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Greek · Frustration & Fate

χέστηκα

chéstika

KHEHS-tee-kah · /ˈxe.sti.ka/

I couldn't care less — OR — I got the fright of my life (context decides).

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"I shat myself"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

A scatological two-for-one. Dismissive: "χέστηκα" = I don't give a crap ("χέστηκα για το τι λένε," I couldn't care less what they say). Literal-ish: "χέστηκα απ' το φόβο μου" = I was scared shitless. The whole χέζω (to shit) family is productive: "άντε χέσου" (get lost), "μας έχεσε" (he crapped all over us / let us down), "χέσε μας" (leave us alone / spare us). Bar-safe 2. Coarser than σκατά but still everyday.

Heard in the wild

Χέστηκα αν θύμωσε, δικό του πρόβλημα.

I couldn't care less if he got mad, that's his problem.

Where it lands

Greece & Cyprus (universal)

Quick answers

What does "χέστηκα" mean?
In Greek, "χέστηκα" means "I couldn't care less — OR — I got the fright of my life (context decides).". Literally it's "I shat myself". A scatological two-for-one. Dismissive: "χέστηκα" = I don't give a crap ("χέστηκα για το τι λένε," I couldn't care less what they say). Literal-ish: "χέστηκα απ' το φόβο μου" = I was scared shitless. The whole χέζω (to shit) family is productive: "άντε χέσου" (get lost), "μας έχεσε" (he crapped all over us / let us down), "χέσε μας" (leave us alone / spare us). Bar-safe 2. Coarser than σκατά but still everyday.
Is "χέστηκα" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
How do you pronounce "χέστηκα"?
Say it "KHEHS-tee-kah" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈxe.sti.ka.

Related in Greek

σιγά sigá see-GHAH Big deal / whatever / calm down / as if — dismissive minimizing. άντε ρε ánte re AHN-deh reh Get outta here / oh come on / give me a break — dismissive disbelief. δεν γαμιέται den gamiétai then gah-MYEH-teh Who gives a fuck / forget it / to hell with it — dismissive resignation. ξεφτίλα xeftíla ksef-TEE-lah A total disgrace / an embarrassment / pathetic. μπάχαλο báchalo BAH-khah-loh A mess / chaos / complete shambles. στο διάολο sto diáolo stoh THYAH-oh-loh To hell (with it/you) / go to hell / get lost.

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Tough luck".

how to say "Tough luck" →

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