Στη σούπα βάζω λίγο σέλινο και λίγα μπιζέλια, γιατί μου αρέσει η γεύση τους.

Στη means in the soup or into the soup, depending on context.

It is a contraction of:

• σε = in, to, into
• τη(ν) = the, feminine accusative singular

So:

• σε τη σούπα → στη σούπα

This contraction is very common in modern Greek:

• στο = σε το
• στη = σε τη(ν)
• στους = σε τους
• στις = σε τις

Because σούπα is a feminine noun, Greek uses στη here.

Βάζω is the present tense, first person singular: I put / I am putting.

In Greek, the present tense is often used for:

• habitual actions: I put celery in soup
• general statements: When I make soup, I put...
• actions happening now: I’m putting...

So this sentence can sound natural both as:

• I put a little celery and a few peas in the soup
• I’m putting a little celery and a few peas in the soup

The exact English translation depends on context, but Greek often leaves that open.

Because λίγο changes form to agree with the noun.

Here are the important parts:

• σέλινο is neuter singular
• μπιζέλια is neuter plural

So:

• λίγο σέλινο = a little celery
• λίγα μπιζέλια = a few peas

This is similar to the difference in English between:

• a little for uncountable or mass-like things
• a few for countable plural things

Greek shows that distinction through different forms of the word:

• λίγο = neuter singular
• λίγα = neuter plural

In Greek, σέλινο is treated as a singular neuter noun when it means celery as an ingredient or substance.

So λίγο σέλινο means:

• a little celery
• some celery

This is similar to how English treats celery as a mass noun in many contexts.

Greek often uses the singular for ingredients or food substances like this, especially when talking about an amount rather than separate items.

Because peas are normally thought of as separate countable items, so Greek usually uses the plural μπιζέλια.

That is why the sentence has:

• λίγα μπιζέλια = a few peas

This is a good contrast with σέλινο:

• σέλινο behaves like a mass ingredient
• μπιζέλια behaves like a countable plural noun

So the sentence naturally mixes singular and plural depending on the noun.

That is exactly how the Greek verb αρέσω / αρέσει works.

Greek expresses liking differently from English:

• μου = to me
• αρέσει = is pleasing / pleases

So μου αρέσει literally means:

• it pleases me
• more naturally: I like it

This structure is extremely common in Greek:

• Μου αρέσει η μουσική. = I like music.
• Μου αρέσουν τα βιβλία. = I like books.

So instead of I being the grammatical subject, the thing liked becomes the subject in Greek.

Because the subject of the verb is η γεύση = the taste, and that noun is singular.

The relevant part is:

• η γεύση τους = their taste

Since γεύση is singular, Greek uses:

• μου αρέσει = I like / it pleases me

If the subject were plural, then Greek would use αρέσουν:

• Μου αρέσουν οι γεύσεις τους. = I like their flavors.

So the verb agrees with γεύση, not with σέλινο και μπιζέλια directly.

Τους means their, and it refers to σέλινο και μπιζέλια together.

So:

• η γεύση τους = their taste / the taste of them

Even though one noun is singular (σέλινο) and the other is plural (μπιζέλια), together they form a plural idea, so Greek uses τους.

This is a possessive pronoun placed after the noun:

• η γεύση τους = their taste
• το σπίτι μου = my house
• οι φίλοι μας = our friends

Greek uses the definite article much more often than English.

So η γεύση τους literally means:

• the taste of them
• naturally in English: their taste

In Greek, this article is completely normal and usually required:

• μου αρέσει η γεύση τους
• literally: their taste pleases me

English often drops the in places where Greek keeps it.

Yes. Γιατί can mean both:

• because
• why

In this sentence, it means because:

• ..., γιατί μου αρέσει η γεύση τους.
• ..., because I like their taste.

The meaning is understood from context and intonation.

Compare:

• Γιατί βάζεις σέλινο; = Why do you put celery?
• Βάζω σέλινο, γιατί μου αρέσει. = I put celery because I like it.

Yes, Greek word order is flexible.

The sentence begins with Στη σούπα to set the scene first:

• Στη σούπα βάζω... = In the soup, I put...

This sounds natural and can give slight emphasis to the soup as the place where the ingredients go.

You could also say:

• Βάζω λίγο σέλινο και λίγα μπιζέλια στη σούπα...

That is also correct.

Greek often moves parts of the sentence around for emphasis, rhythm, or style, as long as the grammar remains clear.

Yes: the written accent marks show where the stress falls.

• σούπα → SOU-pa
• σέλινο → SE-li-no
• μπιζέλια → bi-ZE-lia
• γεύση → GEV-si
• βάζω → VA-zo
• αρέσει → a-RE-si

Stress matters in Greek and is always marked in normal spelling. Learning the stress together with the word is very helpful.

No. Μπιζέλια is very common in everyday Greek, but you may also see αρακάς.

Very roughly:

• μπιζέλια = peas
• αρακάς can also mean peas, often in food contexts

In many situations they overlap, though usage can vary by speaker or context. In this sentence, μπιζέλια is a perfectly natural everyday word.