Πρώτα βάζω τα μακαρόνια στο πιάτο και μετά ρίχνω λίγο τυρί.

They are time-order adverbs:

• πρώτα = first
• μετά = then / afterwards

They show the sequence of actions in a very natural way, especially in recipes or instructions.

So the structure is:

• Πρώτα ... και μετά ... = First ... and then ...

Greek can also move these adverbs around more than English, but this placement is very common and clear.

Greek often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• βάζω = I put
• ρίχνω = I add / pour / sprinkle

The ending -ω tells you it is 1st person singular.

So εγώ is not necessary unless you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity:

• Εγώ βάζω τα μακαρόνια... = I’m the one who puts the pasta...

Without εγώ, the sentence sounds more natural in ordinary speech.

Greek often uses the present tense for:

• describing a routine
• giving instructions
• narrating recipe steps

So even though the sentence may describe a sequence of actions, the present tense is normal.

This is similar to English in contexts like:

• First I put the pasta on the plate, then I add some cheese.

In recipes, Greek can also use other forms, but the present is very common and natural.

They are not exactly the same.

• βάζω = put / place
• ρίχνω literally = throw / drop, but in cooking it often means add, pour, or sprinkle

So in this sentence:

• βάζω τα μακαρόνια στο πιάτο = I put the pasta on the plate
• ρίχνω λίγο τυρί = I add / sprinkle a little cheese

Using ρίχνω with cheese sounds very natural, because you are scattering or adding it over the food.

Not necessarily in the narrow English sense.

In Modern Greek, μακαρόνια often refers more broadly to pasta, especially long pasta like spaghetti, depending on context. So a learner should not assume it only means elbow macaroni.

A few rough comparisons:

• μακαρόνια = often spaghetti / pasta
• ζυμαρικά = a broader word for pasta in general

So in this sentence, τα μακαρόνια is best understood as the pasta.

τα is the definite article for neuter plural nouns in the nominative and accusative.

• singular: το μακαρόνι
• plural: τα μακαρόνια

Here τα μακαρόνια is the direct object of βάζω, so it is in the accusative. For neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative often look the same, so you do not see a form change.

Greek uses the definite article more often than English. So τα μακαρόνια can sound natural even where English might simply say pasta.

Because στο is the normal contraction of:

• σε + το = στο

So:

• στο πιάτο = on the plate / onto the plate / in the plate, depending on context

This contraction is standard and expected in normal Greek.

Similar examples:

• σε + τη(ν) = στη / στην
• σε + τα = στα

It can correspond to several English prepositions depending on context.

The preposition σε is very broad and can mean:

• in
• on
• at
• to

So στο πιάτο is understood from the situation. In this sentence, English would usually say:

• on the plate
• or onto the plate

Greek does not need a different preposition here.

Because the sentence is talking about putting the pasta onto one plate.

• στο πιάτο = on the plate

If you were serving multiple plates, you could say:

• στα πιάτα = on the plates

So the singular simply matches the idea of one serving plate.

Because τυρί here is being treated as an uncountable mass noun: cheese as a substance, not separate individual cheeses.

• λίγο τυρί = a little cheese / some cheese

By contrast:

• λίγα τυριά = a few cheeses

That would mean different kinds or pieces/types of cheese, which is not the idea here.

So λίγο is the correct form because it goes with singular mass τυρί.

Because λίγο τυρί means an indefinite quantity:

• a little cheese
• some cheese

When Greek expresses this kind of indefinite amount, it often does not use the definite article.

Compare:

• ρίχνω λίγο τυρί = I add some cheese
• ρίχνω το τυρί = I add the cheese

The second one would mean a specific cheese already known from the context.

The nouns are in the accusative, because they are either direct objects or follow σε.

• τα μακαρόνια: accusative, direct object of βάζω
• στο πιάτο: σε + accusative
• λίγο τυρί: accusative, direct object of ρίχνω

For neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative forms are often identical, so the case is understood from the sentence structure rather than an obvious ending change.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

The sentence as given is neutral and natural:

• Πρώτα βάζω τα μακαρόνια στο πιάτο και μετά ρίχνω λίγο τυρί.

But Greek could also shift things for emphasis, for example:

• Βάζω πρώτα τα μακαρόνια στο πιάτο...
• Και μετά ρίχνω λίγο τυρί.
• Λίγο τυρί ρίχνω μετά.
  This is less neutral and more emphatic.

So the original order is probably the best one for a learner to copy, but it is not the only possible order.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

PRO-ta VA-zo ta ma-ka-RO-nya sto PYA-to ke me-TA RI-hno LI-go ti-RI

A few useful points:

• Πρώτα is stressed on the first syllable.
• βάζω is stressed on βά-.
• μακαρόνια is stressed on -ρό-.
• πιάτο sounds roughly like PYA-to.
• ρίχνω has the consonant cluster χν, which may feel unfamiliar at first.
• τυρί is stressed on the last syllable: ti-RI.

The written accent marks in Greek show you where the stress goes, so they are very important.