Archive for 'Vocabulary'
Greek expressions and idioms: to break Posted by Ourania on Mar 31, 2015
One of the most common verbs is the verb χαλάω (to break, to break down, to spoil, etc.). Below there are some examples of its use and meanings. 1. To break / to break down Μη χαλάσεις το τάμπλετ σου γιατί δεν έχουμε λεφτά να πάρουμε άλλο. Don’t break your tablet because we cannot afford another…
Happy Independence Day! Posted by Ourania on Mar 24, 2015
On the 25th of March we celebrate the Independence Day, i.e. the revolution of the Greeks against the Turks in 1821. This post is not about the historical facts, there are just some information about the way we celebrate, about kalamatianos, the famous Greek dance, and about the traditional foods we eat. Freedom or Death…
Describe your mood in Greek Posted by Ourania on Mar 16, 2015
One of my posts was about Geek idiomatic expressions related to feelings and mood. This post is about “mainstream” expressions that we use in order to express our feelings. We use the verb είμαι (to be) with a masculine or feminine adjective but sometimes we use a verb. In this case, the verb είμαι cannot…
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…
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…