Contributions

Paraskos

*busso / bus - at a guess there were not many buses in rural Cyprus when people left in the 1960s a…

Vicky

Some words that we use...

Scooba- broom
Vaso- vase
Aparo- horse

My mum also said my yia yia…

James Neophytou

“Craftissa”.

Noun.

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

It …

Lucia

Negatch or Nagatch, people pronounce it differently but it comes from the word anagatcho

Madden Χρήστος Walsh

words: see you later

pronunceation: SEEoo lateR
the r is trilled

Christopher C. (via email)

A good many years ago, in a pub near the old London docks, I heard some Greek sailors use a word th…

Luke K. (via email)

I am fascinated by your research into Grenglish. I was born and brought up in London, UK, originall…

Louis

This is wonderful and would be a shame to lose the cypriot/english language as spoken by that immig…

Christopher C.

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

Tony Tasou

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

Some words that come to mind,…

Keko

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

Kkonteina (singular, feminine)…

Maria

Before I forget.
Grenglish word
Unsure if it's been used

Parkari... Ebien Na Parkari 🤣

Sotiris Hajittofi (sidney)

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

Sotiris Hajittofi (Sidney)

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

Andy (via twitter)

Continuing with the add an "a" to English words to turn them into Cypriot, how many people had thei…

JohnA (via twitter)

Buseri
Fishatiko
Nti-keta = generic word for train pass, theatre seat or parking fine

John

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

Kyri

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

Liz G. (via twitter)

Slippa!!! Standard everyday word!!

Andy (via twitter)

To add a few from the beautiful game
Korna = Corner
Sentra = Cross i.e. to center the ball
Faool…

Harry

Kavnas

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

Lazaro S.

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

Angela N.

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

Brian

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

Michael

I am writing from Brisbane Australia. I enjoyed reading your site!. A word I heard in England many …

Sotiris

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

Thekla

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

Dion Georgiou

To Mbaso - The bus
I Mbanka - The bank

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

George D

Bomb-li-gao: this was what they used to call a pub (from 'public house'). One of the funniest Greng…

Yianna Hajiantonis

To postofi = post office

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

zoe

ti sidiroo = sitting room

to kichi

brettez = breakfast

sossinja = sausage

aiscri = ice…

Chris Christodoulou

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

Maximus

Kyprezika:

Spoken Cypriot dialect with English words sprinkled in.

Or Cypriot or Greek words …

Jon Donnis

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

Even after living …

Martin Pyroyiannos

Addressa- address
Mapo- mop
Treno - train
Sandala- sandals
Ascot- boiler
Mapa- football
Fishb…

Vasili Soteriou

Pomligao

Vasili Soteriou

Pomligao

Nicholas Nicou

Kori- in Greek you would refer to a close friend or family member who is female and saying that wor…

Christina

'Faies' (fires)
My parents used this word to describe the central heating in the house or the heat…

Vasilis

Busoui - single deck bus
Mitra - Meter
Mixa - Mixer
Carpetta - carpet
Fucklikkia - dirty words
…

Panayiota Nicola

Dressin-ga for dressing gown
limbero- ants
Do Boio - the cellar
fishadiko- fish and chip shop

…

Λαζαρώ

Being born and raised in the uk, not london but manchester, i was good friends with georgiou s moth…

Sodoulla Georgiou

Coumpania- company
Mangerena - female managere
Choccolades - chocolates
Gayfren - girlfriend
…

Xpisto

Fishadiko - fish and chip shop

Everyone Greek Cypriot I know uses this word, especially in the W…

Cleo R.

Guys you also have to think of words the other way around.

For example, 'No Horses' aka Oi apar…

Maria Panayiodou

Busairis = bus conductor my mum and friends used this word in the 70’s

Taxigis = taxi driver

Anastasia

My Yiayia and Bapoo use the Gringlish word ‘hoteli’ for ‘hotel’ rather than the standard Greek word…

Iacovos Neophytou

Που εν η κόρη σου;

Μα εν ηξέρω. Is suppose to είσιεν ν´αρτει σήμερα.

More code-switching, t…