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Greek Listening Comprehension – B1 | Greek Listening

This is a Greek listening comprehension exercise for language students on level B1. You will listen to three intermediate-level conversations in modern Greek and then you will be requested to answer a few questions. There will be background noises and, since you are now an intermediate speaker, the last audio will play only once.

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Answers

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10 Greek Verbs You Should Know in ALL Tenses and With Examples! | Greek Grammar

Today’s video is dedicated to Greek grammar. You will learn ten (10) very common Greek verbs in all tenses. You will be provided with the first-person singular for each verb, which you can memorize. You will then be presented with some examples. Take pen and paper and let’s get started!

10 Greek Verbs in ALL Grammatical Tenses

Ενεστώτας – Αόριστος – Παρατατικός – Παρακείμενος-Υπερσυντέλικος-Μέλλοντας Στ.-Μέλλοντας Εξ.- Μέλλοντας Συντελεσμένος

  1. είμαι – — – ήμουν – — – — – — – θα είμαι – — – — – — –
  2. έχω – — – είχα – — – — – — – θα έχω – — – — – — –
  3. κάνω – έκανα – έκανα – έχω κάνει – είχα κάνει – θα κάνω – θα κάνω – θα έχω κάνει
  4. μπορώ – μπόρεσα – μπορούσα – έχω μπορέσει – είχα μπορέσει – θα μπορέσω – θα μπορώ – θα έχω μπορέσει
  5. λέω – είπα – έλεγα – έχω πει – είχα πει – θα πω – θα λέω – θα έχω πει
  6. ζω – έζησα – ζούσα – έχω ζήσει – είχα ζήσει – θα ζήσω – θα ζω – θα έχω ζήσει
  7. παίρνω – πήρα – έπαιρνα – έχω πάρει – είχα πάρει – θα πάρω – θα παίρνω – θα έχω πάρει
  8. βρίσκω – βρήκα – έβρισκα – έχω βρει – είχα βρει – θα βρω – θα βρίσκω – θα έχω βρει
  9. βλέπω – είδα – έβλεπα – έχω δει – είχα δει – θα δω – θα βλέπω – θα έχω δει
  10. βάζω – έβαλα – έβαζα – έχω βάλει – είχα βάλει – θα βάλω – θα βάζω – θα έχω βάλει

Examples with Basic Greek Verbs

«Είμαι, ήμουν και θα είμαι ειλικρινής.» “I am, I was and I’ll be honest.”

«Είχα μάθημα το πρωί.» “I had a class in the morning.”

«Θα έχω κάνει πολλές δουλειές μέχρι τότε.» “I will have done many jobs by that time.”

«Σε πήρα τηλέφωνο γιατί δεν βρίσκω τα κλειδιά μου.» “I called you because I can’t find my keys.”

«Του είπα ότι θα δω ταινία το βράδυ.» “I told him I’ll be watching a movie tonight.”

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No More “Ναι” or “Όχι”. Upgrade Your Greek with These Synonyms

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“Yes” (Ναι) and “No” (Όχι) are standard answers in all languages. But, as you progress in your language journey, it is time to move forward and start using synonyms to express negation and affirmation. Usually, conversations between beginners in Greek are as follows:

-«Πεινάς;» (are you hungry?)

-«Ναι.» (yes.)

-«Κατάλαβες;» (was it clear to you?)

-«Όχι.» (no.)

Here are some words and phrases that will upgrade your Greek vocabulary in minutes. These will help you express affirmation and negation in Greek.

