Contributions

Vicky

Posted on 04 Apr 2021

Some words that we use...

Scooba- broom
Vaso- vase
Aparo- horse

My mum also said my yia yia…

James Neophytou

Posted on 18 Aug 2020

“Craftissa”.

Noun.

My wife’s grandmother, God rest her soul, used to use this word.

It …

Tagged: Crafty, Craftissa

Melina

Posted on 25 Jan 2020

This is a homage to my grandad/papou

Sheppi Bou = Shepherd's Bush
Wemblay = Wembley
Wimblido =…

Kay

Posted on 26 Aug 2019

My parents had a dress making factory in the sixties,as did many others .

Kofti. pattern cutter…

Christopher C.

Posted on 15 Aug 2019

I was born (1947) in London, to Greek Cypriot parents; for five years (from the age of 6 years till…

Andoulla L. (via email)

Posted on 12 Aug 2019

Hi my grandparents and mum would say "garash" for garage.

"Vud green" was Wood Green.

"Grips …

Desmond Michael

Posted on 08 Aug 2019

Polishmanos = Policeman
Banga = Bank
Marketa = Market
Duspierithes = Dustmen

Also, perhaps no…

Angeliggi E. (via twitter)

Posted on 05 Aug 2019

I’m sat here in Cyprus slowly descending into a food coma after being almost force fed for 3 days a…

Tagged: England

Despina

Posted on 31 Jul 2019

Best one ever is Manjaro Bisness - mind your own business

When my mother is unwell she drinks Le…

I Stellou

Posted on 28 Jul 2019

Some contributions from my parents… 😊

Πάσο - bus

Κκόμφμο - fabric softener (ANY fabric soften…

Tony Tasou

Posted on 22 Jul 2019

What a lovely project, to raise the profile of our Cypriot patois.

Some words that come to mind,…

Greg Theoharis

Posted on 11 Jul 2019

"En en" was a phrase my Yiayia and Pappou used which was added as a confirmation at the end of a st…

Peter Papacosta

Posted on 07 Jul 2019

I remember my yia yia when she tried to say thank you. It came out as thekyou

Tagged: Thank, Thekyou, =, you

Keko

Posted on 06 Jul 2019

Some of the many many grenlish words I hear from my grandparents:

Kkonteina (singular, feminine)…

Andy (via twitter)

Posted on 05 Jul 2019

Plumas (Plumber)
Lektrisha (Electrician)
Fishas (Fish and chips shop owner(ME)) and my favourit…

Michele

Posted on 03 Jul 2019

I heard another one tonight from my auntie -emoovare ...
She moved!!

Tagged: London, North

Maria

Posted on 03 Jul 2019

Gayfren.... girlfriend 😂 that's what my father in law said tonight 😂😂😂

Tagged: London, North

Sotiris Hajittofi (sidney)

Posted on 03 Jul 2019

box- boxin. boxes- boxia(boksha, it's important to get the pronounciation correct)
list- lista,…

Sotiris Hajittofi (Sidney)

Posted on 03 Jul 2019

box- boxin. boxes- boxia(boksha, it's important to get the pronounciation correct)
list- lista,…

Maria N. (via twitter)

Posted on 02 Jul 2019

My Dad’s aunt lived in St John’s Wood - she would say she took “the buso to Captain Down to go to …

John

Posted on 30 Jun 2019

Brand names. All my parents toothpastes were Gol-gate

John

Posted on 30 Jun 2019

A very good friend of mine created the word antisiseptic. Pronounced the Greek way Andi...etc. she …

Cos

Posted on 30 Jun 2019

Hoping some of these qualify. Some of these relate to the fish and chip business my parents ran. Do…

Kyri

Posted on 30 Jun 2019

As it's hay-fever season my Grenglish word is "Apptchuristigga" I sneezed.

Pav masthi

Posted on 27 Jun 2019

Πιζινες/ πιζινες Μάν ( obviously business/ business man. The way it’s used has cultural connotation…

Rebecca Z. (via email)

Posted on 27 Jun 2019

Slyeesooess for slices of something

Busserris for bus driver

Posta for post

Postaro P…

Tagged: London

Litsa

Posted on 26 Jun 2019

My husband just came up with Nursa- nurse

Tagged: London, North

Polis Loizou-Denyer

Posted on 26 Jun 2019

From my great-aunt:

"Ta mbilozirka" - below-zero temperatures

"O hasbis mou" - my husband

Harry

Posted on 26 Jun 2019

Kavnas

Another interesting word coined by the Cypriots which my father was perplexed back in th…

Tagged: London, New Zealand

Lazaro S.

Posted on 25 Jun 2019

Many words have been transformed and either used from English to Greek Cypriot or Greek Cypriot to …

Mr Way (via twitter)

Posted on 25 Jun 2019

Some people would say about my father that he was a “Gend le man” (gentleman)

Tagged: London

Angela N.

Posted on 25 Jun 2019

I'm so glad you're doing this. It's something I wanted to do, but didn't where to start or have tim…

Tagged: London

Brian

Posted on 25 Jun 2019

I'm of English mother tongue and my knowledge of Greek or Cypriot is very, very basic (maybe a coup…

Harry

Posted on 25 Jun 2019

A usual one is,

'Tha piaso ti pasketta, na pao sti marketta na goraso soseitzia…'

My father t…

Tagged: London

Sotiris

Posted on 23 Jun 2019

I have 2 brilliant words nobody knows about. They are probably worth about £1000 each. But you can …

Tagged: Edmonton

Costas

Posted on 23 Jun 2019

My parents are from Bimingam and ran a fishadiko. They sold the usual stuff including carri, sausan…

Tagged: Birmingham

Thekla

Posted on 22 Jun 2019

well its more the about the accent you can hear north london cypriot its very specific. I meet peop…

Dion Georgiou

Posted on 22 Jun 2019

To Mbaso - The bus
I Mbanka - The bank

Both terms that I heard my grandfather (born in Cyprus i…

Yianna

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

Shefes Bush = Shepherds Bush. I remember my parents saying this!
Macs e Spesser = Marks & Spenser

Sid Paparestis

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

Andressa = Address
Stampa = Stamp
Ticketo = ticket

Exapeni = was used to refer to Woolworths b…

Sophia M

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

My mum was talking to my non-greek husband about Cyprus. On saying "Cyprus has many beautiful bitch…

Sophia M

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

My aunt is famous for saying "tissue" for T Shirt, as in "gie mou forise do tissue sou"

annao

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

My yiayia used to say ´Ferilikkos´ for fairy liquid !

Yianna Hajiantonis

Posted on 21 Jun 2019

To postofi = post office

I oringa = orange drink. My parents didn't use this word but I've heard…

Chris Christodoulou

Posted on 20 Jun 2019

My favourite story is when someone said to me they went to the shopkia to get some rollous yia na t…

Jon Donnis

Posted on 20 Jun 2019

"Hem / Hemself" - My dad uses Hem instead of Him or Her, Himself or Herself.

Even after living …

Maria

Posted on 20 Jun 2019

Apikipan. Had me baffled for years, until at about the age of 12 I realised my mum was saying “ I …

Vasili Soteriou

Posted on 20 Jun 2019

Pomligao