Archive for 'Vocabulary'
Tzatziki recipe Posted by Ourania on Sep 4, 2014
Tzatziki (τζατζίκι) is related to souvlaki, the most famous Greek fast food and Greeks have a love-hate relationship with it: we love it because it’s creamy, fresh and piquant and we hate it because the garlic smell can turn a romantic moment to a disaster. Some people claim that consuming cinnamon or mint after eating…
Weights and Measures in Greek Posted by Ourania on Aug 20, 2014
In Greece, we follow the Metric System for weights and measures. It refers to the units we use in order to measure distance, length and speed, weight, volume and areas, as well as any other set of units used to specify anything that we can measure. Internationally, we often use as units of measurement the…
A farewell to Robin Williams Posted by Ourania on Aug 12, 2014
In the early nineties, one of our most favorite movies was “Dead poets’ society” (“Ο Κύκλος των Χαμένων Ποιητών”, o kiklos ton hamenon peeeeton) . Tears were dropped, long discussions were made and a new perspective on life was surfaced. John Keating was the inspirational teacher all Greek students wanted to have at school…
Funny color names in Greek Posted by Ourania on Aug 4, 2014
Besides the “mainstream” color names that we know there are shades of colors which are used in oral speech only. They derive from nouns and some of them are used in a humoristic way and denote bad taste. They end in –ι with accent and are indeclinable. Below there is a list of colors with…
Use of Greek Quiz Posted by Ourania on Jul 31, 2014
You are invited for dinner by some Greek friends. Which phrase would you use in the following contexts? For questions 1-10 choose the answer which is more suitable. The answers are not transliterated so the quiz is suitable for learners who are able to read the Greek alphabet. Intermediate and advanced students might find it…
What can vegans eat in Greece? A list of vegan summer foods Posted by Ourania on Jul 21, 2014
Most foreigners have connected Greek food to seafood, fish, cheese and meat. It’s true that the most typical dishes, such as souvlaki (σουβλάκι), moussaka (μουσακάς) and Greek salad (χωριάτικη σαλάτα) are animal-based products and cannot be consumed by vegans. Traditional Greek cuisine is based on the fasting periods during which people were not allowed to…
A love letter to olive oil Posted by Ourania on Jul 7, 2014
Dear olive oil, You are the best-known product of Greece and a basic component of the Mediterranean diet. Scientists relate you to good health, big eaters to pleasure and cosmetologists to beauty. For me you are the indispensable ornament of my favorite comfort food, which is greens with feta cheese, and of my…