You know you are Greek when....

[Queen B]

- You make frappe before leaving home, when getting to the office, after lunch, when having guests, before the guests leave, after the guests leave and before going to bed.

- You call an older person you've never met before "Thio" or "Thia".

- You hide everything from your parents, but they still think they know everything about you, and make you believe that they actually do.

- When you arrive home you find 20 people waiting for you at the airport.

- You always curse at Greeks and then when you travel to Europe or the States you only make Greek friends.

- When you come back from University you still have to live withyour parents, and fight over curfew all over again, as if you never left them before.

- Your relatives alone could populate a small city.

- You fight over who pays the dinner bill.

- You teach Europeans/Americans swear words in your language.

- When you go on a date you start thinking of places that you never thought of before to avoid family or family friends. You end up in a lousy place and still bump into the relative with the biggest mouth.

- You think you are liberated when you can't even smoke in public..

- If you are 25 and not married yet, your parents make you feel that you are getting too old.

- You always say "Open the light" instead of "Turn on the light".

- You ask your dad a simple question and he tells you a story of how he had to walk miles just to get to school with no shoes.

- At least 5 of your cousins live on your street.

- All 5 of those cousins are named after your grandfather.

- You have at least one relative who wore a black dress every day for an entire year after a funeral... or their entire life!

- You spent your entire childhood thinking what you ate for lunch was pronounced "sangwich."

- Every Sunday afternoon of your childhood was spent visiting papou and yiayia or extended family.

- Mamas main hobby is cleaning.

- You learned to play tavli before you went to school.

- You know everyone got pinched on the cheeks and money stuffed in their pockets by their relatives.

- Your mother is overly protective of the males in the family no matter what their age.

- You use plastic grocery bags as garbage bags

- Your 15 year old brother/sister can out drink ANY American guy

- You tell your parents you're having a party. They buy out the whole supermarket.

- You tell mama you're not hungry and she thinks you have an eating disorder.

- You have been threatened to be eaten by the Kako/ baboola / yero / pontiki when you were little


- You drink a lot, smoke a lot, eat a lot, and still live more than the most

- Your family inheritance includes olive trees and land

- You buy the whole watermelon and not just slices.

- You go out and return home at the morning. Even if you work in a few hours.

- You are first in the traffic light, and still press the horn out of habit.

- You don't share money for the gas, with the rest people that are in the car.

- You love and hate with passion

- You talk about diet, when you are having lunch/dinner

- You go out for ''a coffee'' and return home the other morning


Feel free to add more

[Radojica]

hehehe, so many similarities :D. We are all Greeks a little bit :D

[Queen B]

hehehe, so many similarities :D. We are all Greeks a little bit :D

Some of them, or many, apply generally to Balkans, I guess

[Sikeliot]

How about if your last name ends in -idis or -akis?

[Veneda]

hehehe, so many similarities :D. We are all Greeks a little bit :D
Poles are similar as well :D

[Queen B]

How about if your last name ends in -idis or -akis?

-idis and -akis are for Pontics and Cretans.

-Is - os -as -opoulos - are some more :lol:

[Sikeliot]

-idis and -akis are for Pontics and Cretans.

-Is - os -as -opoulos - are some more :lol:

Almost every Greek I know has a name ending in akis or idis :lol: Maybe it is reflective of the ancestry of the specific ones I know.

I also know a few with names ending in -atos and -allis.

[Chronos]

A lot of these apply to Romanians too :)

[Queen B]

Almost every Greek I know has a name ending in akis or idis :lol: Maybe it is reflective of the ancestry of the specific ones I know.

I also know a few with names ending in -atos and -allis.

Μaybe they are the ones you know :lol:

-atos are from Keffalonia (Ionian islands)

[jerney]

Reminds me of this :D:

TOP 10 REASONS WHY GREEKS CANT BE TERRORISTS

10. 8:45am is too early for us to be up.

