A quick crash course
We thought you might appreciate a quick crash course in the basics of the local lingo, which is a sort of slang Greek, aka ‘Horthkatika’ which is literally ‘Village Greek’. Most of the locals speak English but they love it if you make an effort to speak their language. We do it in English phonetics, so just read in English and speak Greek … Simples! … oh and don’t take it too seriously 😉
Nah dah boumen! – Talk soon!
| Hi, Hello, Bye | Yas’sou (Yia) |
|---|---|
| Plural | Yas’sazz (Yia) |
| Good day | Galli’mer’rah |
| Good night | Gali-nick'tah |
| Today | Sim’mer’rah |
| Tonight | Bop’seh |
| Tomorrow | Av’rion |
| Hows' it going? | Boss B’eye'z? |
| Best Friend (male) | Goumb’bar’ro |
| Best Friend (female) | Goum’errah |
| Ok, alright | En’daxi |
| Very well | Boh'lee Gallah |
| Awesome | Deh'lee'on |
| Where are you going? | Bou B’eye’z? |
| Pub | Bee’rah’ria |
| One beer | Mia Bee’rah |
| Two beers | Theo Bee’rez |
| If you please, Please | She bara’gal’oh |
| Thank you | Eff-harry’stoh |
| Three, Four | Drie’ah, dess’erah |
| Five, Six | bendeh, sexey |
| Seven, Eight | ef’tah, ock’tou |
| Nine, Ten | en’yah, theh’kah |
| Beers | Beer’rezz |
| Where am I? | Bou ee’meh |
| Drunk | Meh’iz’menoz |
| We had a laugh ! | Eh yell’ass’amen! |
| I'm lost ! | Eh hath’iega |
| Taxi | Taxi (as always) |
| Left | Arris’ter’rah |
| Right | Thek’see’ah |
| Straight | Eee’shah |
| Forward | Ef’thia |
| Do you understand ? | Gad’ah’lavies? |
| I don't understand ! | Then Gad’ah’lavoh |
| You are or Are you? | Ee’seh! or Ee’seh? |
| Merchant Banker ! | Mal’lak’ah |
| Hurry up mate, Yeh Sure | Had’deh Reh |
| I'm in a hurry | Via’zou’meh |
| Do you know ? | Ex’ereh’deh? |
| Where is the ...? | Bou e’neh doh? |
| Football | Map’ahh |
| Lavatory | Tou’allet’ta |
| Key | Glee’thee |
| Sea | Thal’lass’ah |
| Harbour | Lim’ana’ki |
| Restaurant | Es’tee’ah’dorioh |
| I'm hungry | Bin’noh |
| Welcome, Join us | Kop’ie’asteh |
| Sit | Gatt’seh |
| Do you have? | Eh’his, Eh’head’eh |
| A little bit | Lee’on |
| Cold | Grie’on |
| Water | Nerr’oh |
| Ice | Ba’yia’key |
| Wine | Grass’ie |
| The bill, Tariff | Lo’hah’yiaz’mos |
| I agree | Sin’fon’oh |
| How much? | Boss’ah? |
| HOW MUCH???? | BOSSAAH!!! |
| Receipt | Ab’oh’thek’si |
| Do you sell | Bou’laz, Bou’lad’eh |
| Cigarette, Cigarettes | T’si’arr’oh, t’si’arr’ah |
| Lighter | Anap’tirra |
| Newspaper | Thie’meh’ria |
| Do you rent? | En’igie’az’edeh? |
| Car | Aff’toh’kini’doh |
| Motorbike | Mod’or’ah |
| Fill me up | Yem’mos meh |
| Bicycle | Boh’thil’ah’doh |
| It's broken | Ess-spas’sen |
| Sorry | Sig’noh’mi |
| Friend (male) | Fill’eh, Fill’eh |
| Friend (female) | Fill’en’athah |
| My love | Ahh’gah’bie Mou |
| Doesn't matter | Then bee’razzi |
| It is done, Finished | Eh-yin’en |
| What's your name? | Boss seh lennie? |
| Who? | B’yozz? |
| Come on | Ha’deh! |
| Get up | Si’goss’tou |
| Come let me tell you | Ellah na sue boh |
| Fk | Gha’moh |
| It | Doh |
| I'm coming | Erh’kou’meh |
| I'm finishing | Dell’yion’oh |
| I've finished | Dell’yios’ah |
| Dolls, babes, etc | Gook’lezz |
| Boys, guys, etc | Gob’el’lia |
| I'm ready (male) | Imm’eh eddy’mos |
| I'm ready (female) | Imm’eh eddy’me |
| Let's go | Bah’men |
| House, home | Spidi / Ess’soh |
| Yes | Neh |
| No | Oi |
| Why? | Yia’di? |
| I have a headache | Eh’hoh bono’jeff’alo |
| I want (to) | Thel'loh (na) |
| Let's go to bed | Bah'men Grev'adi |
| When? | Bod'eh |
| Now | Dor'rah |
| Stop ! | Stam'adah |
| What? | Dee? |
| It's nice | Ee'neh'ohr'eh'on |
| There | Jam'meh |
| Here | Tha'meh |
| Slowly, slowly | Sia sia |
| Enough | Gann'ie |
| Come | El'lah |
| Together | Mazzi |
| Immediately | Am'ess'oz |
| F'in good time | Neh ! Neh! Neh! |
| We'll talk later | Na'da'bou'men |
Bit’s and Pieces
Try piecing a few words together, for example;
Thello mia beerah se’baragaloh …. Can I have one beer please
Thello leon grion nehroh … Can I have a little cold water
Bou e’neh doh es’teea-dorioh? … Where is the restaurant
Ellah thameh amessoz! … Come here immediately
Reh Goumbbarro bahmen spidi? … Hey buddy lets go home
Ha-deh ineh ohreho jammeh … com on its nice there
Signohmi, ehhoh bonojeffalo … Sorry I’ve got a headache
Na da boumen … we’ll talk later
The permutations
are literally endless and don’t worry too much about the grammar. Raising your voice level and waving your arms about Gesticulatingly adds to the authenticity !! … And as I said earlier, almost everyone speaks English out here, but it’s always worth knowing just a little to get you by, and the Cypriots love it!
By Tony Dynamou
More advanced courses to follow …
