Tag Archives: Greek expressions
9 Examples of Greek slang Posted by Ourania on Dec 12, 2016
Γεια σας! If you are tired of “mainstream” Greek and would like a break, this post is for you: nine Greek slang expressions with examples of their use. Which one is your favorite? Feel free to leave a comment! #1 Τα ‘παιξα / τα ‘χω παίξει Παίζω means to play. Τα ‘παιξα means I’m tired. Example…
I’m all ears: Greek idioms Posted by Ourania on Mar 30, 2016
Most students are familiar with human body vocabulary. In this post, there are common expressions with the words αυτιά (ears), κεφάλι (head), λαιμός (neck), μάτια (eyes), στόμα (mouth) and χέρια (hands). Some of these expressions are old fashioned. αυτιά: ears Δεν πιστεύω στα αυτιά μου: I can’t believe my ears Όταν μου είπε ότι…
Use of Greek: verb to switch on Posted by Ourania on Aug 10, 2015
Sometimes students are not sure which verb means to turn an appliance on. The most common verb is ανοίγω (aneego) which means “to open” but also “to turn/switch on”: Ανοίγω τα μάτια μου. (Anigo ta matia mou). I open my eyes. / Ανοίγω το παράθυρο. (Anigo to parathiro). I open the window. With some nouns…
Animal expressions in Greek Posted by Ourania on Jun 16, 2014
Animals can be sweet, furry, wild and so on. Can humans be “bear”, fox” or “baboon”? In this post there’s a list of the most common animal expressions and idioms used when referring to a person. You might also want to check the list of Fish and Seafood idioms. Αετός (aetos)= eagle It can be…
A touch of Greek Easter Posted by Ourania on Apr 15, 2014
The countdown to Easter (Πάσχα, Pasha) , the most important Greek holiday, has already started. The Easter traditions have been preserved and are still followed by most Greeks, religious or not. Some people, relate Easter to a big open air celebration with music, dance, and of course a meal that is composed of lamb and…
Expressions with the verb kleino Posted by Ourania on Nov 13, 2013
Most Greek learners are already familiar with the verb κλείνω (kleino). Below there are some examples of the meanings and the uses of κλείνω. 1. To close (transitive, i.e. followed by an object) H gata eklise ta matia tis alla den koimate. The cat has closed her eyes but she’s not sleeping. 2. To…