The bill, please
Hi, I can just about get by on an evening out in Greece without speaking any English. My wife, on the other hand, doesn't really feel the need to bother, but towards the end of a holiday in Rhodes, she said she wanted to ask at least one question in Greek before returning home... So we practised all day, over and over, for her to ask for the bill that evening toh lo-ghar-ee-az-mo parakalo... (emphasis on the o in -mo and -lo. She grew more confident with every attempt and I was sure she was going to pull it off..
Came the evening meal, and as the time drew closer she became a bit reticent; go on, I said encouragingly, you can do this - and, yes she did: toh loghareeazmo parakalo she somewhat said, too meekly but feeling very proud. "Madam, the toilets are over there" came the telling reply. Sad. I think she forgot the emphasis. But, hey, never mind, at least she tried! Have you?
Ed's note: that's indeed Greek for "The bill, please", although if meekly said with an English accent it's possible the waiter thought he'd heard ee twa-leh-tah, the toilet.
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Sent by: Dennis
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I spent a year at evening class learning Greek basics - how to shop, how to dine, How to meet people etc. Came the proud day when I visited Cyprus and Dine out in Greek.
We'd worked the menu out in advance and asked for precisely what we wanted in (reasonable) Greek, to be met with a blank stare, and to be advised in English that our waiter was Syrian and didn't speak Greek !!
Moral of the story- take the trouble to find an authentic Greek restaurant (where Greek people eat) - saves a lot of embarassment and puts all of that learning to 'real' practice.
Once I met an old Greek fellow, who asked me in Greek Germanida eisaste? Are you a German womam? Ochi. Emeh apo ten Anglia, no, I'm from England, I replied. Sprechen Sie Deutsch? he asked me. Ochi. Emeh apo ten Anglia, I repeated. Why don't you speak German?, he persisted - in Greek.
Ochi milao elinika, no, I speak Greek, I answered. Some Greeks just can't believe that English people are capable of speaking Greek even if they are talking to them in Greek.
And never be meek while speaking Greek. No one will understand a syllable.
I lived/worked in Rhodes as a Diving Instructor for more than 12 years. I had a good laugh about your stories-seen/heard different flavors over and over again, and all true.
Are you sure they didn't send you to the toilet on a prank? Greeks (me included) do that often...
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