Greek Synonyms of “Yes” and “No” | No More “Ναι”/”Όχι”

  1. Βεβαίως – Sure
  2. Φυσικά – Of course
  3. Αποκλείεται – No way
  4. Αμέ – Yep
  5. Τς/ τσου – (disapproval sound, informal no)
  6. Άπαπα – Oh no/ Νο way
  7. Μάλιστα – Sure/ Indeed
  8. Οκέι (οκ) – Okay (ok)
  9. Σίγουρα – For sure
  10. Σαφώς – Definitely/ Clearly
  11. Προφανώς – Obviously
  12. Εννοείται – Of course/ It goes without saying
  13. Οπωσδήποτε – Definitely
  14. Ούτε καν – No way/ Never/ Not at all
  15. Ούτε να το σκέφτεσαι – Don’t even think about it
  16. Δεν παίζει – No way (slang)
  17. Με την καμία – No way (slang)
  18. Σε καμία περίπτωση – No way

Let’s see some examples:

«Διάβασες;» (Have you studied?)

«Φυσικά και διάβασα.» (Of course I’ve studied)

«Κρασί;» (Wine?)

«Βεβαίως…» (Sure…)

«Πάμε για ποτό;» (Shall we go out for a drink?)

«Αποκλείεται!» (No way!)

«Έχεις αναπτήρα;» (Do you have a lighter?)

«Τς…» (No…)

«Θέλεις γλυκό;» (Would you like some dessert?)

«Άπαπα, έχω σκάσει.» (No way, I’m full.)

«Γνωρίζεστε;» (Do you know each other?)

«Ούτε καν…» (Not at all…)

«Έχεις να μου δανείσεις πέντε ευρώ;» (Can you lend me five euros?)

«Με την καμία.» (No, no way.)

Well, these were some examples of words and phrases that express affirmation or negation in Greek that are not “yes” or “no”. If you found this video helpful, don’t forget to click subscribe; it’s free and you’ll discover many more free videos like this. You can always visit helinika.com and don’t forget to check the description for some helpful links. Till next time!

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How YOUR Country Sounds in Greek | Names of Countries in Greek

As you probably already know, the names of countries may be pronounced differently from language to language. In some cases, a country or nation may have multiple different names when translated into different languages. A great example of that is Greece. In Greek, Greece or Hellas is named “Ελλάδα” (η). The name “Greece” actually derives from the Latin “Graeci” – a term the Romans used to describe Greeks. Now, let’s see how the names of some countries sound in Greek.

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The Names of 80+ Countries in Greek | Greek Geography Vocabulary

  1. Αίγυπτος – Egypt
  2. Αιθιοπία – Ethiopia
  3. Αλβανία – Albania
  4. Αλγερία – Algeria
  5. Αργεντινή – Argentina
  6. Αρμενία – Armenia
  7. Αυστραλία – Australia
  8. Αυστρία – Austria
  9. Αφγανιστάν – Afghanistan
  10. Βενεζουέλα – Venezuela
  11. Βιετνάμ – Vietnam
  12. Βόρεια Κορέα – North Korea
  13. Βουλγαρία – Bulgaria
  14. Βραζιλία – Brazil
  15. Γαλλία – France
  16. Γερμανία – Germany
  17. Γουατεμάλα – Guatemala
  18. Γροιλανδία – Greenland
  19. Δανία – Denmark
  20. Δομινικανή Δημοκρατία – Dominical Republic
  21. Ελβετία – Switzerland
  22. Εσθονία – Estonia
  23. Ζάμπια – Zambia
  24. Ζιμπάμπουε – Zimbabwe
  25. Ηνωμένα Αραβικά Εμιράτα – United Arab Emirates
  26. Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες (της Αμερικής)/ ΗΠΑ – United States (of America)/ USA
  27. Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο/ Αγγλία – United Kingdom/ England
  28. Ιαπωνία – Japan
  29. Ινδία – India
  30. Ινδονησία – Indonesia
  31. Ιορδανία – Jordan
  32. Ιράκ – Iraq
  33. Ιράν – Iran
  34. Ιρλανδία – Ireland
  35. Ισημερινός – Ecuador
  36. Ισλανδία – Iceland
  37. Ισπανία – Spain
  38. Ισραήλ – Israel
  39. Ιταλία – Italy
  40. Καναδάς – Canada
  41. Κένυα – Kenya
  42. Κίνα – China
  43. Κολομβία – Colombia
  44. Κούβα – Cuba
  45. Κροατία – Croatia
  46. Κύπρος – Cyprus
  47. Λάος – Laos
  48. Λετονία – Latvia
  49. Λευκορωσία – Belarus
  50. Λίβανος – Lebanon
  51. Λιθουανία – Lithuania
  52. Λουξεμβούργο – Luxemburg
  53. Μαδαγασκάρη – Madagascar
  54. Μάλτα – Malta
  55. Μαρόκο – Morocco
  56. Μεξικό – Mexico
  57. Μολδαβία – Moldova
  58. Μονακό – Monaco
  59. Νέα Ζηλανδία – New Zealand
  60. Νιγηρία – Nigeria
  61. Νορβηγία – Norway
  62. Νότια Αφρική – South Africa
  63. Νότια Κορέα – South Korea
  64. Ολλανδία/ Κάτω Χώρες – Holland/ Netherlands
  65. Ουγγαρία – Hungary
  66. Ουκρανία – Ukraine
  67. Ουρουγουάη – Uruguay
  68. Περού – Peru
  69. Πολωνία – Poland
  70. Πορτογαλία – Portugal
  71. Ρουμανία – Romania
  72. Ρωσία – Russia
  73. Σερβία – Serbia
  74. Σκωτία – Scotland
  75. Σλοβακία – Slovakia
  76. Σλοβενία – Slovenia
  77. Σουηδία – Sweden
  78. Συρία – Syria
  79. Τζαμάικα – Jamaica
  80. Τσεχία – Czech Republic
  81. Φινλανδία – Finland

