Our Everyday Greek: This Summer We Speak Greek with Pappou and Yiayia

Review:

MAIN PHRASES

1. WELCOME GREETINGS

Upon arrival your relatives in Greece will welcome you with one of the phrases below. Note that they all have the same meaning.

Καλώς τον/την (kaLOS ton/teen), καλώς ήρθες (kaLOS EErthes), καλώς όρισες (kaLOS Orises)= welcome for one person.

Καλώς τους (kaLOS toos), καλώς ήρθατε (kaLOS EErthate), καλώς ορίσατε (kaLOS oREEsate)= welcome for many persons.

Your response:

Καλώς σε βρήκαμε (kaLOS SE VREEkame) is the response to welcome, when we meet one person.

Καλώς σας βρήκαμε (kaLOS SAS VREEkame): is the response to welcome, when we meet many persons.

Try to match the phrases in English with their translation in Greek:

1. Καλώς τη Μαρία! 1. Petros, welcome!
2. Καλώς τον Πέτρο! 2. Nice to see you!
3. Καλώς ήρθατε! 3. Welcome, Maria!
4. Καλώς σας βρήκαμε! 4. Welcome (many persons)!

2. INTRODUCTIONS

Pappou and yiayia love to introduce their relatives to their friends. When introduced to someone, we can use one of these two phrases:

Χαίρω πολύ! (HΕro poLEE) Nice to meet you!

Τι κάνετε; (TEE KAnete?) How do you do?

Give your response in Greek, when introduced to a friend, someone’s grandpa or grandchildren, like in the given example:

Αυτός είναι ο Πέτρος. Χαίρω πολύ!

1. Αυτός είναι ο φίλος μου.
2. Αυτός είναι ο Δημήτρης.
3. Αυτός είναι ο εγγονός μου.
4. Αυτή είναι η εγγονή μου.
5. Αυτός είναι ο παππούς μου.

3. KERASMA (OFFERING A DRINK)

Pappou will invite you to the kafenio to offer you drinks. Try to match the phrases in English with their translation in Greek:

1. Καλώς τα παιδιά. 1. Maria, I will buy you some orange juice.
2. Θα σε κεράσω ένα φραπέ. 2. What shall I offer you?
3. Μαρία, θα σε κεράσω μία πορτοκαλάδα.3. Welcome, guys.
4. Τι θα σας κεράσω; 4. I will buy you a frappe.

4. AT GRANDMA’S KITCHEN

Ask grandma what she cooks. Try to match the phrases in English with their translation in Greek:

1. Γιαγιά, τι κάνεις; 1. Are we going to eat stuffed vegetables today?
2. Γιαγιά, τι μαγειρεύεις; 2. Are we going to eat lamb with potatoes tomorrow?
3. Γιαγιά, τι θα φάμε σήμερα; 3. Grandma, how are you?
4. Γιαγιά, τι θα φάμε αύριο; 4. Grandma, what are we going to eat tomorrow?
5. Σήμερα θα φάμε γεμιστά; 5. Grandma, what do you cook?
6. Αύριο θα φάμε αρνάκι με πατάτες; 6. Grandma, what are we going to eat today?

BASIC VOCABULARY

Greek word    Pronunciation          Meaning

Αυτός afTOS he, this (male)

Αυτή   afTEE she, this (female)

Είναι EEne    is

Ο εγγονός      o egoNOS     grandson

Η εγγονή        EE egoNEE  granddaughter

Μου    ΜΟΟ   my

Χαίρω πολύ  HΕro poLEE Nice to meet you

Ο φίλος          O FEElos       friend

Τι κάνετε;        TEE KAnete?            How do you do?

Το καφενείο   TO kafeNEEo           traditional Greek café

Τι         TEE    what

Θα       THE    will (future)

Σε, σας           SE, SAS        you (singular, plural)

Θα σε/σας κεράσω   THA SE/SAS keRAso         I will buy you a drink

Ένα     Ena     one (masculine grammatical gender)

Μία      MEEa one (female)

Η πορτοκαλάδα        EE portokaLAda       orange juice

Ο φραπές       O fraPES       Greek ice coffeeΓιαγιά        yiayiA grandma

Τι κάνεις;        TEE KAnis?  How are you?

Τι         TEE    what

Μαγειρεύεις   mayiREvis     you cook

Τα γεμιστά     TA gemiSTA  stuffed vegetables

Για       yiA      for

Σήμερα           SEEmera       today

Θα THA will (future)

Τι θα φάμε;     TEE THA FAme?     What shall we eat

Θα φάμε         THA FAme    we will eat

Το αρνάκι       TO arNAki      lamb

Η πατάτα, -ες EE paTAta, -es         potato, -es

Ο φούρνος     O FOOrnos    oven

Στο φούρνο   STO FOOrno             in the oven

Αύριο  Avrio   tomorrow

PRONUNCIATION KEY

i (idiom), ee (needle), e (energy), o (organism), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.

The post Our Everyday Greek: This Summer We Speak Greek with Pappou and Yiayia appeared first on The National Herald.