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Animal sounds in Greek Posted by on May 28, 2014 in Vocabulary

frixos

People speak different languages and have different accents. What about animals? Do Irish cats sound the same as Serbian cats? The sound that animals make is not affected by the country they live in. However, humans use their own onomatopoeias (ονοματοποιίες, sounds) to describe an animal sound.
This is a list of some  Greek onomatopoeias related to animals. Some animal sounds are missing because they cannot be phonetically represented.

1. Η γάτα νιαουρίζει.   (νιάου)
Ee gata neeaourizee (neeaou).
The cat is meowing.

 
2. Ο σκύλος γαβγίζει.   (γαβ)
O skeelos gavgeezee (gav)
The dog is barking.

 
3. Το πουλί τιτιβίζει.   (τσίου τσίου)
To poulee teeteeveezee.
The bird is tweeting.

 
4. Η κότα κακαρίζει. (κο κο κο)
Ee kota kakareezee.
The hen is clucking.

 
5. Ο κόκορας λαλεί / κράζει. (κικιρίκου)
O kokotas lalee / krazee. (keekeereekou)
The rooster is crowing.

 
6. Ο αετός / ο γερανός κλαγγάζει.
O aetos / o geranos klagazee.
The eagle / the crane is  screaming.

 
7. Το κοράκι κρώζει / κράζει. (κρα κρα)
To korakee krozee. (kra kra)
The crow is cawing.

 
8. Η αγελάδα  / το βόδι μουγκανίζει. (μου)
Ee agelada / to vodee mouganeezee. (mou mou)
The cow / the ox  is moowing.

 
9. Ο γάιδαρος γκαρίζει.
O gaeedaros gareezee.
The dunkey is heehawing.

 
10. Το άλογο χλιμιντρίζει.
To alogo hleemeentreezee.
The horse is neighing.

 
11. Ο βάτραχος κοάζει. (βρεκεκέξ κοάξ κοάξ)
O vatrahos koazee. (vrekekez koax koax)
The frog is craking.

 
12. Η μέλισσα βουίζει.
Ee melisa voueezee.
The bee is buzzing.

 
13. Το πρόβατο  / Η κατσίκα βελάζει. (μπε μπε)
To provato / ee katseeka velazee.
The sheep / the goat is bleating.

 
14. Το λιοντάρι βρυχάται.
To leeontaree vreehate.

The lion is roaring.

 

 

15. To γουρούνι γρυλλίζει.
To gourounee greelizee.
The pig is snorting.

 
16. Το φίδι σφυρίζει / συρίζει.
To feedee sfeereezee / seereezee.
The snake is hissing.

Some of these verbs are used metaphorically  to describe about human voices.

 
Νιαουρίζω (neeaoureezo)= to meow / to speak micingly
H Μαρία νιαουρίζει. (Ee Mareea neeaoureezee)
Maria speaks mincingly.

 
Γκαρίζω (gareezo)= to heehaw / to yell
Δεν μπορώ να αργήσω. Θα γκαρίζει πάλι το αφεντικό μου. (Then boro na argeeso. Tha gareezee palee to afentiko mou)
I can’t be late. My boss will be yelling at me again.

 
Κράζω (krazo)= to craw, to hoot (slang) / τρώω κράξιμο (troo kraxeemo)=  to be hooted (slang)
O υπουργός έφαγε μεγάλο κράξιμο από τους απεργούς.
The minister was hooted by the strikers.

vatrahos

 

 

 

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About the Author: Ourania

Ourania lives in Athens. She holds a degree in French Literature and a Master’s degree in Special Education for Children. Since 2008, she has been teaching Greek to foreigners.