Learn how to form the accusative case of Greek nouns
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| INTRODUCTION |
| Iro:Hi, I’m Iro. |
| Judith: Judith here, Absolute Beginner, Season 1, Lesson 9; What Would You Say at a Greek Restaurant? Hello and welcome to GreekPod101.com where we study modern Greek in a fun and educational format. |
| Iro: So brush up on the Greek that you started learning long ago or start learning today. |
| Judith: Thanks for being here with us for this lesson. Judith, what are we looking at in this lesson? |
| Iro: In this lesson, you will learn how to order food at a Greek restaurant. |
| Judith: This conversation takes place at a restaurant in Athens. |
| Iro: The conversation is between Petros, Ellie, an employee and the waitress. |
| Judith: The speakers are in a formal situation. Therefore they will be speaking in formal Greek. |
| Iro: Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| DIALOGUES |
| Πέτρος: Καλησπέρα. Έχουμε μία κράτηση. |
| Υπάλληλος: Το όνομά σας, παρακαλώ; |
| Πέτρος: Αντωνίου. |
| Υπάλληλος: Αντωνίου... Μάλιστα. Ένα τραπέζι για δύο; |
| Πέτρος: Ναι.... |
| Σερβιτόρος: Καλησπέρα. Παρακαλώ. |
| Έλλη: Μμμμ... Ένα μπιφτέκι, παρακαλώ. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Με ρύζι ή με πατάτες; |
| Έλλη: Με πατάτες. |
| Πέτρος: Εγώ θα ήθελα αστακό με πορτοκάλι. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Θέλετε σαλάτα; |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις μια πράσινη σαλάτα; |
| Έλλη: Ναι, μία πράσινη σαλάτα. |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις κρασί ή μπίρα; |
| Σερβιτόρος: Έχουμε πολύ ωραίο κρασί. |
| Έλλη: Εγώ θέλω μία μπίρα. Εσύ; |
| Πέτρος: Κι εγώ. Δύο μπίρες λοιπόν. Και θα ήθελα ένα ούζο. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Ευχαριστώ. |
| Έλλη: Αυτό το εστιατόριο έχει καλούς σερβιτόρους. |
| English Host: Let’s hear the conversation one time slowly. |
| Πέτρος: Καλησπέρα. Έχουμε μία κράτηση. |
| Υπάλληλος: Το όνομά σας, παρακαλώ; |
| Πέτρος: Αντωνίου. |
| Υπάλληλος: Αντωνίου... Μάλιστα. Ένα τραπέζι για δύο; |
| Πέτρος: Ναι.... |
| Σερβιτόρος: Καλησπέρα. Παρακαλώ. |
| Έλλη: Μμμμ... Ένα μπιφτέκι, παρακαλώ. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Με ρύζι ή με πατάτες; |
| Έλλη: Με πατάτες. |
| Πέτρος: Εγώ θα ήθελα αστακό με πορτοκάλι. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Θέλετε σαλάτα; |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις μια πράσινη σαλάτα; |
| Έλλη: Ναι, μία πράσινη σαλάτα. |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις κρασί ή μπίρα; |
| Σερβιτόρος: Έχουμε πολύ ωραίο κρασί. |
| Έλλη: Εγώ θέλω μία μπίρα. Εσύ; |
| Πέτρος: Κι εγώ. Δύο μπίρες λοιπόν. Και θα ήθελα ένα ούζο. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Ευχαριστώ. |
| Έλλη: Αυτό το εστιατόριο έχει καλούς σερβιτόρους. |
| English Host: Now let’s hear it with the English translation. |
| Πέτρος: Καλησπέρα. Έχουμε μία κράτηση. |
| Judith: Good evening. We have a reservation. |
| Υπάλληλος: Το όνομά σας, παρακαλώ; |
| Judith: Your name, please? |
| Πέτρος: Αντωνίου. |
| Judith: Andoniou. |
| Υπάλληλος: Αντωνίου... Μάλιστα. Ένα τραπέζι για δύο; |
| Judith: Andoniou... Yes. A table for two? |
| Πέτρος: Ναι.... |
| Judith: Yes.... |
| Σερβιτόρος: Καλησπέρα. Παρακαλώ. |
| Judith: Good evening. May I have your order? |
| Έλλη: Μμμμ... Ένα μπιφτέκι, παρακαλώ. |
| Judith: Mmmm... A steak, please. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Με ρύζι ή με πατάτες; |
| Judith: With rice or with potatoes? |
| Έλλη: Με πατάτες. |
| Judith: With potatoes. |
| Πέτρος: Εγώ θα ήθελα αστακό με πορτοκάλι. |
| Judith: I would like lobster with orange. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Θέλετε σαλάτα; |
| Judith: Very well. Do you want salad? |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις μια πράσινη σαλάτα; |
