by John Fisher
Standard currency in Greece is the euro, divided into 100 leptá (cents). You may still see prices quoted in dhrachmas (the old currency) and many till receipts continue to show the value in both, but the old notes and coins are no longer valid. The major credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere, though perhaps with reluctance at the cheaper tavernas and bars.
Opening hours
Traditionally shops and offices open from 8.30 or 9am until 1.30 or 2.30pm, when there is a long break for the hottest part of the day. Most places, except banks and government offices, then reopen in the late afternoon, from about 5.30 to 8.30pm; theyclosed on Sundays, and often on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday afternoons. However, increasing numbers of places, especially in the city centre and above all the tourist shops in Pláka, now remain open throughout the day. Hours can also vary between summer and winter (usually Oct–March & April–Sept).
Pharmacies
The Marinópoulos branches on Patisíon and Panepistimíou are particularly good and also sell homeopathic remedies. Bakákos, on Platía Omonías is the largest general pharmacy in Athens and stocks just about everything. All pharmacies display a daily list of those open after-hours.
Public holidays
Official holidays are: January 1; January 6; March 25; the first Monday of Lent (variable Feb/March); Easter weekend (variable March/April); May 1; Pentecost or Whit Monday (fifty days after Easter); August 15; October 28; December 25 and 26. Many Athenians take their holidays at Easter and during August, when some shops and restaurants will be closed.
Skiing
A day-trip to ski from Athens is easily arranged in winter: the main centre at Mount Parnassós is accessible either by car or on an organized tour. To avoid the hordes, go during the week.
Smoking
Greeks smoke heavily, often in crowded public places such as cafés, restaurants and bars. Public transport is non-smoking, as are many offices, but only a small minority of places to eat or drink will have effective non-smoking areas.
Telephones
Phonecards (tilekárta) for public phones are available from kiosks and small shops, starting at €3. For international calls, though, an international calling card (such as AT&T) is usually better value: if you already have one, you’ll need to know the access code for Greece. For the domestic operator, call tel 132; for the international operator, call tel 139. Mobile phones are ubiquitous in Athens, and if you have an international roaming facility, you should have no problem using yours while here.
Theatre
The contemporary Greek theatre scene is unlikely to be accessible unless your Greek is fluent. As with Greek music, it is essentially a winter pursuit; in summer, the only productions tend to be satirical and (to outsiders) totally incomprehensible revues. However, well worth catching is the Classical drama staged (June–Aug Fri & Sat nights) at the spectacular ancient theatre in Epidauros. For big productions you’re best getting your tickets in advance as seats can sell out quickly.
Time
Greek summer time begins at 2am on the last Sunday in March, when the clocks go forward one hour, and ends at 2am the last Sunday in October when they go back. Greek time is thus always two hours ahead of Britain. For North America, the difference is seven hours for Eastern Standard Time, ten hours for Pacific Standard Time, with an extra hour plus or minus for those few weeks in April when one place is on daylight saving and the other isn’t.
Tours
Most travel agencies offer a variety of tours out of Athens, as well as day- or half-day tours of the city. The latter normally include a bus drive around the highlights and a guided tour of the Acropolis and its museum for around €30. You could also take the “Happy Train” ride, which sets out from the Platía Paliás Agorás (on Eólou, just off Adhrianoú) and clatters past most of the major sites for an hour or so (€5, children €3).
Language
Basics
Menu reader
Basics
You can get by in Athens speaking only English – in the tourist areas certainly there’ll always be someone who can speak it fluently. Away from the centre you may struggle occasionally, but even here an English-speaker is rarely far away. However, the effort of mastering a few Greek words is well repaid, and will transform your status from that of dumb tourístas to the more honourable one of xénos/xéni, a word which can mean foreigner, traveller and guest all rolled into one.
The Rough Guide Greek Dictionary Phrasebook is full of more phrases that you’ll need. It also fills you in on cultural know-how and is sensibly transliterated.
Pronunciation
On top of the usual difficulties of learning a new language, Greek presents the additional problem of an entirely separate alphabet. Despite initial appearances, this is in practice fairly easily mastered and is a skill that will help enormously if you are going to get around independently. In addition, certain combinations of letters have unexpected results. Remember that the correct stress (marked with an accent) is crucial. With the right sounds but the wrong stress people will either fail to understand you, or else understand something quite different from what you intended – there are numerous pairs of words with the same spelling and phonemes, distinguished only by their stress.
Set out below is the Greek alphabet, the system of transliteration used in this book, and a brief aid to pronunciation.