9. We are always late.....we would have missed all 4 flights (not to mention had too much luggage).

8. Good-looking women on the plane would distract us completely.

7. We would talk loudly and bring attention to ourselves.

6. Food and drink were on the plane, we would be busy eating and drinking (napping afterward foils plans, too).

5. We talk with our hands; we would have put our weapons
down.

4. We would all want to fly the plane.

3. We would argue amongst ourselves and start a fight in the plane.

2. We would definitely have put the Greek flag on the windshield of the plane before takeoff, thereby blowing our cover.

...and the Number One Reason Why Greeks Cant Be Terrorists:

1. We would have bragged to everyone a week before doing it!

[Queen B]

Reminds me of this :D:

TOP 10 REASONS WHY GREEKS CANT BE TERRORISTS

10. 8:45am is too early for us to be up.

9. We are always late.....we would have missed all 4 flights (not to mention had too much luggage).

8. Good-looking women on the plane would distract us completely.

7. We would talk loudly and bring attention to ourselves.

6. Food and drink were on the plane, we would be busy eating and drinking (napping afterward foils plans, too).

5. We talk with our hands; we would have put our weapons
down.

4. We would all want to fly the plane.

3. We would argue amongst ourselves and start a fight in the plane.

2. We would definitely have put the Greek flag on the windshield of the plane before takeoff, thereby blowing our cover.

...and the Number One Reason Why Greeks Cant Be Terrorists:

1. We would have bragged to everyone a week before doing it!

:lol: so true :lol:

[rashka]

- You fight over who pays the dinner bill.


Fight meaning everyone wants to pay or no one wants to pay? ;)

[Queen B]

Fight meaning everyone wants to pay or no one wants to pay? ;)

Εveryone wants to pay.

Among friends and couples this is something like ''rule''

[Radojica]

Εveryone wants to pay.

Among friends and couples this is something like ''rule''

This is a rule in Serbia, too. I never allow to my "better half" to pay and I had a lot of times real arguing for that reason :D

Also, when out with friends, it's like everyone has one round to call and pays for that round, other round is on another friend and so on... I don't like that Westerner atitude "we pay our drinks...My attitude is "ok, next time you want to pay your own drink, go out by yourself alone and pay as many as you like, while with me, that's the rule :)"

[jerney]

Εveryone wants to pay.

Among friends and couples this is something like ''rule''

One of the great qualities inherent to Greeks. Always hospitable and generous with friends and family :thumb001:

[Queen B]

This is a rule in Serbia, too. I never allow to my "better half" to pay and I had a lot of times real arguing for that reason :D

Happy to hear that. I was suprised to hear that the normal is ''going Dutch''


One of the great qualities inherent to Greeks. Always hospitable and generous with friends and family :thumb001:

That's why we got broke :lol:

Seriously, this is true. Greeks are over-generous. As we say ''having two underwear and give you one if needed'' :lol:

[jerney]

That's why we got broke :lol:

Seriously, this is true. Greeks are over-generous. As we say ''having two underwear and give you one if needed'' :lol:

Well, I was trying to be positive and not mention anything to this effect :p

[Radojica]

Happy to hear that. I was suprised to hear that the normal is ''going Dutch''



Who told you that :suspicious:?

[Queen B]

Well, I was trying to be positive and not mention anything to this effect :p

:lol: :lol:


Who told you that :suspicious:?

I mean by the rest of the Europe, not about Serbia

[Romanion]

- your yia yia blesses your new place to keep away evil spirits
- your uncle thinks conspiracies are real
- your opinion is so important eveyone needs to hear it

[Racial Observer 1814]

When your people created Western civilization.:thumb001::thumb001:

[Flintlocke]

You never eat lunch before 10:00 pm.

You have to go 5 times a year in the bus station to take a can of oil, honey, cheese, olives, mountain tea, oranges, or lemons.

Whenever you go abroad you wonder how people live without kiosks.

You clap loudly for the pilot every time the plane lands.

You don't mind living with your parents at 30 or being 25 and have never worked.

You block the road by parking to buy cigarettes but beat up anyone else who's doing it.

You go to the gym but smoke a pack of cigarettes every day.

You brag about your son's sex conquests and that your daughter is still a virgin.

