a meal. So Greek naturally says:

• θέλει γαρίδες = she wants shrimp

This contrasts with foods like:

• ρύζι = rice
• μπρόκολο = broccoli
• κολοκύθι = zucchini

Those are often treated as more general food items in the singular.

Με means with, and ρύζι means rice.

So γαρίδες με ρύζι means:

• shrimp with rice
• shrimp served with rice

This is a very common use of με to show accompaniment or what something is served with.

Examples:

• κοτόπουλο με πατάτες = chicken with potatoes
• μακαρόνια με τυρί = pasta with cheese
• καφές με γάλα = coffee with milk

Because ρύζι here is being used in a general sense: with rice as part of the dish.

If you say με το ρύζι, it usually sounds more specific, like:

• with the rice
• a particular rice already known from the context

So:

• γαρίδες με ρύζι = shrimp with rice
• γαρίδες με το ρύζι = shrimp with the rice

In this sentence, the general version is the natural one.

Here are the genders:

• κολοκύθι — neuter
• μπρόκολο — neuter
• η φίλη — feminine
• γαρίδα — feminine; γαρίδες is the feminine plural
• ρύζι — neuter

Knowing gender matters because it affects:

• the article
• adjectives
• sometimes pronouns

For example:

• το κολοκύθι
• το μπρόκολο
• η φίλη
• η γαρίδα / οι γαρίδες
• το ρύζι

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order, but the version in the sentence is a very natural, neutral one.

This order:

• Εγώ προτιμώ... αλλά η φίλη μου θέλει...

sounds straightforward and clear.

You could change the order for emphasis. For example:

• Κολοκύθι και μπρόκολο προτιμώ εγώ
• Γαρίδες με ρύζι θέλει η φίλη μου

These alternatives are possible, but they sound more marked or emphatic. For learners, the original order is the safest and most natural pattern to copy.

Because αλλά introduces a new clause with a contrasting idea, much like but in English.

So the sentence is divided into two parts:

• Εγώ προτιμώ κολοκύθι και μπρόκολο
• αλλά η φίλη μου θέλει γαρίδες με ρύζι

The comma helps show that contrast clearly.

Not in this sentence. They are direct objects of προτιμώ, and Greek nouns do not change form just because they are direct objects if they are neuter singular like these two.

So:

• το κολοκύθι stays κολοκύθι
• το μπρόκολο stays μπρόκολο

If there were adjectives, those adjectives would need to agree with the nouns in gender, number, and case.

For example:

• φρέσκο κολοκύθι = fresh zucchini
• φρέσκο μπρόκολο = fresh broccoli

Yes. Κολοκύθι often refers to zucchini/courgette, but in some contexts related words can refer to other squash or gourds. In everyday modern Greek food contexts, though, κολοκύθι commonly means zucchini/courgette.

So in this sentence, a learner should understand it as the vegetable you eat, not as some unusual or abstract meaning.

They are:

• κολοκύθι → dictionary form το κολοκύθι
• μπρόκολο → dictionary form το μπρόκολο
• φίλη → dictionary form η φίλη
• γαρίδες → singular dictionary form η γαρίδα
• ρύζι → dictionary form το ρύζι

Greek dictionaries usually list nouns with the article because the article helps show the noun’s gender.