How to Tell Time in Greek: A Beginner’s Guide
Introduction
Telling time in Greek is a must-have skill for anyone learning the language. Whether you’re catching a ferry in Santorini, scheduling a call with a Greek friend, or simply practicing your skills, knowing how to express time makes you sound more fluent. In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know: basic vocabulary, how to say the hours and minutes, common expressions, and even some cultural quirks. By the end, you’ll be ready to tell time in Greek like a pro—let’s get started!
Basic Time-Telling Vocabulary
Before we jump into examples, here’s the essential Greek vocabulary for talking about time:
- Hour: η ώρα (i óra) – Always feminine, so it pairs with numerals like “μία” (mía).
- Minute: το λεπτό (to leptó)
- Second: το δευτερόλεπτο (to defterólepto)
- Clock: το ρολόι (to rolói)
- And/Past: και (kai) – Used for minutes past the hour.
- To/Before: παρά (pará) – Used for minutes before the next hour.
These words are your building blocks—keep them handy as we go!
Telling the Time: O’Clock
To say the time in Greek, you start with “Είναι” (Eínai = “It is”) followed by the hour number and “η ώρα” (i óra, “the hour / o'clock”). Here’s how it works:
| Time | Greek | Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | Είναι μία η ώρα | Eínai mía i óra | It is one o’clock |
| 2:00 | Είναι δύο η ώρα | Eínai dýo i óra | It is two o’clock |
| 3:00 | Είναι τρεις η ώρα | Eínai treis i óra | It is three o’clock |
| 4:00 | Είναι τέσσερις η ώρα | Eínai tésseris i óra | It is four o’clock |
| 5:00 | Είναι πέντε η ώρα | Eínai pénte i óra | It is five o’clock |
| 6:00 | Είναι έξι η ώρα | Eínai éxi i óra | It is six o’clock |
| 7:00 | Είναι επτά η ώρα | Eínai eptá i óra | It is seven o’clock |
| 8:00 | Είναι οκτώ η ώρα | Eínai októ i óra | It is eight o’clock |
| 9:00 | Είναι εννέα η ώρα | Eínai ennéa i óra | It is nine o’clock |
| 10:00 | Είναι δέκα η ώρα | Eínai déka i óra | It is ten o’clock |
| 11:00 | Είναι έντεκα η ώρα | Eínai énteka i óra | It is eleven o’clock |
| 12:00 | Είναι δώδεκα η ώρα | Eínai dódeka i óra | It is twelve o’clock |
Note
In Greek, “η ώρα” stays singular for all hours, unlike English where we might say “hours.” It’s always “Είναι μία η ώρα” (1:00), “Είναι δύο η ώρα” (2:00), etc.—think of it like “o’clock” staying consistent in English. Since “ώρα” is feminine, the numeral for 1:00 is “μία” (mía) instead of “ένας” (énas, masculine) or “ένα” (éna, neuter). For 2:00 and up, the numbers don’t change based on gender.
Indicating Minutes
To add minutes, use “και” (kai, “and”) for minutes past the hour, or “παρά” (pará, “to/before”) for minutes before the next hour. Here are the patterns:
Minutes Past the Hour
To add minutes past the hour, use “και” (kai, “and”) between the hour and minutes. Here’s how it works:
- 1:05: Είναι μία και πέντε (Eínai mía kai pénte) – Five minutes past one or Five minutes after one.
- 1:10: Είναι μία και δέκα (Eínai mía kai déka) – Ten minutes past one.
- 1:15: Είναι μία και τέταρτο (Eínai mía kai tétarto) – Quarter past one.
- 1:20: Είναι μία και είκοσι (Eínai mía kai eíkosi) – Twenty minutes past one.
- 1:30: Είναι μία και μισή (Eínai mía kai misí) – Half past one.
Minutes Before the Next Hour
To indicate minutes before the next hour, use “παρά” (pará, “to/before”) with the next hour. Here’s how:
- 1:55: Είναι δύο παρά πέντε (Eínai dýo pará pénte) – Five minutes to two or Five minutes before two.
- 1:50: Είναι δύο παρά δέκα (Eínai dýo pará déka) – Ten minutes to two.