[memobekes]

You know you are Greek when you

... use sea salt for salads
... apply a dash of olive oil to buffalo cheese
... tuck into water melons accommodated with salty feta cheese

We really do rely on our fine culinary and gastronomic skills...

[Queen B]

You know you are Greek when you

... use sea salt for salads
We use salt that we buy from the supermarkt


... apply a dash of olive oil to buffalo cheese
We don't have buffaloes in Greece.
But we apply olive oil in feta

[memobekes]

We use salt that we buy from the supermarkt

We don't have buffaloes in Greece.
But we apply olive oil in feta

Interesting. What part of Greece do you hail from?

Here in the North [Thessaloniki] we love sea salt for salads. It tastes so much better.

[Queen B]

Interesting. What part of Greece do you hail from?

Here in the North [Thessaloniki] we love sea salt for salads. It tastes so much better.

Too bad for you my father is from Thessaloniki, I lived there for 3 years, and in general, I lived 16 years in Macedonia. So, accept your real self, and don't pose as something you are not.

[rashka]

You know you're Greek if you believe in the evil eye.

[memobekes]

Too bad for you my father is from Thessaloniki, I lived there for 3 years, and in general, I lived 16 years in Macedonia. So, accept your real self, and don't pose as something you are not.

OK but while you were here, didn't you notice the excessive use of sea salt?

Such is the nature of this thread, I think it's only right that I go and make myself a gyros in pitta bread with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and raw onions.

Are you a big fan of gyros?

[Queen B]

You know you're Greek if you believe in the evil eye.

:thumb001:


OK but while you were here, didn't you notice the excessive use of sea salt?

Such is the nature of this thread, I think it's only right that I go and make myself a gyros in pitta bread with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and raw onions.

Are you a big fan of gyros?

No, I prefer pitta with souvlaki. Don't forget the potatoes. !

[memobekes]

You know you're Greek if you believe in the evil eye.

Absolutely. I have an amulet of one in my bedroom. :D

[memobekes]

:thumb001:



No, I prefer pitta with souvlaki. Don't forget the potatoes. !

Yes, how can I forget potatoes. :D

Between why don't you like gyros?

[Queen B]

Yes, how can I forget potatoes. :D

Between why don't you like gyros?

I just don't like the taste.

[memobekes]

I just don't like the taste.

Right, that's totally understandable. :thumb001:

Anyway, like I said, I really do need to eat some food or else my jaw will drop to the table.

I might go to my mom's to have a pastitsio. Yassas, adelfi!

[Queen B]

Right, that's totally understandable. :thumb001:

Anyway, like I said, I really do need to eat some food or else my jaw will drop to the table.

I might go to my mom's to have a pastitsio. Yassas, adelfi!

When you try to act like a Greek, don't make grammar mistakes in Greek language.

You simply humiliate yourself. ;)

[Trun]

Hellenas haunted memo? :eek: :lol:

[brunette]

When you're emotional. But all Southern European guys are like that. Because God made human beings and robots different.

[Amapola]

what is yia yia?

Oh I thought the thing of the plastic bags for the rubbish was applicable to everybody :embarrassed

[Wanderlust]

what is yia yia?



He meant 'grandmother'. :)

Giagia or yiayia, for those who can't pronounce the Greek 'γ' /y/ .:)

[Amapola]

He meant 'grandmother'. :)

Giagia or yiayia, for those who can't pronounce the Greek 'γ' /y/ .:)

We also have the word yaya for grandmother. Our Real Academia says it's of "internal origin", but the resemblance is suspiciously great :noidea:

[Drawing-slim]

Every greek family must have a member named petros, just like every mexican family has a maria:D

[Kanuni]

You know you are Greek when you

... use sea salt for salads
... apply a dash of olive oil to buffalo cheese
... tuck into water melons accommodated with salty feta cheese

We really do rely on our fine culinary and gastronomic skills...

memo mate, even you are affected with this syndrome of trolling:laugh:

[Queen B]

Every greek family must have a member named petros, just like every mexican family has a maria:D

Not actually. Petros is NOT that popular. Georgos is (George) , where 11% of Greek men are named as such. Nikos (Nick), Giannis (John) , Dimitris and Kostas are the most popular.

