Η φλούδα από τις ντομάτες δεν φεύγει εύκολα, γι’ αυτό τις βάζω πρώτα σε ζεστό νερό και μετά τις στραγγίζω στο σουρωτήρι.

In Greek, a singular noun can be used in a general or collective sense. Here η φλούδα means the peel / tomato skin in general, not necessarily one single peel.

So the sentence is talking about the peel as a kind of outer layer on tomatoes.

You could also say οι φλούδες από τις ντομάτες if you want to focus on the individual peels, but η φλούδα sounds very natural when speaking generally.

Both patterns exist in Greek, but they do not feel exactly the same.

• η φλούδα από τις ντομάτες = the peel from tomatoes / tomato peel
• η φλούδα των ντοματών = the peel of the tomatoes

The από + accusative pattern is very common in everyday Greek and can sound a bit more concrete or natural in speech. The genitive is also correct, but learners will often hear από used in this kind of expression.

Yes, but in this context it means something more like:

• comes off
• comes away
• separates easily

So η φλούδα δεν φεύγει εύκολα means the peel does not come off easily.

Greek often uses φεύγω in this extended sense for something that detaches or disappears.

Because εύκολα is an adverb, and it modifies the verb φεύγει.

• εύκολος / εύκολη / εύκολο = easy
• εύκολα = easily

Since the sentence is saying how the peel comes off, Greek uses the adverb: δεν φεύγει εύκολα.

γι’ αυτό means:

• that’s why
• for this reason
• therefore

It is a shortened form of για αυτό. The apostrophe shows contraction.

So:

• για αυτό → full form
• γι’ αυτό → very common contracted form

Both may appear, but γι’ αυτό is especially common in normal writing.

Τις is the direct object pronoun meaning them, and it refers to τις ντομάτες.

Since ντομάτες is:

• feminine
• plural

the pronoun must also be feminine plural: τις.

So:

• τη = her / it, feminine singular
• τις = them, feminine plural

Because each verb needs its own object.

The sentence has two actions:

• τις βάζω = I put them
• τις στραγγίζω = I drain them

Even though the object is the same, Greek normally uses the pronoun again with the second verb. This is completely natural.

Greek present tense is often used for:

• habits
• routines
• general procedures
• instructions described as normal practice

So τις βάζω πρώτα... και μετά τις στραγγίζω... means something like this is what I do or this is my usual method.

It is not necessarily happening right now at this exact moment.

Yes. They are adverbs used to show order.

• πρώτα = first
• μετά = then / afterwards

They help organize the steps in the process:

1. τις βάζω πρώτα σε ζεστό νερό
2. μετά τις στραγγίζω στο σουρωτήρι

Their position is fairly flexible, but this placement is very natural.

Because Greek often omits the article when speaking about a substance or something non-specific after a preposition.

So σε ζεστό νερό means in hot water in a general sense.

If you said στο ζεστό νερό, that would sound more like in the hot water, referring to specific hot water already known from the context.

Στο is the contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• σε το σουρωτήρι is not used
• στο σουρωτήρι is the correct form

This means in the colander / in the strainer.

Because σουρωτήρι is simply a neuter noun in Greek.

Its article is το, so after σε it becomes στο.

A few forms:

• το σουρωτήρι = the colander / strainer
• στο σουρωτήρι = in the colander / strainer
• ένα σουρωτήρι = a colander / strainer

Grammatical gender in Greek does not always match any natural gender idea; it is just part of the noun’s pattern.

Not exactly. Στραγγίζω means:

• drain
• strain
• let the water run off

So here it means that after putting the tomatoes in hot water, the speaker puts them in a colander so the water drains away.

It does not mean fully drying them. For dry, Greek would use a different verb, such as στεγνώνω or σκουπίζω depending on the context.

Yes. Here we have τις ντομάτες, which is the accusative plural form, because it is the object of από and also the thing being referred to by τις.

Useful forms are:

• η ντομάτα = the tomato
• της ντομάτας = of the tomato
• τη(ν) ντομάτα = the tomato, object
• οι ντομάτες = the tomatoes
• των ντοματών = of the tomatoes
• τις ντομάτες = the tomatoes, object

This sentence gives a good example of how feminine plural nouns behave.

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

For example, you could also hear:

• Πρώτα τις βάζω σε ζεστό νερό...
• Τις βάζω σε ζεστό νερό πρώτα...

These versions are still grammatical, but the original order sounds smooth and neutral.

Greek often moves words around for emphasis, rhythm, or focus, while keeping the meaning basically the same.