Greek · 13 phrases
The Essential Ten
Start here. These are the words you'll hear in your first hour and the ones that make you sound like you actually live here rather than reading from a card. Above all: malákas — the one word that teaches you how all of Greek cursing works, swinging from insult to endearment on tone alone. Learn its calibration and the rest falls into place.
έλα ρε éla re EH-lah reh Come on! / No way! / You're kidding — disbelief, protest, or delight depending on tone. πω πω po po poh POH Wow / oh my / good grief — astonishment, dismay, or admiration. ρε re reh Hey / man / you — a familiarity marker that softens or sharpens whatever follows. σιγά sigá see-GHAH Big deal / whatever / calm down / as if — dismissive minimizing. χαζός chazós khah-ZOHSS Silly / dumb / airhead — the gentlest 'you idiot.' ρε μαλάκα re maláka reh mah-LAH-kah Hey man / dude / bro — the affectionate-insult greeting between friends. σκάσε skáse SKAH-seh Shut up! / Zip it! σκατά skatá skah-TAH Shit! / Crap! — and 'garbage / terrible' for anything low quality. τι φάση ti fási tee FAH-see What's going on? / What the hell? / What's the deal? βλάκας vlákas VLAH-kahss Idiot / fool / dummy. γαμώτο gamóto ghah-MOH-toh Damn it! / Dammit! μαλάκας malákas mah-LAH-kahss Asshole / idiot — OR — dude / mate. The single most important word in Greek. γαμώ το / τη / τον… gamó to / ti / ton… ghah-MOH toh The productive Greek curse engine — 'fuck the [anything]' — how most heavy curses are built.