Now, where are you from? You can leave a comment down below. For more free content like this, like and subscribe. Don’t forget to binge-watch all of Helinika’s videos and visit helinika.com for free Greek resources. In the description, you’ll find some helpful links, including your Udemy discount and Helinika’s other social media accounts. Till next time.

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Pronouncing Greek Gods and Goddesses Names in (Modern) Greek | a.k.a How Greeks Call the Ancient Gods

Zeus, Aphrodite, Poseidon. The names of the members of the ancient Greek pantheon are known to the English-speaking world. But, it goes without saying, that these names are pronounced differently in (modern) Greek. Here is how Greeks call the Greek gods and goddesses we know from our favorite myths.

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Pronouncing Greek Gods/Goddesses Names in Greek:

  1. Δίας (Zeus)
  2. Ήρα (Hera)
  3. Ποσειδώνας (Poseidon)
  4. Αθηνά (Athena)
  5. Αφροδίτη (Aphrodite)
  6. Άρης (Ares)
  7. Ήφαιστος (Hephaestus)
  8. Διόνυσος (Dionysus)
  9. Εστία (Hestia)
  10. Απόλλων(ας) (Apollo)
  11. Άρτεμις (Artemis)
  12. Ερμής (Hermes)
  13. Δήμητρα (Demeter)
  14. Περσεφόνη (Persephone)

Who’s your favorite character from ancient Greek mythology?

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Creative Greek Insults That Are Rather Funny Than Offensive

You may hear them in Greek movies and tv-series or even on the street. These Greek insults are not meant to be offensive – they are normally used in a playful way, just for laughs.

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Creative and Inoffensive Greek Insults

