Easy Greek Phonetic Phrases
You know how we English speakers say " It's Greek to me"? Well, Greeks say "It's Chinese to me"
There are many good texts on the Demotic (modern) Greek language. This guide is only intended
to offer you the basics necessary to enhance you trip. I figure if you really
want to learn Greek, you'll go out and find a book (try the public library) or one of the many good pocket size phrase books available.
In Greece in general, and on maps and street signs, place names are spelled differently by everybody including me... its a long story having to do with different conquerors trying to label things. A little bit of each language is left over. When not sure people guess how to spell things... its so darn hot!
Greeks are totally used to foreigners and don't really expect you to speak Greek but you'll have a better time if you know even a little. Just print this out and use it when you need it!
Many signs that you'll see are in both latin alphabet and Greek. They will help you figure out relationships between the alphabets. There are some letter combinations in upper case that are pronounced differently as well as single letters that are pronounced differently than the English; NT=D, B=V for example. A "g" is an upside down" L", an "L" is an upside down V, . A "th" sound is a O with a small horizontal bar in the middle of it.
A semicolon; is a question mark in Greek, they put periods where we would put commas in writing sums.
Basic Stuff
| Please | PA-Ra-Ka-Lo | Thank You | Ef-hari-sto | Yes | Neh |
| Water | Ne-rho | First class | Pro-tos The-si-os | No | O-hee |
| Hello | Ya-sou | Second class | Def-ter-os The-si-os | Shit | Skata |
| Good Bye | Ya-sou | Third Class | Tri-ti The-si-os | Jerk off | Ma-la-kas |
| Good Morning | Kali-Mera | Why? | Ya-ti | Fuck | Gha-moto |
| Good Evening | Kali-spera | My name is | Me lene ______. | Fuck off | A ghamesou |
| Good Night | Kali-neek-ta | What's your name? | Pos-se lene | Fuck them | ghameesetous |
| How are you? | Tee-caneese | I have a boyfriend | Eh-Ho Fee-lo | one | en-ne |
| How are you? Plural | Ti ka-ne-te | I am not free(f) | Then ei-me elef-ther-ee | two | thee-o |
| How much is it? | Po-so ka-ni | Leave me alone(f) | A-se me e-se-hi | Three | tree-a |
| Where is it? | Pou e-ne to | Help | Vo-eeth-ia | Four | te-se-ra |
| Hotel | Xe-non-do-he-o | Beat it/go | Fee-ghe | Five | pen-de |
| Beach | Plage | I want that | Thelo afto | Six | ex-ee |
| Bank | E Tra-pe-za | I want a little | Thelo le-gha-kee | Seven | ep-ta |
| Bus | to Le-o-for-ee-o | What is that? | Ti eine afto | Eight | oc-to |
| Trolley | Tro-ley | The check | Lo-ghar-ia-smos | Nine | E-ne-a |
| Station | Stath-mo | I don't want | Den thelo | Ten | De-ka |
| Port/Harbor | Li-ma-ni | Let's go | Pa-me | ass hole | kathekee |
| Ticket | E-ci-ti-ree-o | I want to leave | Thelo na fi-gho | ||
| Train | to Tre-no | I don't feel well | Den es-tha-nou-me Ka-la |
Handy to Know
| I love you | Sa-aga-po |
| I hate you | Se mi-so |
| I want you | Se the-lo |
| I don't want you anymore | Den se thelo pia |
| Kiss Me | fee-li se me |
| I don't want to | Den the-lo |
| Condoms | pro-fi-lac-ti-ka or Slang: Ka-po-tes |
| I want a doctor | The-lo ena Yi-a-tro |
| I am sick | Ee-me ar-o-stos |
| I have a temperature | E-ho Peer-e-to |
| Where is the pharmacy? | Pou eine to phar-ma kio |
| Aspirin | As-pee-ree-nee |
| tampax | tam-pax |
| super | ee-pear (like hyper) |
| regular | ka-non-iko |
| soap | sa-poon-ni |
| make up | ma-quilliage |
| I don't have that much | Den e-ho to-sso po-la |
| I only have this much | E-ho mono tossa |
| I am a student | e-me fi-ti-tees |
| Can you make me a better price please? | Bo-ree-te na mou ka-ne-te kali-teri timi |
| What time is it? | Ti hora eine; |
The 1st phrase I ever learned in Greek came in very handy and still does:
Bo-ro na e-ho le-gho Nero, Pa-ra-ka-lo; May I have a little water please? nero being H2O.
