{"id":1139,"date":"2013-09-26T17:47:10","date_gmt":"2013-09-26T17:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/?p=1139"},"modified":"2013-09-26T17:47:10","modified_gmt":"2013-09-26T17:47:10","slug":"come-on-hey-come-again-examples-of-the-use-of-ela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/come-on-hey-come-again-examples-of-the-use-of-ela\/","title":{"rendered":"“Come on! Hey! Come again?” Examples of the use of ela."},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most common Greek words is \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong>\u00a0 (ela<\/em>). It is the imperative of the verb \u03ad\u03c1\u03c7\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/strong> (erhomai<\/em>, to come) and literally it means come (in the second singular person):\u00a0 \u201c\u0388\u03bb\u03b1! \u03a4\u03bf \u03bb\u03b5\u03c9\u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03af\u03bf \u03c6\u03b5\u03cd\u03b3\u03b5\u03b9!\u00bb \u00a0(Ela! To leoforeio fevgei<\/em>. Come! The bus is leaving!) The plural of \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong> is \u03b5\u03bb\u03ac\u03c4\u03b5<\/strong> (elate<\/em>, come): \u00ab\u0395\u03bb\u03ac\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c0\u03b1\u03b9\u03b4\u03b9\u03ac, \u03c6\u03b5\u03cd\u03b3\u03bf\u03c5\u03bc\u03b5!<\/strong>\u00bb (Elate paidia, fevgoume!<\/em> Come on children, we\u2019re leaving!)<\/p>\n

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\u0388\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong> may have different meanings depending on its context.<\/p>\n

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1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When people answer a phone call from a close friend or a family member, they are very likely to use \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong> alone or followed by the person\u2019s name: \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u039c\u03b1\u03c1\u03af\u03b1!<\/strong>\u00bb (Ela Maria<\/em>. Hey Mary!)<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It can be used the other way around: when we make a phone call to someone we are very familiar with, we use \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong>. \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1,<\/strong> \u03c4\u03b9 \u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2;<\/strong>\u00bb (Ela, ti kaneis?<\/em> Hey, how you doing?)<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes it is used to express frustration: \u00ab\u0394\u03b5\u03bd \u03bc\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03ce \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c3\u03b5 \u03b4\u03c9 \u03b1\u03c0\u03cc\u03c8\u03b5!\u00bb \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1! \u0395\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b7 \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03c4\u03b7 \u03c6\u03bf\u03c1\u03ac \u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b1\u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03ce\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf<\/strong> \u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03b2\u03bf\u03cd \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2!<\/strong>\u00bb (“Den boro na se do apopse<\/em>.” ” Ela! Einai I triti for a pou akironeis to randevou mas!”\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0\u201cI can\u2019t see you tonight\u201d \u201cCome on! It\u2019s the third time you\u2019re canceling our date!\u201d<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It might also used to express stronger emotions, such as irritation or anger. \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1, \u03ba\u03cc\u03c6\u03c4\u03bf!<\/strong>\u00bb (Ela, kofto.<\/em> Come on, cut it out!)<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s \u00a0also used when we are pleasantly surprised: \u00ab\u03a4\u03b1 \u2018\u03bc\u03b1\u03b8\u03b5\u03c2; \u03a0\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03c1\u03b5\u03cd\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03bf \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2!<\/strong>\u00bb \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1!<\/strong>\u00bb (“Ta mathes\u00a0? Pantrevete o<\/em> Petros\u00a0!” ” \u0395\u03bb\u03b1\u00a0!”\u00a0<\/em> \u00ab\u00a0Did you hear the news\u00a0? Petros is getting married\u00a0!\u00a0\u00bb \u00ab\u00a0 Really\u00a0?\u00bb) It\u2019s also used when we just listened to something that sounds unbelievable. \u00ab\u0397 \u03b3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b1\u03af\u03ba\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03a0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u03b1 \u2018\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9 \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03a4\u03ac\u03ba\u03b7.<\/strong>\u00bb \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1!<\/strong>\u00bb (\u00abI ginaika tou Petrou tahei me ton<\/em> Taki<\/em>\u00bb \u00abEla!<\/em>\u00bb \u00abPetro\u2019s wife is having an affaire with Takis.\u00bb \u00abNo way!\u00bb<\/p>\n

6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes it used to encourage people, like runners, soccer or basketball players etc. In this case it is repeated many times: \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1, \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1, \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1!<\/strong>\u00bb (Go, go go!)<\/p>\n

7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2018\u0395\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong> can be also used when we didn\u2019t catch what our interlocutor just told us. \u00ab\u03a4\u03bf \u03b5\u03c0\u03ce\u03bd\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u039c\u03b1\u03c1\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b4\u03b5\u03bd \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9<\/strong> \u03a7\u03b1\u03c4\u03b6\u03b7\u03b4\u03b7\u03bc\u03b7\u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03a7\u03b1\u03c4\u03b6\u03b7\u03c0\u03ad\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5<\/strong>\u00bb \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1;<\/strong>\u00bb (\u00abTo eponimo tis Marias den ine Chatzidimitriou, ine Chatzipetrou.<\/em>\u201d \u201cEla<\/em>?\u201d \u201cMaria\u2019s last name isn\u2019t Chatzidimitriou, is Chatzipetrou.\u201d \u201cCome again?\u201d<\/p>\n

8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sometimes it might be used to patronize someone, especially children. \u00ab\u0388\u03bb\u03b1 \u03b2\u03c1\u03b5 \u039a\u03ce\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1, \u03b1\u03c6\u03bf\u03cd \u03b5\u03af\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03cc \u03c0\u03b1\u03b9\u03b4\u03af, \u03b3\u03b9\u03b1\u03c4\u03af<\/strong> \u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ad\u03c4\u03c3\u03b9<\/strong>;\u00bb (Ela vre Kosta, afou ise kalo paidi, giati kanis etsi<\/em>? Come on Kostas, you\u2019re a well-mannered child, why are acting like this?)<\/p>\n

Note that it’s very important to use\u00a0\u03ad\u03bb\u03b1 <\/strong>with the right tone of voice!<\/p>\n

On the followed video of the prank, there’s an example of the use of \u03ad\u03bb\u03b1<\/strong>. (You can just watch till 0:13)<\/p>\n