  • (ο) μπαγλαμάς – this small Greek musical instrument is often used to describe people that are… unimportant and useless.
  • (ο) κουραμπιές – this Christmas delicacy has been used as a funny insult. A Greek actress named Dimitra Matsouka once admitted calling a fellow driver she argued with “κουραμπιέ”. The phrase “ναι τον είπα κουραμπιέ” (yes, I called him kourabie) instantly became a meme.
  • (η) κουφαλίτσα – literally translated as “little tree hollow”, it is used to describe people who are deceptive and sneaky but, at the same time, they are not dangerous or evil. The term was popularized by a Greek tv-series.
  • (η) τσαπερδόνα – from the Italian “sopra donna”, this Greek word is used to describe women who are overly flirty. It is used in a playful way and it is not considered offensive. You should not mix it up with offensive slurs that refer to women’s sexuality.
  • (ο) μπουμπούνας – this Greek insult describes someone who is a bit stupid in a funny rather than an offensive way.
  • (o) γάιδαρος/ (η) γαϊδάρα – donkeys are beloved animals in Greece. However, they are considered stubborn, and they are therefore used to describe people who have this quality. At the same time, a “γάιδαρος” in Greek is also a taker who never gives to others or returns favors.
  • είναι στον κόσμο του/της – he/she is in his/her own cosmos (world). This phrase is used when someone is absent-minded and/or does not pay attention to non-verbal cues and does not “read” the room.
  • τρεις λαλούν και δυο χορεύουν – three (people) are singing and two are dancing. This creative insult is used during a conversation when someone says something that is unrelated to the subject or when someone has probably not understood what the other person talked about.

Did you know any of these words and phrases?

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Funniest Greek Words and Phrases You Should Start Using

Every language has words and phrases that are either funny or can be used for some smart comebacks. Here is a list of the funniest Greek words you should start using.

Funny Greek Words and Phrases:

  • Αμπελοφιλοσοφίες (οι): “vine philosophies” a.k.a drunk philosophical conversations or (metaphorically) ideas that sound smart but are actually stupid. Example: «Άσε μας με τις αμπελοφιλοσοφίες σου.» (Stop with your vine philosophies).
  • Πιασ’ τ’ αβγό και κούρευ’ το (πιάσε το αβγό και κούρεψε το): “take the egg and shave it” a.k.a the situation is difficult to handle or the task is impossible. Example: «Να επισκευάσω την πόρτα; Πιάσ’ τ’ αβγό και κούρευτ’ το!» (Repair the door? Take the egg and shave it).
  • Ψαροκώσταινα (η): “Fish Kostena” a.k.a a poor and uncultured person or place – named after a 19th century old lady named Kostena from the town of Psara. Example: «Μένουμε στην ψαροκώσταινα της Ευρώπης.» (We reside in Europe’s fish Kostena).
  • Κάγκουρας (ο): “Kangaroo man” a.k.a a man who wears a funny pack and tunes his vehicles. Example: «Τι φοράς; Σαν κάγκουρας είσαι.» (What are you wearing? You look like a kangaroo man).
  • Ψωροευρώ (τα): “Poor people’s euros” a.k.a an amount of money that is too less to make you rich. Example: «Δουλεύει όλη μέρα για μερικά ψωροευρώ.» (He/she works all day for some poor people’s money).
  • Έφαγα πόρτα: “I ate a door” a.k.a someone slammed a door in my face or simply denied me access to a place. «Δεν μπήκα στο κλαμπ. Έφαγα πόρτα.» (I did not enter the club. I ate a door).

Which phrase are you going to use from now on? Leave a comment down below. If you are new to this channel, make sure to subscribe and check the rest of my videos. Till next time!

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How Greek Loanwords Are (Actually) Pronounced in Greek

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The Greek language may have loaned many words to English and other languages, especially in science. Words such as “philosophy”, “biology”, “theatre”, “history”, “idea”, “politics”, and “Democracy” are of Greek origin. Here is how a few Greek loanwords sound when pronounced in Greek.

