Let’s Do This Tomorrow
I had fun writing this one, which is mostly aimed at our expats, who tell me these lessons beat any school … It will, however, also help our visitors get by. It’s also part of our advanced course, Yia doo’s ex’hib’nous, aka ‘for those in the know’. It’s Village Cypriot, known as Horthkatika, it’s a sort of rough or slang dialect of Greek as spoken in Greece. It’s easy coz I do it with English phonetics. So you just speak English in Greek. To enhance the lesson read down, then to get the drift, check out the great big porkies and whatever you do, don’t take it too seriously.
Tomorrow … Av’rie’on
Day after tomorrow … Meth’av’rie’on
Can you come? … Bor’ris Narth’dees?
Today … Sim’mer’rah
This afternoon … Doh abo’yev’mah
This evening … Doh Vrath’ie
Next … Al’lon
Week … Ev’tho’matha
Month … Min’ahh
Year … Hron’ohh
Sometime … Gabb’oss
Tomorrow … Av’ri’on
It’s easy … Inn’eh eff’goll’ohh
It doesn’t matter … Then birr’azzie
I don’t care … Then meh goff’dee
I thought so .. Eh’nom’iz’sah
It’s not fixable … Then sazz’eh’deh
Why? … Yia’dee?
Telephone me … Byiaz meh delleh’fonoh
It’s Ok! … In’eh en’daxi
I want … Thell’ohh
To … Na
See you … Seh thooh’men
Tomorrow … Av’rie’on
Later … Meh’dah
Let me see … Af’is’meh na thoh
I’ve sent it … Eb’bep’sah doh
Cheque … Eie’bid’ahh’yie
I’m waiting … Berr’imm’en’ohh
For parts … Yia xsar’dim’ad’ahh
We’ll talk later … Na da boo’men
I’ll call you … Na seh b’yias’soh
Tomorrow … Av’rie’on
Can I have … Borr’ohh nah’ehoh
Your number … Doh nuo’mer’ohh sou
Have you got … Ehh’his
Your address … Din thee’eff’essie sou
Leave … Fee’yeh
Come … Ella
In … Mess’ah
Out … Ex’soh
Enter … Emm’bah
Welcome … Kop’ie’ass’teh
Careful … Bross’eh’heh
Slowly … See’ah See’ah
Slower … Byio sie’ah
And you … Jeh eh’see
I hope… Ell’biz’soh
I miss … Ehh beh’him’is’sah
It … Doh
You … Seh
I’m on my own … Bezz’oh moo’cho
I’m fed up … Eh var’ethie’gah
Can you come? … Borr’is narth’dis?
Please … Seh Barra’gall’oh
Are you coming? … En narth’dis?
Please Finnish … Dell’ie’yos’ehh
I’ve finished … Dell’ie’os’ahh
Wait! … Berr’im’enn’eh!
I’m waiting … Berr’ie’men’noh
Tomorrow … Av’rie’on
Suffer … Na Spass’ies
It is … Inn’eh
Rubbish … Ah’chriss’toh
Good … Gal’lon
Brilliant! … Dell’ie’oh!
Not bad … Eh’tsie jeh, ett’sie
Gorgeous … Goog’kla
Thank you … Eff’harry’stoh
Tomorrow again … Av’rie’on bal’eh
Enough … Gan’nee!!!!
Great Big Porkies
Try piecing a few words together, for example;
I’ll see you sometime tomorrow …
Seh thoohmen gabb’oss avrieon
Can I have your number please?
Borrohh na ehhoh doh numerohh sou seh barragalloh?
I’m on my own, I miss you
Bezz’oh moo’cho, ehh beh’him’is’sah seh
Slowly, slower, careful, I’ve finished, brilliant!
Sieah sieah, byio sieah, brossehheh, eh dellieosahh, dellieoh!
Ps …
For a whole lot more, including The Basics, How to Talk to Your Dog, and Shopaholics, check out our website … search The Lingo …
The Permutations
They 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 of the Local Lingo to get you by, and the Cypriots love it when they hear you try!
Talk soon! … Nah dah bou’men!
By Tony Dynamou
More advanced courses to follow …
