Εντωμεταξύ, η φίλη μου ετοίμασε έναν μικρό μεζέ στο σπίτι, γιατί δεν είχαμε όρεξη να βγούμε έξω.

Εντωμεταξύ means meanwhile or in the meantime. It sets the scene and connects this sentence to something happening before it.

The comma after it is very natural, because it is being used as a sentence opener.

It can mean either my female friend or my girlfriend.

• φίλη = female friend
• φίλος = male friend
• η φίλη μου can also mean my girlfriend in everyday Greek

Context usually tells you which meaning is intended. If the larger story is about a romantic partner, it will probably mean girlfriend. If not, it may simply mean female friend.

ετοίμασε is the aorist form of ετοιμάζω.

Here it means prepared as a completed action in the past.

• ετοιμάζω = I prepare / I am preparing
• ετοίμασε = he/she prepared

So η φίλη μου ετοίμασε means my friend/girlfriend prepared.

The Greek aorist often corresponds to the simple past in English.

Because μεζές is a masculine noun, and here it is the direct object of the verb, so it appears in the accusative singular.

Breakdown:

• ένας μεζές = a meze / a small dish
• έναν μεζέ = a meze (accusative)
• μικρός = small
• μικρό = masculine accusative singular, agreeing with μεζέ

So:

• έναν μικρό μεζέ = a small meze / a small snack dish

A μεζές is a small savory dish, snack, or appetizer, often something simple that can be shared.

It is a very cultural word, so sometimes translating it as just snack or appetizer does not capture the full feel. A μεζές can be something like olives, cheese, dips, grilled bites, or another small plate served with drinks or as light food.

So in this sentence, it suggests a small homemade bite to eat, not a full meal.

στο is a contraction of σε + το.

• σε = in / at / to
• το σπίτι = the house / home
• στο σπίτι = at home / in the house

In this sentence, στο σπίτι means at home.

Greek very often uses these contractions:

• στο = σε + το
• στη = σε + τη
• στον = σε + τον

Yes, γιατί can mean both because and why.

Here it means because, since it introduces a reason:

• γιατί δεν είχαμε όρεξη... = because we didn’t feel like...

When γιατί means why, it usually appears in a question:

• Γιατί έφυγες; = Why did you leave?

So the meaning depends on the sentence structure.

This is a very common Greek expression.

• έχω όρεξη literally means I have appetite/desire
• in many contexts it means I feel like
• δεν είχαμε όρεξη να... = we didn’t feel like...

So:

• δεν είχαμε όρεξη να βγούμε έξω = we didn’t feel like going out

It is more natural in English to translate it as we weren’t in the mood to go out or we didn’t feel like going out, rather than the more literal we didn’t have the desire to go out.

Modern Greek does not normally use an infinitive the way English does. Instead, it usually uses να + verb.

So where English says:

• to go out

Greek says:

• να βγούμε

Here βγούμε is the aorist subjunctive form of βγαίνω.

This is very common after expressions like:

• θέλω να... = I want to...
• μπορώ να... = I can...
• έχω όρεξη να... = I feel like...

Because να βγούμε uses the aorist subjunctive, which usually points to a single, complete action: to go out on this occasion.

• να βγούμε = to go out once / to head out
• να βγαίνουμε = to be going out regularly / repeatedly / as an ongoing activity

In this sentence, they mean one specific action: they did not feel like going out that time. So να βγούμε is the natural choice.

Yes, βγαίνω already can mean go out, but adding έξω is very common and natural.

• βγαίνω = I go out / come out
• βγαίνω έξω = I go out, literally go outside

The έξω adds emphasis and makes the idea very clear. In everyday speech, Greek often uses both together.

So να βγούμε έξω sounds very normal and idiomatic.

Because the second clause changes the implied subject.

First clause:

• η φίλη μου ετοίμασε... = my friend/girlfriend prepared...

Second clause:

• δεν είχαμε όρεξη... = we didn’t feel like...

So the we refers to the speaker and the friend/girlfriend together. Greek often leaves subject pronouns unstated when the verb ending already shows the person and number.

• είχαμε = we had

There is no need to say εμείς unless you want extra emphasis.

Not completely. Greek word order is more flexible than English word order, because endings show the grammatical roles more clearly.

This sentence uses a very natural, neutral order:

• Εντωμεταξύ = scene-setting adverb
• η φίλη μου = subject
• ετοίμασε = verb
• έναν μικρό μεζέ = object
• στο σπίτι = place
• γιατί... = reason clause

You could move some parts for emphasis, but this version sounds smooth and standard.