Now, when you entertain people to a Greek meal, you can impress them with your knowledge of Greek! The letters in bold italics show where the accent should go when you pronounce it.
almond – ameegdalo (soft d)
aniseed – anitho
apple – meelo
apricot – vereekoko
artichoke – aggeenara (hard g)
asparagus – sparangee (hard g)
aubergine – mellitzana
banana – banana (!!)
barley – kritharri
basil – vassiliko (from the Greek word for royal)
bean – fassolli
beetroot – batzarri
berry – mooro
biscuit – biskotto
blackberry – vatomooro
brandy – conniak
bread – psommee
broccoli – broccolo
bun – psommakee
cabbage – lahano
carp – kipreenos
carrot – karrotto
cauliflower – koonoopeedee (soft d)
celery – selleeno
cereal – deemeetreeaka (soft d)
cheese – teeree
chicken – kottopoolo
chick peas – reveethia
chocolate – sokolatta
cinnamon – kannella
cod – bakkaliaros
coffee – kaffe
cook (verb) – mayeerevo
cook (person) – mayeeras
cookery – mayeereekee
corn – kalambokki
courgette – kollokeethee
crab – kavooras
cream (whipped) – santigee (soft g)
cucumber – angooree
currant – staffeeda (soft d)
cuttlefish – soopya
dessert – epidorpio (soft d)
dill – aneetho
dough – zeemaree
drink (verb) – peeno
drink (alcoholic) – potto
drink (other) – roffima (usually used for hot drinks, such as cofee, tea etc)
duck – pappya
eat – traw
egg – avgaw (soft g)
eggplant – melitzana
feast – fagopotti (soft g)
feed – ta – eezo
fennel – maratho
fenugreek – treegonella (soft g)
fig – seeko
fish – psarree
flour – allevree
food – fa-ee (common); troffima (general)
fowl – pooleriko
fried – teeganito (soft g)
fruit – frooto
fry – teeganeezo (soft g)
gastronomy – gastronomeea (the English word came from the Greek)
ginger – piperoreeza
grain – siteera
grape – stafeelee
gravy – zomos
grill (n) – schara
grill (v) – pseeno
haddock – bakaliaros
ham – zambon
hazelnut – foondooki
herb – vottano
herring – renga
honey – melli
hors-d’oeuvre – orektiko
horseradish – hranno
ice cream – pagotto (soft g)
jam – marmelada (soft d)
jelly – zelle
juice – heemos
kidney – nefro
kipper – renga
lamb – arnee
leek – prassa
lemon – lemoni
lettuce – marroolee
lime – gleekolemonno
liver – seekotti
loaf – frantzola
mackerel – skoobree
margarine – margareenee
marjoram – mantzooranna
marrow – kollokeethee
mastic – masteeha
meal – yevma
meat – kreas
melon – pepponi
milk – galla (soft g)
mince – keemas
mint – deeosmos (soft d)
mullet (red) – barbooni
mushrooms – manitaria
mussels – meedia (soft d)
mustard – moostarda (soft d)
nectarine – nektareenee
nuts – xeeroos karpoos
nutmeg – mos-hokarido (soft d)
oats – vromi
octopus – htapodi (soft d)
oil – ladee (soft d)
olive – elya
olive oil – elyolado (soft d)
onion – kremeedi (soft d)
orange – portokali
oregano – reegani (soft g)
oyster – streedi (soft d)
pancake – teeganeeta (soft g)
parsley – mydanos
pastry – zeemee
peas – bizelia
peach – rodakeeno (soft d)
pear – ahladee (soft d)
pepper – piperi
pie – peeta
plaice – glossa (soft g)
plum – damaskeeno (soft d)
pomegranate – rodee (soft d)
pork – heereeno
potato – patata
poultry – poolerika
prawn – gareeda (soft g & d)
pumpkin – kollokeetha
radish – repanaki
raisin – staffeeda (soft d)
raspberry – smeooro
recipe – seentagee (soft g)
rice – reezee
rosemary – thendrolivano
salmon – solomos
salt – alati
sardine – sardella (soft d)
sauce – saltsa
sausage – lookaniko
seafood – thalassina
sesame – soosami
shrimp – garida (soft g)
skate – salahi
snapper – leethreeni
soup – soopa
spice – bahariko
spicy – peekantiko
spinach – spanaki
squash – kollokeetha
squid – kalamari
starter – orektiko
sugar – zahari
sweet – gleeko
tarragon – trahoori
tea – tsaee
thyme – theemaree
tomato – domata
tripe – patsas
trout – pestrofo
truffle – troofa
tuna – tonno
turkey – gallopoola (soft g)
turnip – gogilli (soft g)
veal – moscharee
vegetable – lahaniko
venison – kreas elafioo
vinegar – xeedee
walnut – kareedee
water – nerro
wheat – starri
whiting – merloongios
wine – krassee
yeast – maya
yoghurt – yaoortee
zucchini – kolokeethaki
