Archive for 'Vocabulary'
Cotton candy or old woman’s hair? Greek idioms Posted by Ourania on Jul 14, 2019
The word μαλλί takes different meanings depending on the context. It can mean hair, wool and yarn. There are many idioms and proverbs used in colloquial Greek. Πόσο πάει το μαλλί; (How much does it cost?) «Βρήκα δωμάτια στο καινούργιο ξενοδοχείο.» «Πόσο πάει το μαλλί;» (“I found rooms at the new hotel.” “How much do…
7 things you didn’t know about the Greek election Posted by Ourania on Jul 3, 2019
Γεια σας! Sunday, the 7th of July is the date of the general election (βουλευτικές εκλογές). In this post, we will explore some historic facts related to the public election in Greece. The Constitution of 1864 (Το Σύνταγμα του 1864) acknowledged civil rights (πολιτικά δικαιώματα) to women. Τhe Greek women participated at the general election…
Basic English phrases translated in Greek Posted by Ourania on Jun 30, 2019
Γεια σας! When speaking or writing in a foreign language, one of the biggest challenges is to avoid the direct translation of common expressions. In this post, there is a list of common English phrases translated in Greek. Until next time. The direct translation μέχρι την επόμενη φορά makes no sense in Greek. It’s better…
False friends in Greek and English Posted by Ourania on Jun 15, 2019
Do Greeks drink metallic water, wear costumes and ride machines? Read this post on false friends in Greek and English to find out! #1. agony: in Greek αγωνία means suspense or anxiety. Example: Ο Γιάννης έχει αγωνία για τα αποτελέσματα των εξετάσεων. / Yannis is anxious about the results of the exams. #2…
Greek Idioms: verb to see Posted by Ourania on May 31, 2019
Γεια σας! One of the most common verbs is βλέπω (to see). In this post we will see the different meanings and uses of this verb. #1. to see Βλέπεις εκείνο το σπίτι; / Do you see that house? #2. to watch Βλέπω τηλεόραση. / I am watching television. #3. to look at Μου…
Time to vote: election vocabulary in Greek Posted by Ourania on May 24, 2019
On the 26th of May the Greek citizens will vote for European Parliament Members and for local government officials. The voting age is 17. There are 23 political parties and coalitions participating in the European Parliament election. In this post, there is basic vocabulary related to the elections. #1. ψηφίζω: to vote Example: Αποφασίσατε…
News from Greece about the Parthenon Posted by Ourania on May 10, 2019
A traveler cannot leave Athens without visiting its landmark, the Parthenon. In this post there is a brief presentation of the news about the Parthenon, information on a famous mythic battle depicted on parts of the Parthenon and a list of words related to monuments. The Greek Archaeological Council decided to restore the inner-chamber…