Greek
Transliteration
Pronounced
a
a as in father
v
v as in vet
y/g
y as in yes except before consonants or a, o or ou when it’s a breathy g, approximately as in gap
dh
th as in then
e
e as in get
z
z sound
I
i as in ski
th
th as in theme
I
i as in ski
k
k sound
l
l sound
m
m sound
n
n sound
x
x sound
o
o as in toad
p
p sound
r
r sound
s
s sound, except z before m or g; single sigma has the same phonic value as double sigma
t
t sound
y
y as in barely
f
f sound
h
before vowels, harsh h sound, like ch in loch kh before consonants
ps
ps as in lips
o
o as in toad, indistinguishable from o
Combinations and diphthongs
e
e as in hey
av/af
av or af depending on following consonant
i
long i, exactly like ι or η
ev/ef
ev or ef, depending on following consonant
I
long i, exactly like ι or η
ou
ou as in tourist
ng
ng as in angle; always medial
g/ng
g as in goat at the beginning of a word, ng in the middle
b/mb
b at the beginning of a word, mb in the middle
d/nd
d at the beginning of a word, nd in the middle
ts
ts as in hits
tz
dg as in judge, j as in jam in some dialects
Words and phrases
Basics
Yes Né
Certainly Málista
No Óhi
Please Parakaló
OK, agreed Endáxi
Thank you Efharistó(very much) (polý)
I (don’t) understand (Dhén)Katalavéno
Excuse me Parakaló, mípos
Do you speak English? Miáte
angliká?
Sorry, excuse me Signómi
Today Símera
Tomorrow Ávrio
Yesterday Khthés
Now Tóra
Later Argótera
Open Anikhtó
Closed Klistó
Day Méra
Night Níkhta
In the morning Tó proï
In the afternoon Tó apóyevma
In the evening Tó vrádhi
Here Edhó
There Ekí
This one Aftó
That one Ekíno
Good Kaló
Bad Kakó
Big Megálo
Small Mikró
More Perisótero
Less Ligótero
A little Lígo
A lot Polý
Cheap Ftinó
Expensive Akrivó
Hot Zestó
Cold Krýo
With (together) Mazí (mé)
Without Horís
Quickly Grígora
Slowly Sigá
Mr/Mrs Kýrios/Kyría
Miss Dhespinís
To eat/drink Trógo/píno
Bakery Fúrnos, psomádhiko
Pharmacy Farmakío
Post office Tahydhromío
Stamps Gramatósima
Petrol station Venzinádhiko
Bank Trápeza
Money Leftá/khrímata
Toilet Toualéta
Police Astynomía
Doctor Yiatrós
Hospital Nosokomío
Requests
To ask a question, it’s simplest to start with parakaló, then name the thing you want in an interrogative tone.
Where is the bakery? Parakaló, o úrnos?
Can you show me Parakaló, ó dhrómos the road to . . . ? á . . . ?
We’d like a room for two Parakaló, énaátio yiá dhýo átoma
May I have a kilo of oranges? Parakaló, éna kiló ália?
Where? Poú?
How? Pós?
How many? Póssi, pósses or póssa?
How much? Póso?
When? Póte?
Why? Yiatí?
At what time . . . ? Tí óra . . . ?
What is/ Tí íne/Pió íne . . . ?
Which is . . . ?
How much does it cost? Póso káni?
What time does it open? Tí óra aníyi?
What time does it close? Tí óra klíni?
Conversation
By far the most common greeting, on meeting and parting, is yiá sou/yiá sas – literally “health to you”. Incidentally, the approaching party utters the first greeting, not those seated at sidewalk kafenío tables or doorsteps.
Hello Hérete
Good morning Kalí méra
Good evening Kalí spéra
Good night Kalí níkhta
Goodbye Adío
How are you? Tí kánis/Tí kánete?
I’m fine Kalá íme
And you? Ké essís?
What’s your name? Pós se léne?
My name is . . . Mé léne . . .
Speak slower, please Parakaló, miláte pió á
How do you say it in Greek? Pós léyete stá á?
I don’t know Dhén xéro
See you tomorrow Thá sé dhó ávrio
See you soon Kalí andhámosi
Let’s go Páme
Please help me Parakaló, ná mé voithíste
Greek’s Greek
There are numerous words and phrases which you will hear constantly, even if you rarely have the chance to use them. These are a few of the most common.
Éla! Come (literally) but also “Speakto me!”, “You don’t say!”, and so on.
Oríste! Literally, “Indicate!”; in effect,“What can I do for you?”
Embrós! orLéyete!Standard phone responses.
Tí néa? What’s new?
Tí yínete? What’s going on (here)?
Étsi k’étsi So-so.
Ópa! Whoops! Watch it!
Po-po-po! Expression of dismay or concern, like French “O là là!”.