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Greek Loanwords Pronunciation in Greek Examples

  • Philosophy – Φιλοσοφία
  • Biology – Βιολογία
  • Theatre – Θέατρο
  • History – Ιστορία
  • Idea – Ιδέα
  • Politics – Πολιτική
  • Democracy – Δημοκρατία
  • Cinematography – Κινηματογράφος
  • Photography – Φωτογραφία
  • Telephone – Τηλέφωνο
  • Autonomy – Αυτονομία
  • Ideology – Ιδεολογία
  • Ego – Εγώ
  • Psyche – Ψυχή
  • Psychology – Ψυχολογία
  • Analogy – Αναλογία
  • Academy – Ακαδημία
  • Acoustics – Ακουστική
  • Amnesia – Αμνησία
  • Antagonist – Ανταγωνιστής
  • Catastrophe – Καταστροφή
  • Cynic – Κυνικός
  • Critic – Κριτικός
  • Dogma – Δόγμα
  • Economics – Οικονομία
  • Aetiology – Αιτιολογία
  • Euphoria – Ευφορία
  • Grammar – Γραμματική

There are many more Greek loanwords that are used daily from English-speakers. If you use these words, you already speak Greek and you don’t know it. In a next video we will see how English and other foreign loanwords are pronounced in Greek. It is recommended to watch Helinika’s video titled “You Pronounce Greek wrong. Here is Why.” and learn how to properly pronounce modern Greek words.

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How to Improve Your Greek Listening Skills

This article/ video will help you improve your Greek language listening skills by addressing the main reasons why intermediate and advanced speakers might find difficulties listening to others and by providing solutions to these problems.

Many people find it difficult to understand others in the foreign language they have started learning. This is expected for beginners. As a Greek language beginner, you don’t have a wide range of vocabulary and it may take a while to get used to the native speaker’s accent. And your listening skills are probably more or less on the same level as your speaking, reading, and writing skills.

But what if you are progressing in your language journey and your listening skills are significantly worse than the rest of your Greek language skills? What if you can easily respond to e-mails and texts and ask for things in Greek but you find it difficult to understand other people’s remarks and questions?

We have previously seen how you can improve your Greek speaking skills. Today, we focus on Greek listening skills instead. 

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Reasons Why You Don’t Understand Others in Your Target Language

There are many reasons why you may not be able to understand auditory messages in Greek or any other language. If you suspect having problems with your hearing, please contact a physician. If this is not the case, here are a few reasons why this may be happening.

  1. You are not an Auditory Learner. Visual, verbal, and kinesthetic learners might find listening exercises difficult.
  2. You don’t exercise your listening skills enough. Maybe you skip the listening tasks in your coursebooks. Or perhaps you focus on reading Greeks-speaking books and magazines but avoid watching shows or listening to the Greek radio.
  3. You have a shy and/or anxious personality. Overthinking your next response takes the focus away from the person you’re talking with. As a result, you might often miss what they are saying to you.
  4. You’re talking to someone who uses a Greek dialect. It is impossible to know all the dialects of your target language. If you are visiting a town or village away from the capital and “it’s all Greek to you”, you may be listening to a dialect you don’t know.

How to Improve Your Greek Language Skills

  1. Take advantage of the listening exercises you are provided with. For example, you can use Helinika’s 100% free listening exercises.
  2. Start watching and listening to Greek-speaking media. The more you listen to native and proficient speakers, the easier it will get.
  3. Don’t be afraid to ask people to repeat what they said. It’s better than letting speak for minutes without understanding a word.
  4. Stay focused. If you notice yourself getting lost in your own thoughts, pinch your hand and focus on what you are being told. Missing a couple of sentences in a foreign language will result in a catastrophe.
  5. Pay attention to the non–verbal cues. When in doubt, pay attention to the person’s body language. Fortunately, Greeks tend to speak with their hands (and their whole bodies).
  6. If you are a visual learner, visualize what you hear. It will help you stay focused and comprehend what they are telling you.
  7. Be present. If you are in Greece and you hear people speak Greek to each other, it may be too tiring to stay alert and listen to what everyone says. But if someone addresses you, you will probably not realize what they said.
  8. Correct your pronunciation. When discovering a new Greek word in a book, try listening to its pronunciation on Google translate or on another similar application. It will be easier recognizing this word in a conversation.

Was this helpful? You can find plenty of Greek-language resources at helinika.com and all of its social media platforms.

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