| Judith: Do you want a green salad? |
| Έλλη: Ναι, μία πράσινη σαλάτα. |
| Judith: Yes, a green salad. |
| Πέτρος: Θέλεις κρασί ή μπίρα; |
| Judith: Do you want wine or beer? |
| Σερβιτόρος: Έχουμε πολύ ωραίο κρασί. |
| Judith: We have very nice wine. |
| Έλλη: Εγώ θέλω μία μπίρα. Εσύ; |
| Judith: I want a beer. And you? |
| Πέτρος: Κι εγώ. Δύο μπίρες λοιπόν. Και θα ήθελα ένα ούζο. |
| Judith: Me too. Two beers then. And I would like an ouzo. |
| Σερβιτόρος: Μάλιστα. Ευχαριστώ. |
| Judith: Very well. Thanks. |
| Έλλη: Αυτό το εστιατόριο έχει καλούς σερβιτόρους. |
| Judith: This restaurant has good waiters. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Judith: Okay time to talk about Greek food. I was wondering when this topic would come up. What can you tell us about food in Greece? |
| Iro: Food is very important to Greek people. Greek culture has to show a rich variety in taste. That’s because the Greek cuisine is influenced by both west and east. Even on TV you can find many shows about cooking. |
| Judith: So you mean east, like Turkish and Middle Eastern? |
| Iro: Yes, exactly or you can also find a fusion cuisine that’s very trendy. |
| Judith: And what is the best known Greek dish? |
| Iro: I would say that Moussaka is probably the most famous Greek dish. It’s made of potatoes, eggplants, ground meat and béchamel sauce. And of course the most famous drink is as all we know Ouzo. |
| Judith: Yes. Ouzo, for those who don’t know, it’s made of anise, at least it has an anise flavor. And if you drink too much, you can get a really bad hangover. |
| Iro: Yes, exactly, that is true. |
| Judith: Is there also a typical Greek fast food? You know like America has hamburgers and Germany has döner? |
| Iro: Yes and it’s really famous. A typical fast food is "souvlaki" in Greece. Traditionally, it is made of a small cubes of pork put on after the other on a wooden stick and served with a slice of bread or wrapped in a kind of pie with tzatziki, tomatoes and onions. |
| Judith: Tzatziki is a mixture of yogurt, garlic, and cucumber. |
| Iro: It’s delicious. |
| Judith: Do you have to have pork in that? |
| Iro: No, you can have chicken souvlaki as well. That’s what I have. |
| Judith: Okay. How about vegetarian dishes, if there’s a vegetarian going to Greece, can he eat anything? |
| Iro: Yes, of course. The last few years more and more Greeks become vegetarians. |
| Judith: And I think it’s also part of the fast. I mean if people are orthodox, they don’t eat meat on Wednesday and Friday, right? |
| Iro: Yes, it is true or sometimes it depends on the people, how would they like to follow the tradition. For example, my grandma 40 days before Easter holidays, she doesn’t eat meat or eggs or anything that has to do with animals. |
| Judith: Oh, so she’s really a vegan? |
| Iro: Yeah. That is very usual to old Greeks. |
| Judith: So it is possible to get also vegan dishes in Greece? |
| Iro: Yes, of course. |
| Judith: That’s awesome. I didn’t know that. |
| Iro: Yeah. But this is…usually at this period near Christmas and near Easter. |
| Judith: Okay, good to know. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Judith: Let’s take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson. The first word we shall see is? |
| Iro: όνομα |
| Judith: Appellation or name. |
| Iro: όνομα |
| Judith: This word is neuter. Next? |
| Iro: τραπέζι |
| Judith: Desk or table. |
| Iro: τραπέζι |
| Judith: This word is neuter as well. Next? |
| Iro: μπιφτέκι |
| Judith: Steak. |
| Iro: μπιφτέκι |
| Judith: Neuter. Next? |
| Iro: με |
| Judith: With. |
| Iro: με |
| Judith: Next. |
| Iro: ρύζι |
| Judith: Rice. |
| Iro: ρύζι |
| Judith: Neuter as well. Next? |
| Iro: ή |
| Judith: Or. |
| Iro: ή |
| Judith: Next? |
| Iro: πατάτα |
| Judith: Potato. |
