Sayings and Proverbs

A Greek Love Story An elderly Greek lay dying in his bed. While suffering the agonies of impending death, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favourite pan fried loukamathes with honey and cinnamon wafting up the stairs...

1. Ο πόνος και η αγάπη μας δεν έχει σταματήσει σε περιμένουμε ξανά μια μέρα θα γυρίσεις 2. Χρόνια πολλά περάσανε παιδί μου αγαπημένο κουράστηκα και γέρασα για να περιμένω 3. Χρόνια πολλά περάσανε που’μαστε μοναχοί μας κα...

1. Μια μέρα που καθόμουνα διάβαζα ένα βιβλίο σκεφόμουν πού θα βρω δουλειά βγάζοντας το σχολείο 2. Ωραία τα περάσαμε τα παιδικά μας χρόνια αυτά που θα μείνουνε στη μνήμη μας αιώνια 3. Πέρασα χρόνια σαν παιδί χρόνια ευχαρι...

“When Greek meets Greek” – Why we say this. This often misquoted saying is an English saying rather than of a Greek saying and originates from an play written by Nathaniel Lee in the late 17thCentury.This expression has...

Like the snow. Said to someone when you haven't seen them for a long time. And suddenly you see them again. You encounter them as infrequently as you see snow. Sun ta hyonia σάν τά χιόνιά

This literally means the comb has struck a knot (in hair) - and the implication is that now, either the comb will break - or you will lose a significant tuft of hair. In other words a situation has reached a crisis or de...

Frequent quotes of my parents: Athanasios/Thanasis Andronicos -01/1881-01-1965 Ekaterini Efstratiadis Andronicos -03/1895-08-1989 from whom I learned: to accept others; to enjoy work; to revel in speaking; chanting & sin...

Thrillarian. A person who gets a real thrill from perfroming an act of philanthropy. An important term, particularly appearing on a website which relies so heavily on philanthropy and benefaction for its existence. A thr...

Go issia, katefftia - directly, in a straight line, immediately. A saying from messa thimo. Doo Yoo Droo Moo Droo - keep travelling...in a straight line.....

Among the year 2000 archives of the television program Burke's Backyard there is an article on red cordial, which includes this sentence: 'Red cordial also makes stunning spiders, a great topping for ice-cream, and the b...

Literally translates to: The wedding is very difficult.. (And) the bride is pregnant. Not used to refer to the nature of weddings. Rather, this saying was used in all contexts when something very very difficult had been...

Kai oti eho As ta hasso. Which translates as - "I am so very glad to see you...when I take your hand (in friendship), even if I were to lose everything else in the wolrd that I own, I would remain just as ecstatically ha...

Usually used about someone who has "wasted their life", or made wrong choices in life. You can only "...cry about the failings of your own life." "Na kles ti mira sou."

A Mama-isms from the brilliant book, Austin Lunch, by Contance M Constant. Mama's way of saying - "..it's the real McCoy." An outline, & how to purchase Austin Lunch The real Real McCoy "What’s in a name...? There be of...

Like so many other Kytherian and Greek women my Mama never formally learnt English. She learnt by listening to the way that others spoke. Sometimes she "mis-heard" the enunciation of words - and the result was what we us...

Is a small village on the road between Hora and Potamos near the intersection with the road to Mylopotamos. Evidence of ancient habituation has been found in this area. The name, Dokona, derives from the fact that during...

Used in situation whereby when by perfecting or improving something, you make another thing seem very inferior. For example, when renovating a room. You change the wall paper, and then the floor coverings look tatty and...

When a person mixes things all up or complicates something. i.e. You have made everything into cole slaw or relish.

An anger response to someone that acts bullheaded or steadfast. Not quite sure the exact meaning, but something to do with your religeous belief. Possibly a saying derived from Smyrna over the Moslim belief and the stead...

So hungry he is black in color. This was used when someone was really hungry.