Η φίλη μου άφησε μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα, γιατί το φαγητό ήταν πολύ καλό.

In Greek, possessive pronouns like μου usually come after the noun:

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• το σπίτι μου = my house

Putting μου before the noun is not normal in standard Greek.
You may sometimes see different word orders for emphasis in poetry or very marked speech, but for everyday Greek, η φίλη μου is the standard pattern.

Άφησε is the aorist (simple past) of αφήνω, which basically means to leave.

So:

• αφήνω = I leave / am leaving
• άφησε = he/she/it left

In this sentence, άφησε φιλοδώρημα means left a tip.

Greek often uses the verb αφήνω in exactly this way, just like English uses leave in leave a tip.

Μεγαλύτερο means bigger / larger / greater. It is the comparative form of μεγάλος (big).

It has this form because it must agree with φιλοδώρημα, which is:

• neuter
• singular
• here functioning as the direct object

So:

• μεγαλύτερος = masculine
• μεγαλύτερη = feminine
• μεγαλύτερο = neuter

Since φιλοδώρημα is neuter, Greek uses μεγαλύτερο.

Greek has no indefinite article equivalent to English a/an.

So:

• ένα φιλοδώρημα can mean one tip or sometimes a tip
• but very often Greek simply says φιλοδώρημα with no article when English would say a tip

Here, άφησε μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα naturally means left a bigger tip.

Φιλοδώρημα means tip or gratuity, especially in places like restaurants, cafés, taxis, and similar situations.

So:

• αφήνω φιλοδώρημα = leave a tip
• μεγάλο φιλοδώρημα = a big tip

It is a very useful everyday noun in Greek.

Γιατί means because in this sentence.

So:

• Η φίλη μου άφησε μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα, γιατί το φαγητό ήταν πολύ καλό.
• My friend left a bigger tip, because the food was very good.

Important note: γιατί can also mean why in questions:

• Γιατί έφυγες; = Why did you leave?

So the same word can mean:

• because
• why

The meaning depends on context and sentence structure.

The comma separates the main clause from the clause explaining the reason:

• Η φίλη μου άφησε μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα
• γιατί το φαγητό ήταν πολύ καλό

Greek punctuation often uses a comma before γιατί when it introduces an explanatory clause like because...
English style can vary a bit with because, but in Greek this comma is very common and natural.

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English.

So το φαγητό can mean:

• the food
• sometimes more generally the food/meal in the situation being discussed

In this sentence, it refers to the food they ate, so το φαγητό is very natural.

Greek often prefers the article where English may or may not use one.

Ήταν is the past form of είμαι (to be).

So:

• είναι = is
• ήταν = was

The speaker is describing the food as it was at that time, so Greek uses ήταν:

• το φαγητό ήταν πολύ καλό = the food was very good

This is the normal way to describe a past state or quality.

Because καλό refers to το φαγητό, and φαγητό is neuter singular.

Greek adjectives must agree with the noun they describe:

• καλός = masculine
• καλή = feminine
• καλό = neuter

So:

• ο καφές είναι καλός
• η σαλάτα είναι καλή
• το φαγητό είναι καλό

Here, πολύ means very, so πολύ καλό = very good.

Not always. Μεγαλύτερο is the comparative of big, but in English the best translation depends on context.

It can mean:

• bigger
• larger
• greater
• sometimes more substantial

In this sentence, a bigger tip is the most natural translation.

A learner may notice that Greek noun endings change depending on their role.

Here are the main ones:

• Η φίλη μου → nominative
  because it is the subject of the sentence

• φιλοδώρημα → accusative
  because it is the direct object of άφησε

• το φαγητό → nominative
  because it is the subject of ήταν

A useful detail: many neuter nouns, like φιλοδώρημα and φαγητό, have the same form in nominative and accusative singular, which is why they may look unchanged.

Yes. Greek word order is more flexible than English, although this sentence is in a very normal, neutral order.

Current order:

• Η φίλη μου άφησε μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα, γιατί το φαγητό ήταν πολύ καλό.

This is a straightforward subject + verb + object structure.

Greek could move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• Μεγαλύτερο φιλοδώρημα άφησε η φίλη μου...

That would sound more marked, with emphasis on the bigger tip.

So the given sentence is the most natural choice for a simple statement.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Here:

• η φίλη μου = my friend

So μου is functioning as a possessive.

But in other sentences, μου can mean to me:

• Μου είπε = He/She told me
• Μου έδωσε ένα βιβλίο = He/She gave me a book

So μου is a very common little word with more than one use. Context tells you which meaning it has.