A1
Lesson 4 · Στα ψώνια — Shopping
Buying a shirt: asking for a size, trying it on, and paying.
Read each line aloud: the sentence, how it sounds, then what it means.
Καλησπέρα! Παρακαλώ;
Kalispéra! Parakaló?
Good evening! Can I help you?
Καλησπέρα. Ψάχνω ένα μπλε πουκάμισο.
Kalispéra. Psáhno éna ble poukámiso.
Good evening. I am looking for a blue shirt.
Τι νούμερο φοράτε;
Ti noúmero foráte?
What size do you wear?
Μέτριο. Μπορώ να το δοκιμάσω;
Métrio. Boró na to dokimáso?
Medium. Can I try it on?
Βεβαίως, ορίστε.
Vevéos, oríste.
Of course, here you are.
Μου αρέσει. Πόσο κάνει;
Mou arési. Póso káni?
I like it. How much is it?
Είκοσι πέντε ευρώ.
Íkosi pénde evró.
Twenty-five euros.
Εντάξει, το παίρνω. Δέχεστε κάρτα;
Endáxi, to pérno. Déheste kárta?
All right, I will take it. Do you accept cards?
Βεβαίως. Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
Vevéos. Efharistó polí!
Certainly. Thank you very much!
Grammar notes
Πόσο κάνει; — how much is it?
For more than one thing: Πόσο κάνουν; The price ends in ευρώ, a word that never changes: ένα ευρώ, είκοσι ευρώ.
Μπορώ να… — may I…?
μπορώ να + verb: Μπορώ να δοκιμάσω; (May I try it on?) Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα; (May I pay by card?)
Μου αρέσει — I like it
Literally it pleases me, so the thing liked is the subject. For more than one thing: Μου αρέσουν τα παπούτσια.
ορίστε — the pocket-knife word
Here you are when handing something over, yes? when answering the phone, and sorry? when you did not catch something.
Three things about the culture
The street market comes to your neighbourhood
Once a week every neighbourhood gets its λαϊκή αγορά — the people's market — and the street fills with fruit, fish, cheese and clothes. Go in the last hour and the sellers shout τιμή ευκαιρίας (bargain price) as they clear the stall.
The περίπτερο sells everything
The little street kiosk is a Greek institution: water, newspapers, sim cards, chocolate, umbrellas, all through the night. The licences were originally handed out to soldiers disabled in the wars of the early twentieth century, as a way of giving them a living.
Sundays are for everything except shopping
Shops are shut on Sunday by law, with only a handful of exceptions each year. The day belongs to church, the family table and a long walk — so buy what you need on Saturday morning.
Now lock in the words
This lesson has its own flashcard folder — every new word and grammar point from the conversation.
Study this lesson's cards