A1 LevelGreek Basics

Telling the time in Greek

Greek Grammar

Introduction

Learning to tell the time in Greek is an essential skill for anyone who wants to communicate effectively in the language. Whether you're traveling in Greece or engaging in a conversation with native speakers, knowing how to tell the time can be incredibly helpful. In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about telling the time in Greek.

Basic Time-Telling Vocabulary

Before we delve into the intricacies of telling the time in Greek, let's go over some basic vocabulary:

  • Hour: η ώρα (i óra)
  • Minute: το λεπτό (to leptó)
  • Second: το δευτερόλεπτο (to defterólepto)
  • Clock: το ρολόι (to rolói)
  • Time: η ώρα (i óra)

Telling the Time in Greek

O'Clock

In Greek, you can tell the time by saying the number followed by "η ώρα" (i óra), which means 'the hour' and in this context is equivalent to o'clock. Here's how you do it:

  1. One o'clock: Είναι μία η ώρα (Eínai mía i óra)
  2. Two o'clock: Είναι δύο η ώρα (Eínai dýo i óra)
  3. Three o'clock: Είναι τρεις η ώρα (Eínai treis i óra)
  4. Four o'clock: Είναι τέσσερις η ώρα (Eínai tésseris i óra)

Note

In Greek, the term for 'hour' stays in its singular form, 'η ώρα,' for all hours, rather than switching to the plural 'οι ώρες.' This is similar to the use of 'o'clock' in English.

Indicating Minutes

To indicate minutes past the hour, you can use the word "και" (kai), which means 'and', followed by the number of minutes.

  1. Quarter past one: Είναι μία και τέταρτο (Eínai mía kai tétarto)
  2. Quarter to two: Είναι δύο παρά τέταρτο (Eínai dýo pará triánta)
  3. Half past two: Είναι δύο και μισή (Eínai dýo kai misí)

Forms of Greek Numerals

ένας-μια-ένατρεις-τρίατέσσερις-τέσσερα
Αρσ.έναςτρειςτέσσερις
Θηλ.μίατρειςτέσσερις
Ουδ.ένατρίατέσσερα

Conclusion

Telling the time in Greek is a skill that you'll find useful in many situations. While it might take some practice to get used to the unique aspects of Greek time-telling, this guide should give you all the tools you need to master this skill. Happy learning!

How would you say 'Half past two' in Greek?

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