Όποτε έχω χρόνο, φτιάχνω φακές με σκόρδο και λίγο ξίδι.

Όποτε means whenever or every time that. It suggests a repeated situation:

• Όποτε έχω χρόνο... = Whenever I have time...

By contrast, όταν usually means when, and it can refer either to a general situation or to one specific time, depending on context.

So here, όποτε is a very natural choice because the speaker means something habitual: every time they have free time, they make this dish.

In Greek, έχω χρόνο literally means I have time, just like in English we usually say I have time, not I have a time.

Greek often leaves out the indefinite article in expressions of this kind:

• έχω χρόνο = I have time
• δεν έχω χρόνο = I don’t have time

If you said έναν χρόνο, that would usually mean one year, because χρόνο can also mean year in some contexts.

χρόνο is the accusative singular form of χρόνος.

That is because it is the direct object of έχω:

• έχω = I have
• χρόνο = time

Dictionary form:

• ο χρόνος = time / year

Accusative singular:

• τον χρόνο

In the sentence, the article is omitted, but the noun still stays in the accusative:

• έχω χρόνο

Yes, φτιάχνω very often means make, but it is also used in a broader everyday way for things like:

• making food
• preparing something
• fixing something
• creating something

In this sentence, φτιάχνω φακές means I make / cook lentils.

For food, φτιάχνω is extremely common in spoken Greek. It can sound more natural in everyday speech than a more literal equivalent like μαγειρεύω in some contexts.

Greek uses the present tense for repeated or habitual actions, just like English does:

• Όποτε έχω χρόνο, φτιάχνω φακές.
• Whenever I have time, I make lentils.

So the present here does not mean only right now. It can also describe what someone generally does.

Greek usually does not need subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the person:

• έχω = I have
• φτιάχνω = I make

So εγώ is often omitted unless the speaker wants emphasis or contrast:

• Εγώ φτιάχνω φακές, αλλά αυτός φτιάχνει φασολάδα. = I make lentils, but he makes bean soup.

In your sentence, no emphasis is needed, so the pronouns are naturally left out.

φακές is the plural form of φακή.

• η φακή = a lentil
• οι φακές = lentils

When talking about the dish or lentils as food, Greek commonly uses the plural:

• φτιάχνω φακές = I make lentils / I cook lentil soup

This is very natural. English also often uses a plural food word in similar ways, like beans or lentils.

It can mean both, depending on context.

• Literally: lentils
• In everyday Greek cooking context: often lentil soup / lentils as a dish

So in φτιάχνω φακές, most Greek speakers will understand it as making the usual lentil dish, not just handling raw lentils.

Yes. με means with, and it is commonly used to introduce ingredients:

• με σκόρδο = with garlic
• με ντομάτα = with tomato
• με λάδι = with oil

So here it means the lentils are prepared with garlic and a little vinegar.

λίγο here means a little and is being used with an uncountable quantity:

• λίγο ξίδι = a little vinegar

You would use λίγες with a feminine plural countable noun:

• λίγες φακές = a few lentils / a few portions of lentils, depending on context

But ξίδι is treated as a substance, so λίγο is the correct form.

ξίδι is neuter:

• το ξίδι = the vinegar

Because of that, the form λίγο matches the neuter singular form. But in this sentence, it is also functioning adverbially/quantitatively in the sense of a little.

Compare:

• λίγος καφές = a little coffee / some coffee
• λίγη ζάχαρη = a little sugar
• λίγο ξίδι = a little vinegar

So λίγο is exactly what you would expect here.

Both spellings may be encountered, but ξίδι is the standard Modern Greek spelling.

You may still see ξύδι in older texts, traditional usage, or personal preference, but for a learner, ξίδι is the form to remember and use.

The first part, Όποτε έχω χρόνο, is a subordinate clause meaning whenever I have time.

The comma separates that introductory clause from the main clause:

• Όποτε έχω χρόνο, φτιάχνω φακές...

This is similar to English:

• Whenever I have time, I make lentils...

So the comma is normal and helpful here.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order, although some versions sound more natural than others.

The original:

• Όποτε έχω χρόνο, φτιάχνω φακές με σκόρδο και λίγο ξίδι.

You could also say:

• Φτιάχνω φακές με σκόρδο και λίγο ξίδι όποτε έχω χρόνο.

Both are grammatical, but the original puts the time condition first, which sounds very natural.

Greek often changes word order for emphasis, rhythm, or style.

It would still be correct:

• Όποτε έχω χρόνο, μαγειρεύω φακές με σκόρδο και λίγο ξίδι.

This means something like Whenever I have time, I cook lentils with garlic and a little vinegar.

The difference is mainly nuance:

• φτιάχνω = everyday make / prepare
• μαγειρεύω = more specifically cook

In casual speech about food, φτιάχνω is extremely common and natural.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Όποτε ≈ OH-po-te
• έχω ≈ EH-ho (the χ is a throaty sound, not an English h)
• χρόνο ≈ HRO-no or KHRO-no

The stress falls where the accent marks are:

• Όποτε
• έχω
• χρόνο
• φτιάχνω
• φακές
• σκόρδο
• ξίδι

The Greek χ sound is often one of the hardest sounds for English speakers. It is like the sound in German Bach or Scottish loch, not like English ch in chair.