But depends on the area. In Zakynthos, f.e. every family has a Dionisis (a saint from there :lol:)

[jerney]

Right, that's totally understandable. :thumb001:

Anyway, like I said, I really do need to eat some food or else my jaw will drop to the table.

I might go to my mom's to have a pastitsio. Yassas, adelfi!

I only know about 100 words in Greek and can still manage to spell geia sas correctly.. :rolleyes:

[Queen B]

I only know about 100 words in Greek and can still manage to spell geia sas correctly.. :rolleyes:

Its because you don't want to pass as a Greek, and because you really live in Greece :wink

[Bard]

Can I have more informations about this "open the light" thing Dandelion? In Trieste people also use "open" for example they say "open the tv" (aprire la tv) instead of "turn on". It is funny.

[Queen B]

Can I have more informations about this "open the light" thing Dandelion? In Trieste people also use "open" for example they say "open the tv" (aprire la tv) instead of "turn on". It is funny.

Exactly the same thinks happen in that case too!
:lol:
They just translate it from Greek to English :lol:

[memobekes]

I only know about 100 words in Greek and can still manage to spell geia sas correctly.. :rolleyes:

It depends on the exact dialect, though.

When Greeks speak in their respective dialects, sometimes it's difficult to understand each other, specially when there's a lack of exposure.

Just like German became "standardized" under Martin Luther and Italian under the House of Savoy, Greek also gradually became unified within time.

Hope this helps.

[brunette]

Is there a difference? They have a bunch of other ethnic groups there like Macedonians and Albs..

[Queen B]

It depends on the exact dialect, though.

When Greeks speak in their respective dialects, sometimes it's difficult to understand each other, specially when there's a lack of exposure.


Yassas adelfi is a common expression that would be used in any dialect, (if your grammar was correct)

Accept your own origin, and stop acting like something that you are not, and you unsuccesfully imitate.

[brunette]

LOL

[memobekes]

Yassas adelfi is a common expression that would be used in any dialect, (if your grammar was correct)

Accept your own origin, and stop acting like something that you are not, and you unsuccesfully imitate.

I really do not want to become involved in this.

Blood's thicker than water.

[Queen B]

I really do not want to become involved in this.

Blood's thicker than water.

You shouldn't be invloved in a first place, by trying to act like Greek

Now, of course you don't want, you are so bad in imitating, you just make a fool of yourself.

[MandM]

I really do not want to become involved in this.

Blood's thicker than water.

where are u from originally?

maby his greek but hasent learn the language properly?

[memobekes]

You shouldn't be invloved in a first place, by trying to act like Greek

Now, of course you don't want, you are so bad in imitating, you just make a fool of yourself.


Honestly, my time doesn't deserve this.

[Queen B]

where are u from originally?

maby his greek but hasent learn the language properly?

Anatolian Turkish he said, his profile previously said Kurdish.

No, the Greek he used, is not even broken Greek. Jerney doesn't know how to speak Greek, but still this is ssooooo basic, and she knows that Yassas adelfi is wrong.

But enough, this thread should not be trashed by wannabe-Greeks. You can add or comment anything you want about the list :wink

[Comte Arnau]

We also have the word yaya for grandmother. Our Real Academia says it's of "internal origin", but the resemblance is suspiciously great :noidea:

The word you've got in Spanish (in truth, only in the Eastern area) comes from Catalan and Aragonese. People in the West of the peninsula don't use it. Its origin is quite likely just a child pronunciation of àvia, grandmother in Catalan. In Greek, the stress is on the last syllable, yayá.

[Amapola]

The word you've got in Spanish (in truth, only in the Eastern area) comes from Catalan and Aragonese. People in the West of the peninsula don't use it. Its origin is quite likely just a child pronunciation of àvia, grandmother in Catalan. In Greek, the stress is in the last syllable, yayá.

Some people use it here too. In the Real Academia doesn't really clarify its origin. Does Corominas say anything?

