χαλάω (khaláo)

Pronunciation

Definitions & Examples

• verb:
  (transitive, most senses and figuratively) to break, ruin, destroy, wreck, spoil (damage, either permanently or that it requires repair)
  Examples:

  • Ο αδελφός μου χάλασε το κινητό μου.O adelfós mou chálase to kinitó mou.
  • My brother broke my mobile phone.
• verb:
  (transitive, figuratively) to ruin, spoil (ruin the character of by overindulgence)
  Examples:

  • Δίνοντάς του ό,τι ήθελε, τον χάλασε η μάνα του.Dínontás tou ó,ti íthele, ton chálase i mána tou.
  • By giving him whatever he wanted, his mother spoilt him.
• verb:
  (transitive, of money) to break (divide into smaller units)
  Examples:

  • Μπορείς να μου χαλάσεις ένα πενηντάρικο;Boreís na mou chaláseis éna penintáriko?
  • Can you break a fifty for me?
• verb:
  (transitive) to waste (squander uselessly)
  Examples:

  • Χάλασε την ζωή της με αυτόν τον άνθρωπο.Chálase tin zoḯ tis me aftón ton ánthropo.
  • She wasted her life with that man.
• verb:
  (transitive, scholarly, of people) to kill (put to death)
• verb:
  (transitive, scholarly, of a virgin) to deflower (take the virginity of)
• verb:
  (intransitive, also figuratively) to break, break down, become ruined (become damaged, unusable or no longer viable)
  Examples:

  • Το ρολόι χάλασε μέσα στη θάλασσα.To rolói chálase mésa sti thálassa.
  • The watch broke in the sea.
• verb:
  (intransitive, of food) to spoil (become bad, sour or rancid)
  Examples:

  • Χαλάσανε τα φρούτα, πέταξέ τα.Chalásane ta froúta, pétaxé ta.
  • The fruits have spoiled, throw them out.
• verb:
  (intransitive, of body parts) to become ruined
  Examples:

  • Χάλασαν τα μάτια του επειδή δεν διάβαζε με γυαλιά όταν τα χρειαζόταν.Chálasan ta mátia tou epeidí den diávaze me gyaliá ótan ta chreiazótan.
  • His eyes were ruined because he didn't read with glasses when he needed them.
• verb:
  (intransitive, of teeth) to decay, rot
  Examples:

  • Αν εξακουλουθήσεις να τρως γλυκά, θα χαλάσουν τα δόντια σου.An exakoulouthíseis na tros glyká, tha chalásoun ta dóntia sou.
  • If you continue to eat sweets, your teeth will rot.
• verb:
  (intransitive, of weather) to become bad, get worse
  Examples:

  • Όλη την εβδομάδα είχε λιακάδα αλλά ξαφνικά χάλασε ο καιρός.Óli tin evdomáda eíche liakáda allá xafniká chálase o kairós.
  • There was sunshine all week but suddenly the weather turned.