{"id":3224,"date":"2019-08-07T08:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T08:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/?p=3224"},"modified":"2019-08-01T19:41:36","modified_gmt":"2019-08-01T19:41:36","slug":"colloquial-greek-a-list-of-common-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/colloquial-greek-a-list-of-common-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"Colloquial Greek: a list of common phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest challenges we face when we communicate in a foreign language is to understand the colloquial language: we hear people speak and even though we know the meanings of the words they use, we cannot decode their phrases. In this post, there is a list of colloquial phrases\u00a0 which will help you understand what the Greeks mean. We will analyze the phrases focusing on the verb used.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>

dimitrisvetsikas1969 via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

#1. \u03c6\u03c9\u03bd\u03ac\u03b6\u03c9.<\/strong> It means to shout, to yell or to call.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

\u039c\u03b5 \u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5 \u039f\u03c5\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03af\u03b1 \u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c6\u03c9\u03bd\u03ac\u03b6\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03a1\u03ac\u03bd\u03b9\u03b1. \/ My name is Ourania but people call me (I am called) Rania.<\/p>\n

\u03a4\u03bf\u03bd \u03bb\u03ad\u03bd\u03b5 \u0394\u03b7\u03bc\u03ae\u03c4\u03c1\u03b7 \u03b1\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac \u03bf\u03b9 \u03b3\u03bf\u03bd\u03b5\u03af\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03c6\u03c9\u03bd\u03ac\u03b6\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03a4\u03b6\u03af\u03bc\u03c5. \/ His name is Dimitris but his parents call him Jimmy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#2. \u03ad\u03c7\u03c9.<\/strong> It means to have but when used in the second singular person it can be used when we want to ask how much something costs.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03cc\u03c3\u03bf \u03c4\u03b1 \u03ad\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03bc\u03ae\u03bb\u03b1; \/ How much do the apples cost? (Literally: “How much do you have the apples?”)<\/em> This question could be made to a greengrocer by a customer. The context is informal and it is acceptable to use the second singular person.<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b7 \u03bb\u03b1\u03ca\u03ba\u03ae; \u03a0\u03cc\u03c3\u03bf \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u03ad\u03c7\u03bf\u03c5\u03bd \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u03bc\u03c0\u03b1\u03bd\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03c2; \/ Did you go to the green market? How much do the bananas cost (Literally: “How much do they have the bananas?”)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#3. \u03c6\u03c4\u03b9\u03ac\u03c7\u03bd\u03c9. <\/strong>It means to make or to fix. It can also mean to prepare a meal or a drink or to tidy up.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

\u03a3\u03ae\u03bc\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1 \u03c4\u03bf \u03c0\u03c1\u03c9\u03af \u03ad\u03c6\u03c5\u03b3\u03b1\u03bd \u03bf\u03b9 \u03c0\u03b5\u03bb\u03ac\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ad\u03c0\u03c1\u03b5\u03c0\u03b5 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03c6\u03c4\u03b9\u03ac\u03be\u03c9 \u03cc\u03bb\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1 \u03b4\u03c9\u03bc\u03ac\u03c4\u03b9\u03b1. \/ Today our customers checked out and I had to clean all the rooms.<\/p>\n

\u039d\u03b1 \u03c3\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c6\u03c4\u03b9\u03ac\u03be\u03c9 \u03ad\u03bd\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03c6\u03b5\u03b4\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9; (Do you want me) to make you a coffee?<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03bf\u03bd\u03ac\u03b5\u03b9 \u03bf \u03bb\u03b1\u03b9\u03bc\u03cc\u03c2 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5, \u039c\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03af\u03c2 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c6\u03c4\u03b9\u03ac\u03be\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b9\u03b1 \u03c3\u03bf\u03cd\u03c0\u03b1, \u03c3\u03b5 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03ce; \/ I have a sore throat. Can you make me a soup, please?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#4. \u03ba\u03ac\u03b8\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9.<\/strong> It means to sit. It also means to stay.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

“\u03a0\u03cc\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9\u03c1\u03cc \u03b8\u03b1 \u03ba\u03ac\u03c4\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5;” “\u0395\u03af\u03ba\u03bf\u03c3\u03b9 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2.” \/ “How long will you stay?” “Twenty days.” This is an expression we would use when talking to a friend or an acquaintance and not to a customer. Note that<\/span> \u03ba\u03ac\u03c4\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 is the colloquial form of<\/span> \u03ba\u03b1\u03b8\u03af\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5.<\/p>\n

\u0398\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b8\u03af\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03bc\u03b5 \u03bb\u03af\u03b3\u03b5\u03c2 \u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u03bf \u03c3\u03c0\u03af\u03c4\u03b9 \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03b8\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b5\u03af\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ac\u03b4\u03b5\u03b9\u03bf. \/ We will stay for a few days at my aunt’s house because no one is there (literally, it is empty)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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#5. \u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9.<\/strong> It means to make and to do. It can be also used to mean to prepare the bill or the invoice.<\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

“\u0398\u03b1 \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ba\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf \u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03cc;” “\u0391\u03bc\u03ad\u03c3\u03c9\u03c2.” \/ “Will you make the bill (for us?)” (Literally)<\/em> \/ “Right away.” This phrase can be used instead of “\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03cc, \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03ce” (the bill, please).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#6. \u03b2\u03b3\u03ac\u03b6\u03c9.<\/strong> It means to take out. It can also mean to offer or to treat.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

\u03a0\u03ae\u03b3\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5 \u03c3\u03c4\u03b7 \u039c\u03b1\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03b4\u03bf\u03cd\u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03b1\u03b9\u03bd\u03af\u03b1. \u0397 \u03bc\u03b1\u03bc\u03ac \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ad\u03b2\u03b3\u03b1\u03bb\u03b5 \u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03b9\u03c4\u03c3\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c6\u03c1\u03bf\u03cd\u03c4\u03b1. \/ We went at Maria’s to watch a movie. Her mom offered us (little) sandwiches and fruits. Note that the word \u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03b9\u03c4\u03c3\u03ac\u03ba\u03b9\u03b1 is a diminutive of sandwiches.<\/p>\n

\u039c\u03b1\u03b6\u03af \u03bc\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u03c6\u03ad, \u03bc\u03b1\u03c2 \u03ad\u03b2\u03b3\u03b1\u03bb\u03b1\u03bd \u03b2\u03bf\u03c5\u03c4\u03ae\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03ba\u03ad\u03b9\u03ba. \/ (Literally)<\/em> Along with the coffee, they offered us butter cookies and cake.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

dimitrisvetsikas1969 via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

One of the biggest challenges we face when we communicate in a foreign language is to understand the colloquial language: we hear people speak and even though we know the meanings of the words they use, we cannot decode their phrases. In this post, there is a list of colloquial phrases\u00a0 which will help you…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":3226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[274452],"tags":[529028,504080,364859,293022,292997,292985,292996],"class_list":["post-3224","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vocablary","tag-colloquial-greek","tag-common-expressions","tag-common-phrases","tag-common-verbs","tag-greek-colloquialisms","tag-greek-vocabulary","tag-use-of-greek"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3224"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3227,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3224\/revisions\/3227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/greek\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}