Pedhí moú My boy/girl, sonny, friend etc.
Maláka(s) Literally “wanker”, but often used (don’t try it!) as an informal term of address.
Sigá sigá Take your time, slow down.
Kaló taxídhi Bon voyage.
Accommodation
Hotel Xenodhohío
Inn Xenón(as)
Youth hostel Xenónas neótitos
A room . . . Éna dhomátio . . .
for one/two/three people yiá éna/dhýo/tría átoma
for one/two/three nights yiá mía/dhýo/trís és
with a double mé megálo kreváti
with a shower mé doús
Hot water Zestó neró
Cold water Krýo neró
Air conditioning Klimatismós
Fan Anamistíra
Can I see it? Boró ná tó dhó?
Can we camp here? Boroúme na váloume
ti skiní edhó?
Campsite Kámping/Kataskínosi
Tent Skiní
Travel
Aeroplane Aeropláno
Bus, coach Leoforío, púlman
Car Aftokínito, amáxi
Motorbike, scooter Mihanááki, papáki
Taxi Taxí
Ship Plío/vapóri/karávi
High-speed catamaran Tahýplio
Hydrofoil Dhelfíni
Train Tréno
Train station Sidhirodhromikós stathmós
Bicycle Podhílato
Hitching Otostóp
On foot Mé tá pódhia
Trail Monopáti
Bus station Praktorío leoforíon, KTEL
Bus stop Stássi
Harbour Limáni
What time does it leave? Ti óra févyi?
What time does it arrive? Ti óra ftháni?
How many kilometres? Póssa hiliómetra?
How many hours? Pósses óres?
Where are you going? Poú pás?
I’m going to . . . Páo stó . . .
I want to get off at . . . Thélo ná katévo stó . . .
The road to . . . O dhrómos yiá . . .
Near Kondá
Far Makriá
Left Aristerá
Right Dhexiá
Straight ahead Katefthía, ísia
A ticket to . . . Éna isitírio yiá . . .
A return ticket Éna isitírio mé epistrofí
Beach Paralía
Cave Spiliá
Centre (of town) Kéndro
Church Eklissía
Sea Thálassa
Village Horió
Numbers
1 énas/éna/mía
2 dhýo
3 trís/tría
4 tésseres/téssera
5 pénde
6 éxi
7 eftá
8 okhtó
9 ennéa (or more slangy, enyá)
10 dhéka
11 éndheka
12 dhódheka
13 dhekatrís
14 dhekatésseres
20 íkossi
21 íkossi éna(all compounds written separately thus)
30 triánda
40 saránda
50 penínda
60 exínda
70 evdhomínda
80 ogdhónda
90 índa
100 ekató
150 ekatón penínda
200 dhiakóssies/ dhiakóssia
500 pendakóssies/ pendakóssia
1000 hílies/hília
2000 dhýo hiliádhes
1,000,000 éna ekatomírio
first próto
second dhéftero
third tríto
Days of the week and the time
Sunday Kyriakí
Monday Dheftéra
Tuesday Tríti
Wednesday Tetárti
Thursday Pémpti
Friday Paraskeví
Saturday Sávato
&
nbsp; What time is it? Tí óra íne?
One/two/three o’clock Mía íy óra/dhýo iy óra/trís íy óra
Twenty minutes to four Tésseres pará íkossi
Five minutes past seven Eftá ké pénde
Half past eleven Éndheka ké misí
In half an hour Sé misí óra
In a quarter-hour S’éna tétarto
In two hours Sé dhýo óres
Months and seasons
Note that you may see hybrid forms of the months written on schedules or street signs; the below are the spoken demotic forms.
January Yennáris
February Fleváris
March Mártis
April Aprílis
May Maïos
June Ioúnios
July Ioúlios
August Ávgoustos
September Septémvris
October Októvrios
November Noémvris
December Dhekémvris
Summer schedule Therinó dhromolóyio
Winter schedule Himerinó dhromolóyio
Menu reader
Basics
Aláti Salt
Avgá Eggs
(Horís) ládhi (Without) Oil
Hortofágos Vegetarian
Katálogo, lísta Menu
Kréas Meat
Lahaniká Vegetables
O logariasmós The bill
Méli Honey
Neró Water
Psári(a) Fish
Psomí Bread
Olikís Wholemeal bread
Sikalísio Rye bread
Thalassiná Seafood
Tyrí Cheese
Yiaoúrti Yogurt
Záhari Sugar
Cooking terms
Akhnistó Steamed
Makaronádha Any pasta-based dish
Pastó Marinated in salt
Psitó Roasted
Saganáki Cheese-based red sauce; or any fried cheese
