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Greek tongue twisters Posted by on May 2, 2018 in Pronunciation, Vocabulary

Γεια σας! Do you like tongue twisters? Did you use to play this game when you were kid? If so, this post, which was a suggestion of one of the readers of this blog, is for you: there is a list of nine Greek tongue twisters and two audio files to help you practice. Some of them are translated. Have fun!

 

By RyanMcGuire via Pixabay

 

#1.Καλημέρα καμηλιέρη,

καμηλιέρη καλημέρα.

 

Good morning camel driver,

camel driver good morning.

 

#2.Μια πάπια μα ποια πάπια;

Μια πάπια με παπιά.

 

A duck but which duck?

A duck with ducklings.         

 

#3.Ο παπάς ο παχύς έφαγε παχιά φακή.

Γιατί παπά παχύ έφαγες παχιά φακή;

 

The fat priest ate thick lentil.

Why, fat priest, did you eat thick lentil?

 

#4.Ο τζίτζιρας, ο μίτζιρας, ο τζιτζιμιτζιχότζιρας

ανέβηκε στη τζιτζιριά, τη μιτζιριά, τη τζιτζιμιτζιχοτζιριά,

να κόψει τζίτζιρα, μίτζιρα, τζιτζιμιτζιχότζιρα

κι έσπασε η τζιτζιριά, η μιτζιριά, η τζιτζιμιτζιχοτζιριά

κι έπεσαν τα τσίτζιρα, τα μίτζιρα, τα τζιτζιμιτζιχότζιρα.

 

Τζίτζιρας or τζίτζικας means cicada. It is more common to use the word τζίτζικας or τζιτζίκι.

 

#5. Ο γιος του Ρουμπή, του Κουμπή, του ρουμποκομπολογή, βγήκε να ρουμπέψει, να  κουμπέψει, να ρουμποκομπολογέψει, και τον πιάσαν οι ρουμπήδες, οι κουμπήδες, οι ρουμποκομπολογήδες

και του πήραν τα ρουμπιά του τα κουμπιά του τα ρουμποκομπόλογά του.

 

κουμπί (το)= button

κομπολόι

τον πιάσαν= they caught / captured him (he was caught / captured by) πιάνω= to catch, to seize, to capture

 

#6. Φίλος έδωσε σε φίλο τριαντάφυλλο με φύλλο.
Φίλε, φύλαγε το φύλλο, μην το δώσεις σε άλλο φίλο.

 

A friend gave to a friend a rose with a leaf.

Friend, keep the leaf, don’t give it to another friend.

 

By annca via Pixabay

 

#7. Μια κούπα καπακωτή, μια κούπα ξεκαπάκωτη

μια κούπα καπακωμένη, μια κούπα ξεκαπακωμένη.

 

κούπα (η)= cup

καπάκι (το)= cap

 

#8. Η συκιά μας η διπλή, η διπλογυριστή,
κάνει τα σύκα τα διπλά, τα διπλογυριγυριστά.
Πάει ο σκύλος ο διπλός, ο διπλογυριγυριστός,
να φάει τα σύκα τα διπλά, τα διπλογυριγυριστά.

 

συκιά (η)= fig tree

σύκα (το σύκο)= figs

σκύλος (ο)= dog

διπλός, διπλή, διπλό= double

 

#9. Άσπρη πέτρα ξέξασπρη, κι απ’ τον ήλιο ξεξασπρότερη.

 

πέτρα (η)= stone

άσπρη = white

ήλιος (ο)= sun

Audio files:

Slow:

Fast:

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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.


Comments:

  1. Neil:

    Marvelous, Ourania!! True to your word 🙂
    There are a few there I hadnt seen before.
    Massive compliments on your (I assume its you) audio, I didnt hear you stumble once! If only I could speak like that!
    Many thanks and kindest regards
    Neil

    • Ourania:

      @Neil Thank YOU,Neil, for your suggestion! I had a lot of fun writing this! I’m glad you like the audio. Yes, it’s me. I’m sure you will be able to speak like that, it’s just a matter of time (and practice 🙂 ) Just don’t give up.
      Best,
      Ourania

      • Neil:

        @Ourania haha, you’re very welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed writing it.
        No, I wont ever give up. My love and enjoyment of the Greek language is immense, I just wish I could afford more time to it.
        I don’t know if you’ve done one before, but another subject for a post could be adverbs, specifically ones for padding out sentances, px.. incidentally, by the way :), unfortunately, fortunately, crucially klp. I always found them quite useful….unfortunately, when I was talking, they did give the impression that my vocabulary was more wide ranging than it actually was.

        Neil:)

        • Ourania:

          @Neil No, I haven’t written a post about these adverbs yet. It’s a great idea, because we use them all the time, and I will write about this topic very soon. I’m sure many readers will find it interesting and useful. Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
          Don’t worry about your vocabulary not being wide, just keep talking, using the words you know. I know it’s a “cliche”, but I always tell people to keep talking even when they are at an early stage. 🙂