[Comte Arnau]

Some people use it here too. In the Real Academia doesn't really clarify its origin. Does Corominas say anything?

By here you mean Granada? By "Eastern Spanish" I mean the area lexically influenced by Aragonese and Catalan, that is: Navarre, Rioja, Soria, Cuenca, Albacete, inland Valencia, Murcia and Eastern Andalusia.

The Real Academia is quite deficient when it comes to etymology, tbh.

Can't remember right now, but I think Corominas supported the origin I told you or mentioned it as the most probable. Children can't say "l'àvia", they say "laaia" and by reduplication you get "laiaia", la iàia. It probably spread southwards up to Granada in times of the Crown. Do you also use the masculine, yayo?

[Amapola]

By here you mean Granada? By "Eastern Spanish" I mean the area lexically influenced by Aragonese and Catalan, that is: Navarre, Rioja, Soria, Cuenca, Albacete, inland Valencia, Murcia and Eastern Andalusia.

The Real Academia is quite deficient when it comes to etymology, tbh.

Can't remember right now, but I think Corominas supported the origin I told you or mentioned it as the most probable. Children can't say "l'àvia", they say "laaia" and by reduplication you get "laiaia", la iàia. It probably spread southwards up to Granada in times of the Crown. Do you also use the masculine, yayo?

Yes, I have heard it in Granada, but not sure about the other Eastern provinces, it's probably the same. Yes, la yaya and el yayo.

[Hochmeister]

Bump

[Pontios]

- When a priest comes to your house every year to bless your house with Holy water.
- When you see non-Greek people do something you don't accept and you think "Barbarians..."
- When everytime you hear a word in another language that comes from Greek, you immediatly know this.
- When you see something and you know Greeks invented it and you tell it to everyone around you :lol:
- When you have a Greek flag in every single room.
- When you have an Icon in every single room.
- When you know if someone is Greek and what part of Greece they originated, just from their last name.
- When you have at least 5 George's or Niko's as relatives.
- When you get hit with a wooden spoon or "pandofla" :lol:
- When you known that we invented everything.

[TheMagnificent]

You invented everything? Never heard of Sumer, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Hittites, Persia, the Roman Empire, China, Renaissance Italy, Japan, Germany, the United States (just to name something), etcetera, have you?

[Queen B]

You invented everything? Never heard of Sumer, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Hittites, Persia, the Roman Empire, China, Renaissance Italy, Japan, Germany and the United States, have you?

For fucks shake, haven't you heard about irony, humor and exaggeration? :picard2:

[TheMagnificent]

For fucks shake, haven't you heard about irony, humor and exaggeration? :picard2:

Coming from Pontios, I'm not so sure, to be honest. :rolleyes:

[Pontios]

You invented everything? Never heard of Sumer, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Hittites, Persia, the Roman Empire, China, Renaissance Italy, Japan, Germany, the United States (just to name something), etcetera, have you?

They just continued our inventions to make them better. Just compare their inventions to ours, without our inventions, theirs aren't possible to be made...

[TheMagnificent]

For fucks shake, haven't you heard about irony, humor and exaggeration? :picard2:


They just continued our inventions to make them better. Just compare their inventions to ours, without our inventions, theirs aren't possible to be made...

:laugh:

[Queen B]

:laugh:
Ι don't see what's funny in that. Just because someone believe it , doesn't mean that everyone does, neither ''you know you are Greek'' when you think like Pontios.

[Pontios]

:laugh:

I was exadurating and being ironic about us inventing EVERYTHING, but we did invent more than the rest of the world. Our inventions led other inventions for thousands of years after they were originally invented. Just take math for example, without geometry that we invented, so many things would not be possible. Without the alphabet that we invented (both Greek and Cyrillic was invented by Greeks) that 90% of the world uses today, and other alphabets that were based on Greek alphabet, how will we communicate and store our knowledge on paper? Those are just two things...

You can't deny that we didn't invent any of these things. This is simple logic. Our inventions, led to many others 2000 years later.

Just because you are not Greek and you don't like this, it doesn't mean we have to change our history.