60 old greek words used by our grandparents

John KarkalatosNovember 29, 2023

In this article I am writing old words that my grandparents were using. Because I was raised in the village, Kiveri in Argolida, I am familiar with their language and quote the semantic context in which they were used. They reflect their lifestyle, everyday life and everyday problems. They describe a life that no longer exists and with it the words have been lost.

gennima (γέννημα) = wheat
agnantevo (αγναντεύω) = I gaze, to agnantema (το αγνάντεμα) = the spot where you are gazing. My grandmother was using that word when we were in the fields on the mountain to describe the nice view. "You harvest olives and you gaze" she was telling me
manari (μανάρι) = the sheep or the goat. "I cut branches from the olive trees for the sheeps to eat"
proskefalo (προσκέφαλο) = the pillow, my grandfather was also calling it "proskefali"
geremes (γκερεμές) = naughty. My grandfather was using that word when I was a little boy
stofa (στόφα) = the wood-burning stove that was also an oven. You were also drying clothes and toasting bread
skafi (σκάφη) = the basin my grandmother was washing the clothes by hand. She hadn't bought a washing machine yet, but even when she did she didn't know how to use it
katoi (κατώι) = the basement
meros (μέρος) = the toilet, in the old houses was outside the house
(e)ftouno ((ε)φτούνο) = this. (e)ftounos ((ε)φτούνος) = him
sia pera (σια πέρα) = over there
sia katou (σια κάτου) = down there
biti (μπίτι) = completely, not at all. I was hearing this word several times during the day. "completely up" my grandmother was saying in front of the wardrobe meaning on the last shelf. She was also saying "I don't have any oil". It was also used to say that you are dumb
katse hamo (κάτσε χάμω) = sit down
paloukosou kato (παλουκώσου κάτω) = sit down but in a peremptory tone
kamoutsiki (καμουτσίκι) = the whip with a handle that the coachman was throwing at the horse, also known by the song of Aliki Vougiouklaki "coachbuilder". My grandmother used to say "I'm going to grab the whip" when I was naughty
gioukos/banokasela (γιούκος/μπανοκασέλα) = "gioukos" is the chest covered with layers of blankets and sheets. It was all covered by a white sheet to protect it from dust. Once you were putting all the things in the layers it was impossible to pull anything because they were one on top of the other and the weight was great. Usually these clothes were the bride's dowry. "Banokasela" I never understood what it was but it was something to do with a chest
kamaroula (καμαρούλα) = the small bedroom, kamara (κάμαρα) = bedroom
sibise ti fotia (σίμπησε τη φωτιά) = rekindle the fire by turning the firewood with the tongs
pelekao (πελεκάω) = I hit, my grandmother used to say the phrase "hit the food" meaning eat it all
(karga) κάργα = completely, very much. "completely full" (the olive tree with olives)
aftaigos (άφταιγος) = the one you can't blame. It was only used for children
to zo/ta za(το ζο/τα ζα) = the animal/the animals
(i theristiki) η θεριστική = the harvester. my grandmother was using this word not to refer to any agricultural implement but to the machine guns of the Germans
palantza (παλάντζα) = old hand scale. It was used until the 80's by an old man with a grocery store and every time I was bying something that needed a scale I was seeing him weighting it
kantari (καντάρι) = large quantity, an old unit of measurement of weight
tha se peroniasei (θα σε περωνιάσει) = the humidity/cold will penetrate your body. Fields in the plains are very cold and humid in winter but the old houses were colder and wetter than the modern ones too
tha plevritotheis (θα πλευριτωθείς) = the cold will hit you in the ribs
htikiaris (χτικιάρης) = the tuberculosis sufferer
i tsioupa/to tsioupi (η τσιούπα/το τσιουπί) = the girl
skiahtika (σκιάχτηκα) = I got scared
koumando (κουμάντο) = responsible/management. My grandfather was using this word a lot. Apparently is derived from the english word command
tagari (ταγάρι) = the old purse, my aunt was using it until recently but not for getting out. She was wearing it on her shoulder to put in shopping and what she needed for the field and the corral
diakoniaris (διακονιάρης) = the beggar
dragatis (δραγάτης) = the field guard
telalis (τελάλης) = the one who was reading the news out loud for the village to hear. He began the speech with the phrase "You hear, you hear...". This was done before there were newspapers, or even if they had existed they could not be circulated throughout the country nor was it a given that everyone could afford it
xegerevo (ξεγερεύω) = the child got fattened
aeriko (αερικό) = the fairy, the spirit. Grandma was using this word in Vervena Arkadia, a remote mountain village. The context in which she used it was that outside the village there are fairies. Outside the village there is no human presence, neither fields nor corrals, only forests and vegetation. When the wind was strong the sound as it was passing through the vegetation could ignite the imagination especially when the sun had gone down
xenoaderfos/xenoaderfi (ξενοαδερφός/ξενοαδερφή) = the half brother/sister, it literally means the stranger brother/sister
agiogditis (αγιογδύτης) = the greedy/the exploiter, it literally means the one who undresses a saint
sala (σάλα) = the living room
markalima (μαρκάλημα) = the mating of sheep and goats
bouzi (μπούζι) = cold. It was used exclusively for water. "The water is cold"
xesinerizomai (ξεσυνερίζομαι) = i get annoyed, i get angry "the kids are angry"
ta sfahta (τα σφαχτά) = the slaughtered animals. In the old days there was contact with the slaughtered animal, it is not like today when you get it packaged from the butcher shop. In order to get meat you turned to the shepherds who could supply a whole animal butchered, usually for Easter or a wedding. My grandmother used to get a whole lamb at Easter to go it to the spit
the nogas (δε νογάς) = you don't understand/don't know. "You don't know" my grandfather used to tell me because I didn't know how to eat meat
tebla (τέμπλα) = the long wooden stick with which they hit the olive tree to make the olives fall from the tree
souda (σούδα) = the old houses were not connected to each other but left a small gap between them, just enough for a person to pass through
merelos (μερελός) = the mad man
lavra (λάβρα) = it's hot, it was used in the summer
farmakono (φαρμακώνω) = the poison, grandma used that word when she was putting rat poison on the mice, yes the old basements had mice. But she was also using to say she was bittered by an action and that it's cold
tilonome (τυλώνομαι) = I am satiated. My grandfather and grandmother were using this word a lot, not only for me as a child to eat enough food but also for themselves too, when they were eating enough they were saying "I am satiated" but we don't say it today, we don't say "I am satiated" because we have enough food. In the old days there was poverty, I have heard stories were people was eating only what the field provided while buying meat was difficult. So getting enough food was a question
my candle goes out = the time is drawing near for me to depart from life. That's what my grandfather used to say at the end of his life. It is also heard in a song by Stelios Dionysiou
pilalao (πιλαλάω) = I run
nerotrivi (νεροτριβή) = a trough into which water falls with a rush from a river and with this movement clothes and carpets are washed
kakorizikos (κακορίζικος) = the unlucky one
koursa (κούρσα) = the sedan car, it was used to distinguish it from the pick up truck. Decades ago when every household owned a car in rural villages it was a pick up truck, later when it became affordable to buy a sedan this words started to be used
xasteria (ξαστεριά) = the clear sky at night when you can see the stars, when you work in the field you know that in the morning it will be cold and wet
antara (αντάρα) = the clouds that descend low during bad weather
gialos (γιαλός) = the coast