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The first sentences in Greek Posted by Ourania on Feb 26, 2015
The first thing we learn in a foreign language is how to introduce ourselves. However, sometimes it’s not the easiest thing one learns. The Greek phrases that we use are not so easy to remember and many learners need many days of practice in order to “digest” them. Here is what I would say in…
Playing hide and seek with the final n Posted by Ourania on Feb 19, 2015
One of the most confusing topics is the maintenance of the final ν of some articles, pronouns and particles, mostly because the grammar books contain different rules about it. Below, there’s a list of the cases where the final ν is maintained or omitted. These rules apply mostly when speaking. In written speech the article…
Love is more than a four-letter word Posted by Ourania on Feb 12, 2015
The Greeks are very creative when it comes to words of love. It doesn’t matter if we are cynical or romantic, extrovert or introvert, we all use words of love when addressing our alter ego. Below there is a sample of a “Greek vocabulary of love”. You might think that some of these words are…
Make it small with Greek diminutives Posted by Ourania on Feb 5, 2015
Diminutives (υποκοριστικά) are words that connote a smaller size. Their use is also related to affection and intimacy but also to contempt. There are many suffixes that form diminutives are, but the most common are –άκι, –ίτσα, –ούλης, –ούλα, -άκης. They are very commonly used with food and drink (το ούζο – το ουζάκι,ouzo, η…
School vocabulary in Greek Posted by Ourania on Jan 28, 2015
The verbs “to learn” and “to study” are often misused even by advanced learners of Greek. In this post, there are some examples of their use. There’s also a list of words related to school. διαβάζω (diavazo): to read / to study Ο Μιχάλης διαβάζει την εφημερίδα του. (O Mihalis diavazei tin efimerida tou). Michael…
English “invaders”: English words used in Greek Posted by Ourania on Jan 20, 2015
Greek is one of the most ancient languages and there are words to describe almost anything. However, there are English words used in everyday life that cannot be translated. In some cases they can be translated but the Greek version is rarely used. These words can be related to: Places το σούπερ μάρκετ (to super…
Words with double meaning in Greek Posted by Ourania on Jan 14, 2015
In every language there are words that have more than one meanings and Greek is not an exception. Below, there are some common words with two meanings but there are more. Πώς (pos,used in direct or indirect questions) – how Γεια σου. Πώς πάνε τα πράγματα; (Yeia sou. Pos pane ta pragmata?) Hi. How…