Table Of ContentGREEK
Phrase Book
&Dictionary
Philippa Goodrich
Language consultant: Maria Dikeakou Gaffney
Greek Phrase Book and Dictionary
Published by Educational Publishers LLP trading as BBC Active
Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex CM20 2JE
Published 2005
Sixth impression 2011
copyright © Philippa Goodrich and BBC Worldwide Ltd 2005
Illustrations copyright © Joanna Kerr @ New Division 2005
BBC logo © BBC 1996. BBC and BBC ACTIVE are trademarks of the British
Broadcasting Corporation
The right of Philippa Goodrich to be identified as author of this Work has
been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without either the prior
written permission of the publishers and copyright owners or a licence
permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright
Licensing Agency Ltd., 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP.
ISBN 978-0-563-51922-5
Managing Editor: Joanna Kirby
Project Editor: Josie Frame
Index Editor: Paula Peebles
Designer: Elizabeth Burns
Concept design: Pentacor Book Design
Cover design: Two Associates
Cover photo: copyright © nimu1956/GETTYIMAGES
Senior Production Controller: Man Fai Lau
Printed and bound in China. CTPSC/06
The Publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
how to use this book
This book is divided into colour-coded sections to help you
find the language you need as quickly as possible. You can
also refer to the contents on pages iv–v or the contents lists
at the start of each section.
Along with travel and language tips, each section contains:
YOU MAY WANT TO SAY…
language you’ll need for every situation
YOU MAY SEE…
words and phrases you’ll see on signs or in print
YOU MAY HEAR… questions, instructions or
information people may ask or give you
On page 2 you’ll find essentials, a list of basic, all-purpose
phrases to help you start communicating straight away.
Many of the phrases can be adapted by simply using
another word from the dictionary. For instance, take the
question Πού είναι το κέντρο της πόλης; (Where is the
town centre?). If you want to know where the station is,
just substitute ο σταθμός (the station) for το κέντρο της
πόλης (the town centre) to give Πού είναι ο σταθμός;.
The pronunciation guide is based on English sounds, and
is explained on page vi. If you want some guidance on how
the Greek language works, see basic grammar on page 135.
The dictionary is separated into two sections: English–Greek
(page 143) and Greek–English (page 183).
We welcome any comments or suggestions about this book,
but in the meantime, have a good trip - Καλό ταξίδι!
contents
pronunciation guide vi directions 28
information and tickets 30
trains 32
the basics 1
buses and coaches 34
essentials 2 underground 35
numbers 4 boats and ferries 36
ordinal numbers 5 air travel 38
fractions 6 taxis 39
days, months 6 hiring cars and
seasons, dates 7 bicycles 41
telling the time 7 driving 43
time phrases 8 mechanical problems 45
measurements 10 car parts 47
clothes and shoe sizes 11 bicycle parts 48
national holidays and
festivals 12 accommodation 49
general booking in advance 51
conversation 13 checking in 54
hotels, B&Bs and
greetings 14
hostels 55
introductions 15
camping and caravanning 57
talking about yourself 15
requests and queries 58
asking about
problems and complaints 60
other people 17
checking out 62
chatting 18
self-catering/
the weather 19
second homes 63
likes and dislikes 20
feelings and opinions 21
food&drink 65
making arrangements 23
useful expressions 24 making bookings 67
at the restaurant 68
travel&transport 25
ordering your food 69
arriving in the country 26 ordering your drinks 71
iv
bars and cafés 72 bargaining 109
comments and requests 74 photography 109
special requirements 74 at the off-licence 111
problems and complaints 76 at the post office 112
paying the bill 76 at the bank 113
buying food 77 changing money 115
menu reader: telephones 116
– drinks 79 mobiles 118
– food 80 the internet 119
faxes 120
sightseeing
&activities 85
health&safety 121
at the tourist office 86
at the chemist’s 122
opening times 87
at the doctor’s 123
visiting places 88
describing your
going on tours
symptoms 124
and trips 90
medical complaints
tourist glossary 92
and conditions 125
entertainment 92
parts of the body 127
booking tickets 95
at the dentist’s 129
at the show 96
emergencies 130
sports and activities 97
police 132
at the beach, river
reporting crime 133
or pool 100
basic grammar 135
shops
&services 101 English – Greek
shopping 102 dictionary 143
paying 105
buying clothes Greek – English
dictionary 183
and shoes 106
changing rooms 107
exchanges and refunds 108
v
pronunciation guide
The Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters, most of which will
look or sound familiar as they also exist in English. If you
follow the guide, pronunciation shouldn’t be a problem as
almost all of the sounds already exist in English.
All Greek words of more than one syllable are written
with a stress mark, e.g. Καλημέρα, which indicates where
you should put the emphasis. In this book the stressed
syllable appears in bold type, e.g. kaleemera.
