Ask your beloved in Greek what Christmas gifts do they want. Below are common phrases.

ΗΓιωργία (Γ) and η Ιωάννα (I) discuss about buying Christmas gifts.

DIALOGUE

Greek phrase            Pronunciation          Meaning

Γ: Καλημέρα, πούπας; KaliMEra, POO PAS?     Good morning, where do you go?

Ι: Πάωσταμαγαζιά.    PAo STA mayaziA.  I go to the stores.

Πρέπειναπάρω         PREpi NA PAro        I have to buy

δώρα για τα Χριστούγεννα. DOrayiATAhriSTOOyena.  Christmas gifts.

Γ: Κιεγώ. Πρέπει       KE eYO. PREpi        Me, too. I have

ναπάρωδώρα           NA PAro DOra          to buy gifts

γιατονπαππού,         yiA TON paPOO,      for grandfather,

γιατηγιαγιάμου          yiA TEE yiayiA          for grandmother

καιγιαταπαιδιά.         KE yiA TA  pediA.    and for the kids.

Ι: Εγώπρέπειναπάρωδώρα            eYO PREpi NA PAro DOra            I have to buy gifts

γιατογιομου   yiA TO yiO moo        for my son

και για την κόρη μου.           KE yiA TEEn KOri moo.      and for my daughter.

Γ: Τι δώρα θέλουν;   TEEDOraTHEloon? What gifts do they want?

Ηκόρημου      EE KOri moo My daughter

θέλειέναφόρεμα.       THEli Ena FOrema. wants a dress.

Ογιόςμου       O yiOS moo   My son

θέλειέναπαντελόνι.   THEli Ena panteLOni.         wants pants.

Ι: Οπαππούςθέλει    O paPOOS THEli                 Grandpa wants

έναπουκάμισο.                      Ena pooKAmiso.      a shirt.

Ηγιαγιάθέλει  EE yiayiA THeli        Grandma wants

έναμαντήλι.    Ena maNTEELi.       a dress.

Γ: Εσύτιδώροθέλεις;            eSEE TEE DOro THElis?   What gift do you want?

Ι: Εγώθέλωδιακοπές.           eYO THElo diakoPES.   I want a (holiday) break.

BASIC VOCABULARY

Greek word    Pronunciation          Meaning

ΤαΧριστούγεννα       TA hriSTOOyena     Christmas

Τοδώρο          To DOro         gift

Ταδώρα          TA DOra         gifts

Πού     POO   where

Εγώπάω        eYO PAo       I go

Εσύπας          eSEE PAS    you go

Τομαγαζί        TO mayaZEE            store

Ταμαγαζιά      TA mayaziA   stores

Στα      STA    to, at (plural)

Πρέπει            PREpi            I have to, I must

Ναπάω                       NA PAo          to go

Ναπάρω        NA PAro        to buy, to take

Για       yiA      for

Οπαππούς    O paPOOS    grandfather (Nominative)

Τονπαππού   TON paPOO  grandfather (Accusative)

Ηγιαγιά           EE yiayiA       grandmother (Nominative)

Τηνγιαγιά       TEEN yiayiA grandmother (Accusative)

Τοπαιδί          TO paDEE     child, kid

Ταπαιδιά        TA pediA        children, kids

Ογιός  O yiOS           son (Nominative)

Τονγιο            TON yiO         son (Accusative)

Ηκόρη            EE KOri          daughter (Nominative)

Τηνκόρη         TEEN KOri    daughter (Accusative)

Εγώθέλω       eYO THElo    I want

Εσύθέλεις      eSEE theLIS you want

Θέλει   THEli  he/she/it wants

Θέλουν           THEloon        they want

Τοπουκάμισο            TO pooKAmiso         shirt

Τομαντήλι      TO maNTEEli            scarf

Τοφόρεμα      TO FOrema   dress

Τοπαντελόνι  TO panteLOni           pants

Ένα     Ena     one

Οιδιακοπές    EE diakoPES            holidays

Τι         TEE    what

GREEK WORDS IN ENGLISH

The Greek word παιδί is the first compound of words as pediatric and pedagogy.

GRAMMAR

Nouns that follow the preposition γιαare always put in accusative case. For masculine gender nouns the article is τονand the final -ςof the ending is omitted. For feminine gender nouns the article is τηνand the ending the same as in the nominative case.

EXERCISE

Τι δώρο θέλουν για τα Χριστούγεννα;

Try to match the Greek phrase with their translation in English.

1. Ο παππούς θέλει ένα παντελόνι. Grandpa wants a scarf.
2. Η γιαγιά θέλει ένα μαντήλι. Grandma wants pants.
3. Η κόρη μου θέλει ένα φόρεμα. My son wants a shirt.
4. Ο γιος μου θέλει ένα πουκάμισο. My daughter wants a dress.

PRONUNCIATION KEY

i (ill), ee (beer), e (ever), o (organ), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.