| Iro: πατάτα |
| Judith: This word is feminine. Next? |
| Iro: αστακός |
| Judith: Lobster. |
| Iro: αστακός |
| Judith: This is masculine. Next? |
| Iro: σαλάτα |
| Judith: Salad. |
| Iro: σαλάτα |
| Judith: This one is feminine. Next? |
| Iro: πράσινος |
| Judith: Green. |
| Iro: πράσινος |
| Judith: Next? |
| Iro: κρασί |
| Judith: Wine. |
| Iro: κρασί |
| Judith: This word is neuter. Next? |
| Iro: μπύρα |
| Judith: Beer. |
| Iro: μπύρα |
| Judith: Feminine. Next? |
| Iro: εστιατόριο |
| Judith: Restaurant. |
| Iro: εστιατόριο |
| Judith: This one is neuter. Next? |
| Iro: σερβιτόρος |
| Judith: Waiter. |
| Iro: σερβιτόρος |
| Judith: And this word is masculine. |
| KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES |
| Judith: Now, let’s have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. |
| Iro: The first phrase we’ll look at is "θα ήθελα" |
| Judith: This is a more polite way to say "θέλω" |
| Iro: "θέλω" is “I want,” and "θα ήθελα" is literally, “I would want,” used as “I would like.” So when requesting something, use "θα ήθελα". |
| Judith: Then, we have "πορτοκάλι" meaning “orange.” "πορτοκαλάδα", that means orange juice and it’s direct from this word. Keep in mind that the base is "πορτοκάλι" meaning “orange.” |
| GRAMMAR POINT |
| Judith: Now, the grammar focus of this lesson is the accusative. This is a slightly annoying part of Greek grammar. You may have already heard that Greek has cases. That is words may take different endings depending on the role that they have in the sentence. The three cases are called nominative, genitive and accusative. |
| Iro: Let’s ignore the genitive for now. Nominative is what we’ve been dealing with so far. It is what is used when a word is a subject of a sentence. For example “he” in “he saw her.” |
| Judith: The accusative is used for the object of a sentence. He becomes him for this. As in “She saw him.” Actually she and her are another example of this change as are I and me. |
| Iro: In Greek, the annoying thing is that not just personal pronouns like he or she change their appearance, also articles and some nouns do. |
| Judith: For neuter, everything stays the same. |
| Iro: For feminine, the singular article E changes to T and the plural article E changes to τις. |
| Judith: Can you give us an example of this? |
| Iro: Yes, of course. For example normally you’d say "η σαλάτα". But when you say that you want a salad, the salad becomes the object of your wanting, so you have to say θέλω τη σαλάτα". |
| Judith: And for plural? |
| Iro: For plural, the base form is "οι σαλάτες", And to order, you will say, "θέλω τις σαλάτες". |
| Judith: Can you have an example for masculine? |
| Iro: Yes. For masculine, "ο λογαριασμός" becomes "θέλω τον λογαριασμό". |
| Judith: In plural, both the article and the ending are normally /i/ spelled οι. And for objects they change to τους and -ους respectively. Can you give me an example of that? |
| Iro: "οι λογαριασμοί" becomes "θέλω τους λογαριασμούς". It’s not all that common to ask for several bills. So let’s have another example with waiters. Normally, the waiter is "οι σερβιτόροι" and “I see the waiters,” is "βλέπω τους σερβιτόρους". |
| Judith: The accusative will take a bit of time to master. Keep watching out for it and eventually these changes will feel normal and natural. Well that’s just about does it for today. Like our podcast? |
| Iro: Then like our Facebook page too. |
| Judith: Get lesson updates, our Greek word of the day and news on Facebook. |
| Iro: Just search for GreekPod101.com and like our front page. |
| Judith: And if you like a lesson or a series on GreekPod101.com? |
| Iro: Let us know. |
| Judith: By clicking on the like button next to the lesson or a series. |
Outro |
|---|
| Judith:See you next week! |
| Iro:Γεια σας! |
Comments
Hide