Laboratory of Special Profession

Comenius 2 year 2009-11

"We are Communicating Culture, learning about other peoples lives in Europe"

Learn Greetings in Greek

The Greek language is considered as one of the most difficult languages to learn. This page is not going to teach you how to speak Greek but you can learn some basic Greek words and phrases in order to impress your friends in Crete. As it happens in every country, people in Crete will be glad to hear you trying to speak their language. Even if all you can say is "kalimera" or "Yassou", people will smile and open up.

Learn Greetings in Greek : Learn Greetings in Greek:

In all the following, "e" is read as in "egg" and "th" is read as in "this". The emphasis in pronunciation falls on the syllable which is in underlined script

kali me ra = good morning. Used both when coming to and going away from a place.

kali spe ra = good afternoon. Used only when coming to a place or meeting someone in the evening or at night.

kali ni hta = good night. kali ni hta = good night. Used only as a goodbye greeting in the evening or at night.

he he rete (e as in egg) = hello, used between 10:00 and 14:00

ya ya ssou = hello or goodbye (greeting to one person or a friend)

ya ya ssas = hello or goodbye (greeting to more persons or a more formal and polite way to greet an unknown person)

a di o = goodbye a di o = goodbye

Ya Ya ssou fi le mou Ni ko = Hello my friend Niko, an easy way to please a Greek friend of yours.

Learn the names of Towns and Places in Crete and Greece

In all the following, "e" is read as in "egg" and "th" is read as in "this". The emphasis in pronunciation falls on the syllable which is in underlined script

E lla tha = Greece E lla tha = Greece

E llinas = Greek (man) E llinas = Greek (man)

Elli ni tha = Greek (woman) Elli ni tha = Greek (woman)

Kri ti = Crete Kri ti = Crete

kriti ko s = Cretan man kriti ko s = Cretan man

kritiki a = Cretan woman kritiki a = Cretan woman

I ra klio = Heraklion I ra klio = Heraklion

Hani a = Chania Hani a = Chania

Re thimno = Rethymnon Re thimno = Rethymnon

A yios Ni ko laos = Agios Nikolaos A yios Ni ko laos = Agios Nikolaos

Si ti a = Sitia Si ti a = Sitia

Kno ssos = Knossos Kno ssos = Knossos

Fe stos = Festos Fe stos = Festos

Samari a = Samaria (Gorge). Most tourist guides call it Sama ri a which is wrong. The emphasis is on the last syllable.

Learn the Greek Numbers: Learn the Greek Numbers:

- Count in Greek - Count in Greek, Flash Movie with all Numbers in Greek

In all the following, "e" is read as in "egg" and "th" is read as in "this". The emphasis in pronunciation falls on the syllable which is in underlined script

