Στο ξύλο κοπής ψιλοκόβω κρεμμύδι και μετά τρίβω λίγο τυρί με τον τρίφτη.

Στο is the contracted form of σε + το.

• σε can mean in, on, at, or to
• το is the neuter singular definite article the

So:

• σε το ξύλο κοπής → στο ξύλο κοπής

This contraction is completely normal in modern Greek. In this sentence, στο ξύλο κοπής means on the cutting board.

Κοπής is the genitive singular of κοπή.

Greek often uses a noun in the genitive to describe the function or purpose of another noun. So:

• ξύλο = wood / wooden board
• κοπής = of cutting

Together, ξύλο κοπής means something like board for cutting.

This is a very common Greek pattern:

• μηχανή καφέ = coffee machine
• ποτήρι νερού = water glass / glass for water
• ξύλο κοπής = cutting board

Yes, it is a common and natural expression. Literally it means cutting wood/board, but idiomatically it means cutting board.

You may also hear:

• σανίδα κοπής

Both are understandable. Ξύλο κοπής is very common in everyday Greek.

Ψιλοκόβω is a compound verb:

• ψιλο- = finely, in small pieces
• κόβω = cut

So ψιλοκόβω means to chop finely, to mince, or to cut into small pieces.

It is very common in cooking language.

In this sentence, ψιλοκόβω is:

• present tense
• 1st person singular

So literally it means I finely chop.

Greek often omits the article with ingredients or indefinite objects, especially in recipe-style language.

So ψιλοκόβω κρεμμύδι can mean:

• I finely chop onion
• I finely chop an onion
• I finely chop some onion

The exact English wording depends on context.

If Greek wanted to be more specific, it could say:

• ένα κρεμμύδι = an onion
• το κρεμμύδι = the onion

The version without an article sounds natural in cooking instructions or action descriptions.

Yes, it could be plural, but the singular is normal here.

In cooking, a singular noun often names the ingredient in a general way:

• κρεμμύδι = onion / some onion / an onion

If the speaker means more than one onion, Greek could say:

• κρεμμύδια = onions

If the speaker wants to emphasize one whole onion, they might say:

• ένα κρεμμύδι

So the singular here is not strange; it is a very common ingredient-style usage.

Λίγο means a little, a bit of, or some.

So:

• λίγο τυρί = a little cheese / some cheese

Grammatically, λίγο is the neuter singular form, matching τυρί, which is also neuter singular.

This is a very common structure in Greek with mass nouns:

• λίγο νερό = a little water
• λίγο ψωμί = a little bread
• λίγο τυρί = a little cheese

Yes. Τρίβω has a general meaning of rub, but in cooking contexts it often means grate.

So with cheese, vegetables, etc., τρίβω is naturally understood as:

• grate

Examples:

• τρίβω τυρί = grate cheese
• τρίβω καρότο = grate carrot

Context tells you which meaning is intended.

Yes, they are closely related.

• τρίβω = I grate / I rub
• τρίφτης = grater

This is a useful vocabulary connection: the tool name comes from the same verbal idea.

So:

• τρίβω λίγο τυρί με τον τρίφτη = I grate a little cheese with the grater

Greek uses με + accusative to express the instrument used to do something.

So:

• με τον τρίφτη = with the grater

There is no separate instrumental case in modern Greek, so με does that job.

Here:

• με = with
• τον τρίφτη = the grater (accusative masculine singular)

This is the normal way to express tools:

• με το μαχαίρι = with the knife
• με το κουτάλι = with the spoon
• με τον τρίφτη = with the grater

That is a very common Greek pattern.

The article is often omitted with ingredients in a general or indefinite sense:

• κρεμμύδι
• λίγο τυρί

But the article is often used with familiar, specific, or contextually obvious objects:

• τον τρίφτη = the grater

In a kitchen context, the grater is a specific tool being used, so the article sounds natural.

Greek generally uses the definite article more often than English does. If you wanted to say with a grater, you could say:

• με έναν τρίφτη

But με τον τρίφτη is very natural when the tool is understood as the specific one being used.

Greek word order is flexible. Starting with Στο ξύλο κοπής puts the location first and sets the scene.

So the sentence begins by telling you where the action happens, and then gives the actions:

• finely chop the onion
• then grate some cheese

A more neutral order could also be:

• Ψιλοκόβω κρεμμύδι στο ξύλο κοπής...

But the original version sounds natural and slightly more descriptive.

Greek often uses the present tense to describe:

• habitual actions
• step-by-step actions
• recipe or instruction style
• actions happening right now

So ψιλοκόβω and τρίβω literally mean I finely chop and I grate, but in context they can sound like:

• I’m finely chopping
• I chop
• first I chop..., then I grate...

This kind of present is very common in demonstrations and cooking descriptions.

Και μετά means and then or and afterwards.

• και = and
• μετά = after / then

It links the two actions in sequence:

1. chopping
2. grating

So it helps show the order of the steps very clearly.