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Printer-friendly versionReproduced with the kind permission of Authentic Greek Recipes. Please visit the site for excellent Greek recipes.
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