Αφού δεν έχω κανέλα, θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη στο φαγητό και τίποτα στο γλυκό.

Yes, αφού can mean after, but in this sentence it means since / because.

So:

• Αφού δεν έχω κανέλα... = Since I don’t have cinnamon...

Greek uses αφού both for time and for reason, and the context tells you which meaning is intended. Here the speaker is giving a reason for what they will do next, not describing a sequence of events.

δεν is the normal word for negating a verb in ordinary statements.

• έχω = I have
• δεν έχω = I do not have / I don’t have

Unlike English, Greek does not need an extra do:

• English: I do not have
• Greek: δεν έχω

So Αφού δεν έχω κανέλα is simply Since I don’t have cinnamon.

Because κανέλα is being used as an indefinite mass noun here, like cinnamon in English.

• δεν έχω κανέλα = I don’t have cinnamon / I don’t have any cinnamon

This is very natural in Greek when talking about substances, ingredients, or materials in a general way.

If you added the article, it would sound more like a specific cinnamon already known from the context:

• δεν έχω την κανέλα = I don’t have the cinnamon

That is much more specific.

In Modern Greek, the future is normally formed with θα plus a verb form.

• θα βάλω = I will put
• θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη = I will put a little oregano

So θα is the future marker here.

A useful thing to remember is that Greek does not build the future the way English does with will + base verb exactly; instead, θα combines with a specific verb form, often depending on aspect.

Because βάζω and βάλω reflect different aspect choices.

• βάζω is the imperfective/present stem
• βάλω is the perfective stem used for a single complete action

Here the speaker means one complete action:

• θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη = I’ll add a little oregano

If you used θα βάζω, it would suggest something more like repeated, habitual, or ongoing action, depending on context.

So θα βάλω is the natural choice for I’ll put/add in this one-time situation.

Because λίγος / λίγη / λίγο changes to match the gender of the noun.

• ρίγανη is feminine
• so you need λίγη

That gives:

• λίγη ρίγανη = a little oregano / some oregano

Compare:

• λίγος καφές = a little coffee (masculine)
• λίγο γάλα = a little milk (neuter)
• λίγη ζάχαρη = a little sugar (feminine)

So this is agreement in gender, number, and case.

Either can work, depending on the context.

• λίγη ρίγανη can mean a little oregano
• or more naturally in some English contexts, some oregano

Greek often uses λίγος / λίγη / λίγο where English might choose either a little or some for an uncountable noun.

So the important idea is that it refers to a small quantity.

στο is a contraction of:

• σε
  • το → στο

So:

• στο φαγητό = in/to the food
• στο γλυκό = in/to the dessert

The preposition σε can mean in, into, to, on, and sometimes other related meanings, depending on context.

In this sentence, στο is best understood as in / into.

Because both nouns are neuter singular, and στο includes the neuter singular article το.

• φαγητό is neuter → στο φαγητό
• γλυκό is neuter → στο γλυκό

Also, Greek often uses the article more than English does. So where English might just say in food or in dessert, Greek naturally says στο φαγητό and στο γλυκό.

In context, these mean something like:

• in the dish / in the food
• in the dessert

Yes — as an adjective, γλυκός / γλυκιά / γλυκό means sweet.

But in Greek, adjectives can also be used as nouns, especially with the article. So:

• το γλυκό = literally the sweet [thing]
• in everyday Greek, this commonly means dessert

This is very common in Greek. The article helps turn the adjective into a noun.

So here στο γλυκό means in the dessert.

This is because the second part is elliptical: Greek is leaving out words that are understood from the context.

The sentence says:

• θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη στο φαγητό και τίποτα στο γλυκό

The idea is:

• I’ll put a little oregano in the food, and nothing in the dessert

If you made the second part fully explicit, Greek would more naturally say:

• και δεν θα βάλω τίποτα στο γλυκό

In full clauses, τίποτα usually goes with δεν when it means nothing. But in this shortened structure, the verb and negation are understood, so τίποτα στο γλυκό works as a concise continuation.

Because Greek often omits repeated material when the meaning is obvious.

So instead of saying the full version:

• θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη στο φαγητό και δεν θα βάλω τίποτα στο γλυκό

the sentence uses a shorter version:

• θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη στο φαγητό και τίποτα στο γλυκό

This kind of omission is common in natural speech and writing. The listener easily understands that the second part still depends on the same general idea of putting/adding something.

The main object nouns are in the accusative.

• κανέλα is the object of έχω
• λίγη ρίγανη is the object of βάλω

After σε, Greek also uses the accusative, so:

• στο φαγητό
• στο γλυκό

are also accusative forms.

In this sentence, many of the accusative forms look the same as the dictionary form, which is why the case may not be obvious at first glance. That is very common in Modern Greek.

Yes, Greek word order is fairly flexible.

This sentence could be rearranged in various ways if the speaker wanted a different emphasis. For example, the reason clause could come later, or different parts could be emphasized more strongly.

But the given order is very natural:

• Αφού δεν έχω κανέλα, θα βάλω λίγη ρίγανη στο φαγητό και τίποτα στο γλυκό.

It starts with the reason, then gives the speaker’s decision. That makes the logic very clear.