How much is the ticket to?: Po-so ee-ne to E-ci-ti-ree-o yia _____;
You'll incessantly hear Greek men saying" Ade re Malaka" to each other, come on you jerk. It's their variation of people in the US saying " like" ten times in a sentence.
Devil take you: Na se pa-ri o Dia-vel-os
One of my favorites and probably a carry over from ancient times. The horned ones (whose spouse has been unfaithful): Tous Kera-ta des
The horned one: Ton ke-re-ta
| Food in general is: Fa-ghee-to |
Tavern: Taverna |
| Restaurant: Ess-ti-a-tor-io | Fish Taverna: Sparo-Taverna |
| Pastry Shop: Za-haro-pla-stio | Grilled Meat Taverna: Spees-star-yia |
| Rest rooms are: "Tou-a-let-a" or "To Meros" | Ouzo & Appetizers: Ouzeri |
| Pee-nao: I'm hungry | Soup Taverna: Pat-sa-zee-dhi-ko |
| Dheep-sao: I'm thirsty | |
| Parakalo, oi Elleenees, pou tro-ne;" Please where do the Greeks eat? I don't want a tourist place. "Den thelo touristiko magazi" Thelo authentiko fa-gee-to! I want authentic food! |
|
Mostly Food
| Waiter | Ghar-sohn (garcon) | I want | Thelo | Fried | Tee-gha-ni-ta |
| The waiter | O Ser-vi-tor-ohs | I would like | Tha EE-Thela | Boiled | Vra-sta |
| Please | Pa-ra-Ka-Lo | Bring Us | Fair-te mas | Roasted | spee-to |
| Thank you | Eff-Hhar-ree-sto | Bring me | Fair-te mou | spit roasted | ths souv-la |
| Ashtray | Ta-sa-kee | Mineral water | Metahl-lee-ko-nero | stewed | yee-ach-nee |
| Bill/Check/Tab | Lo-ghar-Ia-smo | Side Orders | Mher-ree-dhas | Fricasse | fri-ca-se |
| Bread | Pso-Me | French Fries | Pa-ta-es Ti-ghan-ni-tess | Char-grilled | Tees ska-ras |
| Chair | Ka-rek-la | Greens | Hor-ta | rare | leego spe-meno |
| Food | Fa-ghee-To | Egg Plants | Melitzaness | medium | me-trio spe-meno |
| Fork | Pee-roun-Nee | Sting beans | Fasolakia | well done | kalo spe-meno |
| Glass | Po-tee-Ree | Squash | Kolo-kee-tha-kia | ||
| Knife | Mha-Hier-Ree | Okra | Bam-yees | ||
| Spoon | Cou-Ta-Lee | Peas | A-ra-ka | ||
| Lemon | Lhe-Moan-Knee | Mixed veggies | Bree-am | ||
| Mustard | Moo-Sthar-Dha | Artichokes | An-gee-nar-ess | ||
| Napkins | Peth-seht-Tess | Kidney Beans | Yee-Ghan-dess | ||
| Oil | Lha-Dhee | Beans | Fa-soul-yia | ||
| Pepper | Pee-pher-rhee | Spinich | Speen-nakee | ||
| Plate | Pee-yah-To | Chick Peas | Re-vee-thee-yia | ||
| Portion | Mher-ree-dha | Lentils | Fak-yes :) | ||
| Salt | Eh-Lha-Tee | Rice | Ree-zee | ||
| Slice of | Mee-a Fhe-Ta | Rice Pilaf | Pee-laugh-fee | ||
| Straw | Kha-La-Ma-Kee | Beets | pan-tzar-ia | ||
| Sugar | Zha-Ha-Ree | Cabbage | La-ha-no | ||
| Toilet | ee Tou-a-let-ta | Carrots | Ka-ro-ta | ||
| Toothpics | o-dhon-dho-glee-fee-dhes | Cauliflower | Coo-noo-pee-dee | ||
| Vinegar | Ksee-Dhee | Split peas | Fava | ||
| Water | Neh-Rho | Zucchini | Ko-lo-kee-thee | ||
| wine | Kra-Cee | PASTA | ZEE-MAR-EE-Ka | ||
| Utensils/set up | sehr-veet-sio | Macaroni | ma-ka-rhon-e-ia | ||
| APPETIZERS | OREKTIKA/MEHZES | w/butter | meh voo-tee-rho | ||
| Eggplant Salad | Melitzano Salata | w/meat sauce | meh kee-ma | ||
| Cheese | Tee-ri | w/tomato sauce | meh salt-sa | ||
| Fried Cheese | Sa-gha-na-kee | w/grated cheese | meh treemeno tiri | ||
