Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time in Greek

Before diving into sentence structures and grammar, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the essential time-related vocabulary in Greek. Here are the key terms to get started:

• Ώρα (Óra) – Hour / Time
• Λεπτό (Leptó) – Minute
• Δευτερόλεπτο (Defterólepto) – Second
• Πρωί (Proí) – Morning
• Μεσημέρι (Mesiméri) – Noon
• Απόγευμα (Apógevma) – Afternoon
• Βράδυ (Vrády) – Evening
• Νύχτα (Nýchta) – Night
• Τώρα (Tóra) – Now

Grasping these words lays the foundation for understanding and constructing time-related sentences in Greek.

How to Ask “What Time Is It?” in Greek

One of the most common questions when learning to tell time is asking the current time. In Greek, you can ask this in a few different ways:

• Τι ώρα είναι; (Ti óra eínai?) – What time is it?
• Τι ώρα έχουμε; (Ti óra échoume?) – What time do we have?
• Μπορείτε να μου πείτε την ώρα; (Boreíte na mou peíte tin óra?) – Can you tell me the time?

“Τι ώρα είναι;” is the most straightforward and commonly used phrase.

Expressing Hours in Greek

Greek uses a 12-hour clock in everyday speech, though the 24-hour format is understood and used in formal contexts such as timetables and official documents.

Basic Structure for Hours

The basic phrase for stating the hour is:

Είναι + [hour] + ώρα

Examples:

• Είναι μία ώρα. (Eínai mía óra.) – It is one o’clock.
• Είναι δύο ώρα. (Eínai dýo óra.) – It is two o’clock.
• Είναι δώδεκα ώρα. (Eínai dódeka óra.) – It is twelve o’clock.

Note that for one o’clock, the feminine form “μία” is used because “ώρα” (hour) is feminine in Greek.

Using the Definite Article

Sometimes the definite article “η” (the) is placed before the hour:

• Η ώρα είναι τρεις. (I óra eínai treis.) – The time is three o’clock.

This form is more formal or poetic and less common in casual speech.

Telling Minutes Past the Hour

When expressing minutes past the hour, Greek uses the word “και” (kai), which means “and.” This is similar to English expressions like “five past three.”

Structure for Minutes Past

Είναι + [hour] + και + [minutes]

Examples:

• Είναι τρεις και πέντε. (Eínai treis kai pénte.) – It is five past three (3:05).
• Είναι δώδεκα και δεκαπέντε. (Eínai dódeka kai dekapénte.) – It is fifteen past twelve (12:15).
• Είναι επτά και είκοσι. (Eínai eptá kai eíkosi.) – It is twenty past seven (7:20).

Important Notes:

• Minutes are always stated in cardinal numbers (πέντε = 5, δέκα = 10, δεκαπέντε = 15).
• The conjunction “και” is essential to link the hour and the minutes.

Telling Minutes to the Hour

When the time is close to the next hour, Greeks use the expression “παρά” (pará), which means “to” or “before.” This corresponds to English expressions like “quarter to four.”

Structure for Minutes To

Είναι + [next hour] + παρά + [minutes until]

Examples:

• Είναι τέσσερις παρά πέντε. (Eínai tésseris pará pénte.) – It is five to four (3:55).
• Είναι δώδεκα παρά δέκα. (Eínai dódeka pará déka.) – It is ten to twelve (11:50).
• Είναι έξι παρά τέταρτο. (Eínai éxi pará tétarto.) – It is quarter to six (5:45).

Special Expressions for Quarter and Half Hours

• Τέταρτο – Quarter (15 minutes)
• Μισή – Half (30 minutes)

For half past the hour, Greek says:

• Είναι [hour] και μισή. (Eínai [hour] kai misí.) – It is half past [hour].
• Example: Είναι τρεις και μισή. (Eínai treis kai misí.) – It is 3:30.

For a quarter past or to the hour:

• Είναι [hour] και τέταρτο. – Quarter past [hour]
• Είναι [next hour] παρά τέταρτο. – Quarter to [next hour]

Using the 24-Hour Clock in Greek

While the 12-hour clock is dominant in casual speech, the 24-hour clock is standard in official contexts such as transport schedules, military, and hospitals.

In the 24-hour system, you simply state the full hour without “και” or “παρά.” Minutes follow the hour with a colon or the word “λεπτά.”

• 14:30 – δεκατέσσερις τριάντα (dekatésseris triánta) or δεκατέσσερις και τριάντα (dekatésseris kai triánta)
• 21:15 – είκοσι μία και δεκαπέντε (eíkosi mía kai dekapénte)

When reading times in the 24-hour format, the numbers are pronounced as regular cardinal numbers.

Adding Context: Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night

To clarify whether the time is in the morning or evening, Greeks often add context words like:

• το πρωί (to proí) – in the morning
• το μεσημέρι (to mesiméri) – at noon
• το απόγευμα (to apógevma) – in the afternoon
• το βράδυ (to vrády) – in the evening
• τη νύχτα (ti nýchta) – at night

Example:

• Είναι τρεις το απόγευμα. (Eínai treis to apógevma.) – It is three in the afternoon.
• Είναι δέκα το βράδυ. (Eínai déka to vrády.) – It is ten in the evening.

Common Phrases and Idioms Related to Time in Greek

Understanding idiomatic expressions related to time can enrich your conversations and cultural understanding.

• Την ώρα που… – At the time when…
• Η ώρα γυρίζει. – The time is changing (used metaphorically for change or turning point).
• Δεν έχω ώρα. – I don’t have time.
• Πάει η ώρα. – The time has passed (often used to indicate missed opportunities).

Tips for Practicing Telling Time in Greek

To become confident in telling time in Greek, consider these practical tips:

• Use Talkpal for Language Exchange: Engage with native Greek speakers or fellow learners to practice time-related questions and answers in real conversations.
• Label Your Environment: Place sticky notes with Greek time vocabulary around your home or workspace.
• Practice with Digital Clocks: Set your devices to Greek language settings and practice reading and saying the time aloud.
• Listen to Greek Media: Tune into Greek radio, podcasts, or TV shows and pay attention to how time is mentioned.
• Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with different times and practice forming sentences.

Conclusion

Learning to tell time in Greek opens the door to more natural conversations and better understanding of daily life in Greece. By mastering essential vocabulary, sentence structures, and cultural nuances, you can confidently ask for and express time in various contexts. Platforms like Talkpal offer invaluable opportunities to practice these skills interactively, making your language learning journey both effective and enjoyable. Keep practicing, and soon telling time in Greek will become second nature.