- 1:45: Είναι δύο παρά τέταρτο (Eínai dýo pará tétarto) – Quarter to two.
- 1:40: Είναι δύο παρά είκοσι (Eínai dýo pará eíkosi) – Twenty minutes to two.
Note
“Τέταρτο” (tétarto) means “quarter,” and “μισή” (misí) means “half”—handy shortcuts for 15 and 30 minutes!
Common Time Expressions
Time isn’t just numbers—here’s how to add context:
- In the morning: το πρωί (to proí) – “Είναι οκτώ η ώρα το πρωί” (8:00 AM).
- At noon: το μεσημέρι (to mesiméri) – “Είναι δώδεκα το μεσημέρι” (12:00 PM).
- In the afternoon: το απόγευμα (to apógevma) – “Είναι πέντε το απόγευμα” (5:00 PM).
- At night: τη νύχτα (ti nýhta or most commonly το βράδυ / to vrádi) – “Είναι δέκα τη νύχτα / το βράδυ” (10:00 PM).
Asking the Time
Want to ask “What time is it?” in Greek? Here’s how:
- Question: Τι ώρα είναι; (Ti óra eínai?) – “What time is it?”
- Answers:
- “It’s 6:00”: Είναι έξι η ώρα (Eínai éxi i óra).
- “It’s 7:30”: Είναι επτά και μισή (Eínai eptá kai misí).
The 24-Hour Clock in Greek
In formal settings (e.g., schedules), Greeks use the 24-hour clock. It’s straightforward:
- 13:00: Είναι μία η ώρα (Eínai mía i óra).
- 20:15: Είναι οκτώ και τέταρτο τη νύχτα / το βράδυ (Eínai októ kai tétarto ti nýhta / to vrádi) – “It's quarter past eight in the evening.”
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Practice Examples
Try these sentences to test your skills:
- 3:10: Είναι τρεις και δέκα (Eínai treis kai déka).
- 5:45: Είναι έξι παρά τέταρτο (Eínai éxi pará tétarto).
- 9:30: Είναι εννέα και μισή (Eínai ennéa kai misí).
- 11:55: Είναι δώδεκα παρά πέντε (Eínai dódeka pará pénte).
- 7:20: Είναι επτά και είκοσι (Eínai eptá kai eíkosi).
Cultural Notes on Time in Greece
Greeks are famously relaxed about time. Showing up 10-15 minutes late is often no big deal, especially for social events. The word “ώρα” (óra) pulls double duty in Greek, meaning both “hour” and “time” broadly. This flexibility shows up in how Greeks ask about time—here are three common ways you might hear on the street:
| Greek Expression | Transliteration | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Τι ώρα είναι; | Ti óra eínai? | What’s the time? / What hour is it? |
| Έχετε ώρα; | Échete óra? | Do you have the time? |
| Μήπως έχετε ώρα; | Mípws échete óra? | Perhaps do you have the time? |
“Τι ώρα είναι;” is the everyday, casual question you’ve already mastered. Meanwhile, “Έχετε ώρα;” and “Μήπως έχετε ώρα;” are polite ways to ask someone, like a stranger, for the time. Both use the Πληθυντικός Ευγενείας (Plithyntikós Evgeneías), or "plural of politeness," where the plural "you" (έχετε, échete) signals respect, unlike the singular “έχεις” (écheis) you’d use with friends.
“Μήπως” (Mípws) adds an extra layer of softness, like saying “Excuse me, do you…” in English—it’s a gentle way to approach someone you don’t know. In English, we don’t have exact matches, but think of “Έχετε ώρα;” as “Do you have the time?” and “Μήπως έχετε ώρα;” as “Would you happen to have the time?”—perfect for chatting with locals politely!
Conclusion
Mastering how to tell time in Greek opens doors to better conversations and smoother travel. From “Είναι μία η ώρα” to “Είναι δύο παρά τέταρτο,” you’ve got the basics down. Watch the video above for pronunciation, practice with our examples, and explore more Greek grammar—like verbs (opens in a new window) or plurals (opens in a new window)—to keep leveling up. Happy learning!