| Fish roe puree | Tara-mo-salata | SOUPS | SOUPA | ||
| Meatballs | Kef-te-des | Egg-lemon-rice | Av-gho-Lemono | ||
| Octopus | Ohkto-Podhi | Tripe | Patsas | ||
| Olives | elle-yes | Bean | Fassolia | ||
| Shrimp | Ga-ree-thess | Lentil | Pha-kies | ||
| Smelts | Ma-ree-thes | Vegitable | Hortoh-soupa | ||
| Stuffed Vine leaves | Dol-ma-thess | ||||
| yogurt/garlis dip | Tza-Tzi-kee | ||||
| Russian Salad | Roo-see-khee salata | POULTRY | POULERIKA | ||
| Chicken | Ko-to-pou-lo | ||||
| Boiled | Vra-sto | ||||
| RICE | REEZEE | Roasted | Pseee-toh | ||
| Cooked plain | Pee-la-fee | Spit-roasted | Stee Souvla | ||
| w/meat sauce | meh kee-ma | Stewed | Yee-ak-nee | ||
| w/tomato sauce | meh salt-sa | Fricase | Free-ka-seh | ||
| w/spinach | spana-ko-reezo | ||||
Greek Numbers in Translation
| 1 = Ena | 20 = Ikosi | 90 = Eneninda |
| 2 = Dio | 21 = IkosiEna and so on | 91 = EnenindaEna and so on |
| 3 = Tria | 30 = Trianda | 100 = Ekato |
| 4 = Tesera | 31 = TriandaEna and so on | 200 = Diakosia |
| 5 = Pente | 40 = Saranda | 300 = Triakosia |
| 6 = Exi | 41 = SarandaEna and so on | 400 = Tetrakosia |
| 7 = Efta | 50 = Peninda | 500 = Pendakosia |
| 8 = Okto | 51 = PenindaEna and so on | 600 = Exakosia |
| 9 = Enia | 60 = Exinda | 700 = Eftakosia |
| 10 = Deka | 61 = ExindaEna and so on | 800 = Oktakosia |
| 11 = Endeka | 70 = Evdominda | 900 = Eniakosia |
| 12 = Dodeka | 71 = EvdomindaEna and so on | 1,000 = Chilia |
| 13 = DekaTria (Deka+Tria) | 80 = Ogdonda | 2,000 = Dio hill-yia-dez etc. |
| 14 = DekaTesera (Deka+Tesera) etc. | 81 = OgdondaEna and so on | 1,000,000 = Ena Ekatomirio |
- Any number from 1 to 1,000,000 is always a combination of the above.
- When talking about prices the ending of the hundreds turns into -sies.
- For example 500 = Pendakosies.
- For more than a thousand you say the number plus the word hill-yia-dez.
- For example 5,000 = Pende hill-yia-dez.
- For more than a million you say the number plus the word Ekatomiria.
- For example 3,000,000 = Tria Ekatomiria, 200,000,000 = Diakosia (not Diakosies) Ekatomiria.
- Greek for Drachmas is Drachmes.
- If you would like to learn more Greek, all you have to do is visit Greece!!!! Greek should be relatively easy Europeans and English speaking people, since all Indo-European languages contain at least 35% Greek words. and if we take into consideration that Latin derived from Greek, then more than 70% of the words are of Greek origin. In the medical, scientific & technological world at least 85% is Greek. Therefore, with a little bit of effort and some determination, you should be able to speak basic Greek within a couple of months time!
COLORS
| Azure | galanos | orange | portokalee |
| beige | bez | pink | roz |
| black | mavro | purple | veesino |
| blue | bleh | reed | kokino |
| brown | kafeh | scarlet | ahliko |
| fuchia | fouksia | seinna burnt | kokinoro |
| grey | greezo | sienna raw | keetrinokafe |
| green | praseeno | tourqoise | tourkouaze |
| hazel | aneekto kastano | umber | ohmbra |
| lavender | levanda | violet | veeoletee |
| maroon | kokinoro | white | aspro |
| mauve | mauv | yellow | keetrino |
| ocher
|
ochra |