e na = one e na = one

thi o = two thi o = two

tri a = three tri a = three

te ssera = four te ssera = four

pe nte = five pe nte = five

e ksi = six e ksi = six

e pta or e fta = seven e pta or e fta = seven

o kto = eight o kto = eight

en nia = nine en nia = nine

the ka = ten the ka = ten

e ntheka = eleven e ntheka = eleven

tho theka = twelve tho theka = twelve

theka- tri a = thirteen theka-tri a = thirteen

theka- te ssera = 14 theka-te ssera = 14

theka- pe nte = 15 theka-pe nte = 15

theka- e ksi = 16 theka-e ksi = 16

theka-e pta = 17 theka-e pta = 17

theka-o kto = 18 theka-o kto = 18

theka-en nia = 19 theka-en nia = 19

ei kossi = 20 ei kossi = 20

eikossi- e na = 21 eikossi-e na = 21

tri a nta = 30 tri a nta = 30

ssa ra nta = 40 ssa ra nta = 40

pe ni nta = 50 pe ni nta = 50

e ksi nta = 60 e ksi nta = 60

evtho mi nta = 70 evtho mi nta = 70

o gtho nta = 80 o gtho nta = 80

ene ni nta = 90 ene ni nta = 90

eka to = 100 eka to = 100

eka ton the ka pe nte = 115

eka ton pe ni nta tri a = 153

thia ko ssia = 200 thia ko ssia = 200

tria ko ssia = 300 tria ko ssia = 300

tetra ko ssia = 400 tetra ko ssia = 400

penta ko ssia = 500 penta ko ssia = 500

eksa ko ssia = 600 eksa ko ssia = 600

epta ko ssia = 700 epta ko ssia = 700

okta ko ssia = 800 okta ko ssia = 800

enia ko ssia = 900 enia ko ssia = 900

hi lia = 1000 hi lia = 1000

e e na ekato mi rio = one million

e e na thisekato mi rio = one billion

Learn the colours in Greek Learn the colours in Greek

Greek Colours Greek Colours

a spro, lef ko = white a spro, lef ko = white

ma vro = black ma vro = black

ko kkino = red ko kkino = red

mple = blue mple = blue

ki trino = yellow ki trino = yellow

pra ssino = green pra ssino = green

ka fe = brown ka fe = brown

mov = purple mov = purple

ga la zio = light blue ga la zio = light blue

Countries Countries

Alva ni a = Albania Alva ni a = Albania

Ameri ki = USA Ameri ki = USA

Ang li a = England Ang li a = England

Finla nthi a = Finland Finla nthi a = Finland

Ga lli a = France Ga lli a = France

Iapo ni a = Japan Iapo ni a = Japan

Ispa ni a = Spain Ispa ni a = Spain

Ita li a = Italy Ita li a = Italy

Kana tha s = Canada Kana tha s = Canada

Ki na = China Ki na = China

Norvi yi a = Norway Norvi yi a = Norway

Olla nthi a = Holland Olla nthi a = Holland

Polo ni a = Polland Polo ni a = Polland

Ro ssi a = Russia Ro ssi a = Russia

Soui thi a = Sweden Soui thi a = Sweden

Tha ni a = Denmark Tha ni a = Denmark

Tou rki a = Turkey Tou rki a = Turkey

Ve lyio = Belgium Ve lyio = Belgium

Voulga ri a = Bulgaria Voulga ri a = Bulgaria

Yerma ni a = Germany Yerma ni a = Germany

Learn Common Greek Phrases Learn Common Greek Phrases

In all the following, "e" is read as in "egg" and "th" is read as in "this". The emphasis in pronunciation falls on the syllable which is in underlined script

Efhari sto = Thank you Efhari sto = Thank you

Paraka lo = Your Welcome Paraka lo = Your Welcome

Mi la te Angli ka ? Mi la te Angli ka? = Do you speak English? = Do you speak English?

Mi la te Yermani ka ? Mi la te Yermani ka? = Do you speak German? = Do you speak German?

Then katala ve no = I don't understand

Pos se le ne? Pos se le ne? = What is your name? = What is your name?

Me le ne ... Me le ne ... = My name is ... = My name is ...

A po pou ei sai? A po pou ei sai? = Where are you from? = Where are you from?

Ei Ei mai apo An gli a = I am from England

The lo ena ka fe = I want a coffee The lo ena ka fe = I want a coffee

The lo ena tsa i = I want a tea The lo ena tsa i = I want a tea

The lo mia mpi ra = I want a beer The lo mia mpi ra = I want a beer

The lo e na po to = I want a drink The lo e na po to = I want a drink

The The lo e na tho ma tio = I want a room

E hete tho ma tio? E hete tho ma tio? = Do you have a room? = Do you have a room?

ya mia me ra = for one day ya mia me ra = for one day

ya thi o me res = for two days ya thi o me res = for two days

ya mia vtho ma tha = for one week ya mia vtho ma tha = for one week

ya thi o vtho ma thes = for two weeks

Po so ka nei? Po so ka nei? = How much is it? = How much is it?

Po so hro sta o = How much do I owe? Po so hro sta o = How much do I owe?

Logaria smo paraka lo = The bill, please.

Mpo ro na bga lo mia fotogra fi a? = May I take a photo?

E la = Come E la = Come

Fi ye = Go away! Fi ye = Go away! (fi as in fish, ye as in yellow) (fi as in fish, ye as in yellow)

I se o morfi = you are beautiful I se o morfi = you are beautiful

M' a re seis = I like you M 'a re seis = I like you

S' aga po = I love you S 'aga po = I love you

M' aga pas ? M 'aga pas? = Do you love me? = Do you love me?

A ga pi mou = My love, Darling A ga pi mou = My love, Darling

Fi lise me = kiss me Fi lise me = kiss me

Fi li = kiss Fi li = kiss

Fi Fi los / F i li = friend (male) / (female). Pay attention to the small difference from "kiss".

E ho fi lo = I have a boyfriend E ho fi lo = I have a boyfriend

Ei Ei mai pantre me ni = I am married (female)

The Greek Alphabet and the sounds of the Greek letters

- flash movie with the Greek letters - The Sound of the letters of the Greek Alphabet, Flash Movie with the Greek letters

greek alphabet

Combinations of letters (Greek diphthongs):

greek letters combinations diphthongs

Greek words used in the English language

Many words used in English and other European languages come from Greek words. Here are some examples: apathy, basic, basis, cartographer, crisis, democratic, dialogue, enthusiasm, enthusiastic, geography, geometry, harmony, harmonic, history, magic, method, organ, organisation, organize, oxymoron, pachyderm, pathos, politics , problem, strategic, technology, telepathy, telephone, titanic.

A great percentage of medical terminology is also Greek:

In 1957 and 1959, the Greek economist Professor Xenophon Zolotas, Governor of the bank of Greece and Governor of the Funds for Greece, delivered two speeches in English using Greek words only. As Prof. As Prof. Zolotas said: Zolotas said:

"` I always wished to address this Assembly in Greek, but I realized that it would have been indeed Greek to all present in this room. I found out, however, that I could make my address in Greek which would still be English to everybody . With your permission, Mr. Chairman, I shall do it now, using with the exception of articles and prepositions only Greek words ".