Παραγγείλαμε έναν μικρό μεζέ, και ο σερβιτόρος έβαλε κι ένα καθαρό πιατάκι για τη σαλάτα.

Παραγγείλαμε means we ordered.

It is the aorist tense, which is the most common Greek past tense for a completed action. In this sentence, it refers to one whole event: we placed an order.

• παραγγέλνω = I order
• παρήγγειλα / παραγγείλαμε = I ordered / we ordered

The ending -αμε tells you the subject is we.

Because this phrase is the direct object of the verb Παραγγείλαμε.

In Greek, direct objects usually go in the accusative case, not the nominative.

So:

• nominative: ένας μικρός μεζές = a small meze dish
• accusative: έναν μικρό μεζέ = a small meze dish (as the thing ordered)

All three words change to match the masculine singular accusative:

• ένας → έναν
• μικρός → μικρό
• μεζές → μεζέ

Μεζές means a small dish, appetizer, or meze—the kind of food often served in small portions to share.

It is also a cultural word, not just a grammar item. In Greek, μεζές often suggests:

• a small savory plate
• something to nibble with drinks
• a shared dish at a taverna

So έναν μικρό μεζέ sounds very natural in a restaurant context.

Because the adjective has to agree with the noun it describes.

Here, μικρό describes μεζέ, which is:

• masculine
• singular
• accusative

So the adjective also becomes masculine singular accusative:

• nominative: μικρός
• accusative: μικρό

This is normal adjective agreement in Greek.

ο σερβιτόρος means the waiter.

The word ο is the masculine singular definite article, equivalent to the.

So:

• σερβιτόρος = waiter
• ο σερβιτόρος = the waiter

Greek uses the definite article very regularly, often more consistently than English does.

Έβαλε means he put, he placed, or in this context, he set down.

It comes from the verb βάζω = I put.

So:

• βάζω = I put
• έβαλε = he put

This is also aorist, so it describes a completed past action.

In restaurant English, the waiter put a clean little plate down for the salad sounds natural.

That έ- is called the augment, which often appears in past-tense forms in Greek, especially in the aorist and imperfect.

So:

• present: βάζω
• aorist: έβαλε

You do not need to add it yourself mechanically in every case yet, but it is useful to recognize that this extra ε-/έ- often signals a past tense.

κι is a shortened form of και, and both mean and.

In this sentence:

• και ο σερβιτόρος = and the waiter
• κι ένα καθαρό πιατάκι = and also a clean little plate / and even a clean little plate

Here κι sounds very natural and conversational. It often appears before a vowel, as in ένα.

It can also give a slight sense of also / too depending on context.

Because they are doing slightly different jobs in the flow of the sentence.

• και ο σερβιτόρος connects the two clauses:
  We ordered..., and the waiter...
• κι ένα καθαρό πιατάκι adds an extra item inside the second clause:
  the waiter put down also/even a clean little plate

So using both sounds very natural, not repetitive.

Πιατάκι is a diminutive of πιάτο.

• πιάτο = plate
• πιατάκι = small plate, little plate, side plate

The ending -άκι often makes a noun smaller, cuter, lighter, or more informal.

Here it suggests a small plate, which fits the restaurant situation very well.

Because πιατάκι is neuter singular, and both the article and adjective must agree with it.

So:

• ένα = a/an (neuter singular accusative/nominative)
• καθαρό = clean (neuter singular)
• πιατάκι = little plate (neuter singular)

All three match grammatically.

Yes, literally it does.

But in context, it usually means something like:

• a clean plate
• an extra clean side plate
• a fresh small plate

In restaurant Greek, καθαρό can imply unused / fresh / not dirty, not just physically washed.

Both are possible in Greek, but τη is a very common shortened form of την before a consonant.

So:

• για τη σαλάτα
• για την σαλάτα

Both mean for the salad.

In everyday speech and writing, dropping the final -ν is very common when the next word begins with certain consonants, and σαλάτα begins with σ, so τη σαλάτα sounds perfectly natural.

It is in the accusative case.

After the preposition για (for), Greek normally uses the accusative:

• για τη σαλάτα = for the salad

So:

• article: τη(ν) = feminine singular accusative
• noun: σαλάτα = feminine singular accusative form

For many feminine nouns like σαλάτα, the nominative and accusative look the same, but the article helps show the case.

Yes, the word order is natural, and yes, Greek is more flexible than English.

This sentence is a very normal way to say it:

Παραγγείλαμε έναν μικρό μεζέ, και ο σερβιτόρος έβαλε κι ένα καθαρό πιατάκι για τη σαλάτα.

But Greek could move things around for emphasis. For example, a speaker might shift κι ένα καθαρό πιατάκι or για τη σαλάτα depending on what they want to highlight.

Still, the version you have is smooth, neutral, and idiomatic.

Because Greek usually does not need subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the subject.

For example:

• Παραγγείλαμε already means we ordered
• έβαλε already means he/she/it put

That is why Greek often omits pronouns like εμείς or αυτός unless the speaker wants emphasis or contrast.

So the sentence sounds more natural without them.