Greek Language

Before the start of our program, we were given a list of phrases to know so that communicating in Greece would be easier upon first arriving. I have known how to ask how to get somewhere and other helpful things for awhile, which has been helpful in avoiding miscommunications and being self-sufficient here in Greece. I have also picked up a lot of Greek just by being here for several weeks. Also, most Greeks speak English very well, so communicating has not been too difficult, especially compared to other European countries that I have visited in which English is not as prevalent. However, there have definitely been some language barriers in terms of pronunciation. Certain Greek words require an accent that if dropped, can result in a completely different meaning. This can definitely be confusing! There have also been some “lost in translation” moments when both parties have been confused.

An example of one of these moments occurred during one of our lectures in Napflion. The lecture was on Greek youths and adolescents. The lecturer, Niki, explained that alcohol was free in Greece. This sparked quite a reaction among the group because everybody of course thought that she meant free of charge. Once she realized the miscommunication, she clarified that she meant free as in not strict in terms of drinking age, not in terms of money. We all laughed about it and it made me think about how such a minor misuse of a word can lead to an entirely different meaning or interpretation.
My favorite new phrases are actually greetings. I love how Greek has so many different ways of greeting people. For example, if you know someone well or have met them before, you can use “ghia su” to say hello. However, if you are just meeting someone for the first time or want to give them a more formal greeting, you may use the phrase “ghia sas” instead. Another example of different types of greetings is relative to the time of day. For example, to say “good morning”, you use “kalimera”. In the afternoon or evening, you would say “kalispera”. Finally, when bidding someone farewell at the end of the night, you would say “kalinita”. This is interesting to me because if you use “kalinita” instead of “kalispera”, for example, and the person will be coming back, he or she corrects you in letting you know that you will see them again before turning in for the night. The small difference in the words has such a significant meaning, and this is something I have learned to be more cautious of during my time here in Greece. I am proud of the amount of Greek language that I picked up thus far and I look forward to learning more as the dialogue continues!