* vowels
letter name and approx english shown in
pronunciation equivalent book as
Α, α άλφα (alfa) a as in ‘cat’ a
Ε, ε έψιλον (epseelon) e as in ‘pen’ e
Η, η ήτα (eeta) ee as in ‘keen’,
e but clipped short ee
d Ι, ι γιώτα (yota) ee as in ‘keen’,
ui but clipped short ee/i
g Ο, ο όμικρον (omeekron) o as in ‘lot’ o
n Υ, υ ύψιλον (eepseelon) ee as in ‘keen’,
o but clipped short ee
i
t Ω, ω ωμέγα (omega) o as in ‘olive’ o
a
i
c
n * consonants
u
n letter name and approx english shown in
o pronunciation equivalent book as
pr Β, β βήτα (veeta) v as in ‘van’ v
Γ, γ γάμμα (gama) g as in ‘sugar’; g or y
or y as in ‘yet’
before the sounds
vi ‘e’ and ‘ee’
Δ, δ δέλτα (dhelta) th as in ‘this’ dh
Ζ , ζ ζήτα (zeeta) z as in ‘zero’ z
Θ , θ θήτα (theeta) th as in ‘think’ th
Κ , κ κάπα (kapa) k as in ‘key’ k
Λ , λ λάμδα (lamdha) l as in ‘lemon’ l
Μ , μ μι (mee) m as in ‘museum’ m
Ν , ν νι (nee) n as in ‘net’ n
Ξ , ξ ξι (ksee) ks as in ‘taxi’ ks
Π , π πι (pee) p as in ‘pen’ p
Ρ , ρ ρω (ro) r as in ‘red’ (but a
bit more emphatic) r
Σ , σ or ς* σίγμα (seegma) s as in ‘sun’ s
Τ , τ ταυ (taf) t as in ‘table’ t
Φ , φ φι (fee) f as in ‘fire’ f
Χ , χ χι (hee) ch as in ‘loch’ h
Ψ , ψ ψι (psee) ps as in ‘cups’ ps
*Note: The letter ‘σ’ is used at the beginning and in the middle of the word p
whereas the ‘ς’ is used only at the end, e.g. Κώστας, ίσως. r
o
* vowel combinations n
u
letter approx english for n
equivalent example c
i
αι e as in ‘pen’ ναι (ne) a
t
ει, οι, υι ee as in ‘keen’ είμαι (eeme); πλοίο (pleeo) io
ου oo as in ‘root’ ουρανός (ooranos) n
αυ, ευ af as in ‘afar’ or ef as αυτός (aftos); ευχαριστώ g
u
in ‘referee’ (when the (efhareesto)
i
letters immediately d
following are γκ, κ, ξ, e
π, σ, τ, φ and χ);
av as in ‘avocado’ or αύριο (avreeo); Εύβοια (Eveea)
vii
ev as in ‘level’ (when
immediately followed
by a vowel (α, ε, αι, ι,
η, υ, ει, οι, ο, ω, ου)
or the consonants β,
γ, δ, λ, μ, ν or ρ)
Note: As in English, double letters, e.g. ‘ll’, ‘rr’ etc., are pronounced as one, e.g.
θάλασσα (thalassa), αλλά (alla).
* consonant combinations
letter approx english shown in
equivalent book as
μπ b as in ‘bed’ when it is at the beginning b
of a word, comes after a consonant or it
occurs twice in a word, e.g. μπορώ (boro),
μπαρμπούνι (barboonee);
mb as in ‘number’ when it is in the mb
middle of a word, e.g. λάμπα (lamba).
ντ d as in ‘door’ when it is at the beginning d
e of a word, comes after a consonant or it
d occurs twice in a word, e.g. ντομάτα
ui (domata), καλντερίμι (kaldereemee),
g νταντεύω (dadevo);
n nd as in ‘land’ when it is in the middle nd
o of a word, e.g. παντελόνι (pandelonee).
i
t γκ g as in ‘gone’ when it is at the beginning of g
a
a word or when it comes after a consonant,
i
c e.g. γκαράζ (garage), αργκό (argo).
n
u γκ/γγ ng as in ‘English’ when it is in the middle ng
n of a word, e.g. Άγγλος (Anglos).
o τσ ts as in ‘cats’ e.g. τσατσάρα (tsatsara). ts
r
p τζ ds as in ‘seeds’ for example, τζάμι (dsamee). ds
The combination ‘γχ’ is pronounced like the ‘gh’ in ‘Nottingham’. For example,
viii παιγχνίδι (peghneedhee).
the basics
essentials 2
numbers 4
ordinal numbers 5
fractions 6
days, months 6
seasons, dates 7
telling the time 7
time phrases 8
measurements 10
clothes and shoe sizes 11
national holidays and festivals 12
