Slang Greek
From UniLang Wiki
Here are some expressions of slang Greek. They are not written in texts, except for SMS or small texts exchanged between friends etc.:
Έλα! – common after recognizing a voice on the telephone
Τι γίνεται; - what’s up?
Τι τρέχει; - what's up?
Πώς πάει; - what’s up?
Τι λέει; - what’s up?
Τα λέμε! – see you!
Τσάγια! - ciao! (literally, 'teas!')
Γουστάρω – to like. Used instead of αρέσει: γουστάρω διακοπές! – I want vacations!
Γαμώτο! - the same as the English exclamation "damn!" or "shit!" Literally it means "I fuck it" and it should be written as two words, but it is always written as one so that the verb "fuck" is not so distinguished. This expression is very often used in everyday life
Την κάνω – I am out of here
Την κοπανάω – I am out of here
Tη γλυτώνω - To escape a bad situation
Μου τη βιδώνει – It makes me mad
Μου τη δίνει – It makes me mad
Τα παίρνω – To get mad
Ξενερώνω – To be bored, to feel down
Μένω – To be baffled
Γράφω – To ignore someone
Πουλάω – To betray someone
Παθαίνω πλάκα - To be baffled, to be totally surprised
Παλούκι – tough
Ξηγιέμαι – to act
Τα παίζω - To be baffled, to be totally surprised, astonished
Τσαμπουνάω – to keep on talking (and saying stupid things)
Στραβώνω – To be upset
Ξύλο - Fighting
Παίρνω δρόμο - To hit the road
Στο διάολο! - Go to hell!
Ρίχνω ξύλο / παίζω ξύλο – To beat
Τρώω ξύλο – To be beaten in a fight, or by mum
Τρώω χυλόπιτα – To be rejected by a woman (for men) or by a man (for women)
Ρίχνω – to convince someone after negotiations and usually using methods like flirt, caprice or promises
Την πάτησα – I have been cheated
The most common slang word in Greek is ρε. It is heard several times by a Greek talking. It is hard to find an exact English equivalent. It is used to call someone, instead of using his name: Ρε! – Hey you! Τι κάνεις ρε; - How are you? Also it often precedes any kind of adjectives one uses to address someone: Ρε βλάκα – you silly, ρε μάγκα – you cool guy, ρε όμορφε – you handsome guy, ρε μαμά - mum etc. Depending on the way it is used and the general atmosphere of the conversation, it can signify a friendly mood or it can be used to show anger and to insult. It is always used between friends and never in more formal occasions. Other versions are βρε which is more friendly and μωρέ which shows mostly anger or disturb.
Another characteristic of daily talk is that Greeks omit the prep.+art. στον/στη/στo. They say "πάω σπίτι" instead of "πάω στο σπίτι", "γύρισα Αθήνα" instead of "γύρισα στην Αθήνα", "πάμε Λονδίνο" instead of "πάμε στο Λονδίνο", "θα κάτσω σπίτι" instead of "θα κάτσω στο σπίτι" etc.
There's a word "άντε" with a disputed derivation [probably from the verb "άγω" (conduct or lead), or from Turkish "haydi"]. It can bear many meanings:
Like the English "let's": Άντε πάμε! - Let's go
"Let me..": Άντε, φεύγω: I am going
It is used often as a farewell between friends in colloquial talk: Άντε.. - bye. Very often also when saying bye on the phone.
Also it is an exclamation addressed to someone in order to push him to do something, for example when he is too slow, or when he seems unwilling:
Άντε, κουνήσου! - Come on, move
Άντε, δούλευε! - Come on, work
Άντε, γρήγορα! - Come on, faster
