Spoken Greek: particles and discourse markers
ρε, βρε, λοιπόν, δηλαδή, καλά, έλα: how Greeks really talk.
| Marker | Function | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| λοιπόν | so, well (starting, concluding) | so, well then |
| δηλαδή | clarifying or questioning | I mean, you mean? |
| έλα | encouragement, disbelief, answering the phone | come on! / no way! / hello? |
| καλά | agreement, irony | OK / yeah, right |
| ρε / βρε | familiar address, emphasis | hey, mate |
| ε; / έτσι; | checking | eh? right? |
| μωρέ | softening, affection | oh, well |
| άντε | urging, impatience | come on, go on |
Politeness
Greek is generally more direct than English: Δώσε μου ένα νερό is fine between friends. Politeness is carried by intonation, the plural εσείς, and softeners like παρακαλώ, μήπως, θα μπορούσατε.
- Έλα, ρε, μην κάνεις έτσι!Come on, mate, don't be like that!
- Λοιπόν, τι λέμε; Πάμε;So, what do you say? Shall we go?
Test yourself
-
What does «Έλα!» mean when answering the phone?
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Hi, go ahead -
Is «ρε» polite with strangers?
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No, it's familiar. -
What does «δηλαδή» mean?
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I mean / that is -
Which pronoun to use with an older stranger?
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εσείς