How to Tell Time and Dates in Greek for English Speakers

Understanding the Greek Clock: 12-hour and 24-hour Formats

In Greek, both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock formats are used. The 24-hour format is common in official contexts like transportation schedules, while the 12-hour format is often used in everyday conversation. When speaking, Greeks usually specify the time of day to avoid confusion, such as το πρωί (in the morning) or το βράδυ (in the evening).

Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time in Greek

Here are some essential Greek words related to telling time:

• Ώρα (óra) – hour/time
• Λεπτό (leptó) – minute
• Δευτερόλεπτο (defterólepto) – second
• Πρωί (proí) – morning
• Μεσημέρι (mesiméri) – noon
• Απόγευμα (apógevma) – afternoon
• Βράδυ (vrády) – evening/night

How to Say the Hour

To say the hour in Greek, use the word είναι (it is) followed by the hour in the nominative case. For example:

• Είναι μία (1:00) – It is one o'clock
• Είναι δύο (2:00) – It is two o'clock
• Είναι τρεις (3:00) – It is three o'clock

Expressing Minutes Past the Hour

To express minutes past the hour, say the hour followed by the minutes. For example:

• Είναι δύο και δέκα (2:10) – It is two and ten (minutes)
• Είναι τέσσερις και είκοσι (4:20) – It is four and twenty
• Είναι πέντε και τριάντα (5:30) – It is five and thirty

Expressing Minutes to the Hour

When expressing minutes before the next hour, use the word παρά (to/before) followed by the minutes and the next hour. For example:

• Είναι δέκα παρά τρεις (2:50) – It is ten to three
• Είναι πέντε παρά τέσσερις (3:55) – It is five to four

Using 'Half' and 'Quarter' in Time

Greek uses specific words for half and quarter when telling time:

• Μισή (misí) – half (usually means half past the hour)
• Τέταρτο (tétarto) – quarter

Examples:

• Είναι τρεις και μισή (3:30) – It is half past three
• Είναι τέταρτο στις τέσσερις (3:45) – It is quarter to four
• Είναι τέταρτο μετά τις δύο (2:15) – It is quarter past two

Telling Dates in Greek

Basic Vocabulary for Dates

Here are some key words for dates in Greek:

• Ημέρα (iméra) – day
• Μήνας (mínas) – month
• Έτος (étos) – year
• Ημερομηνία (imerominía) – date

Days of the Week in Greek

The days of the week are:

• Δευτέρα (Deftéra) – Monday
• Τρίτη (Tríti) – Tuesday
• Τετάρτη (Tetárti) – Wednesday
• Πέμπτη (Pémpti) – Thursday
• Παρασκευή (Paraskeví) – Friday
• Σάββατο (Sávvato) – Saturday
• Κυριακή (Kyriakí) – Sunday

Months of the Year in Greek

The months are:

• Ιανουάριος (Ianouários) – January
• Φεβρουάριος (Fevrouários) – February
• Μάρτιος (Mártios) – March
• Απρίλιος (Aprílios) – April
• Μάιος (Máios) – May
• Ιούνιος (Ioúnios) – June
• Ιούλιος (Ioúlios) – July
• Αύγουστος (Ávgoustos) – August
• Σεπτέμβριος (Septémvrios) – September
• Οκτώβριος (Októvrios) – October
• Νοέμβριος (Noémvrios) – November
• Δεκέμβριος (Dekémvrios) – December

How to Say the Date in Greek

The typical format for dates in Greek is day + month + year. For example, March 15, 2024, would be said as:

15 Μαρτίου 2024 (pronounced [dekaˈpɛnda marˈtiu ðioˈxili.a ɛnaˈnta tessɛˈra])

Note that the month is in the genitive case when used with the day.

Ordinal Numbers for Dates

Ordinal numbers are used for dates, especially in formal contexts. Here are the first few ordinal numbers in Greek:

• πρώτος (prótos) – first
• δεύτερος (défteros) – second
• τρίτος (trítos) – third
• τέταρτος (tétartos) – fourth
• πέμπτος (pémptos) – fifth

For example, the 1st of May is πρώτη Μαΐου.

Common Phrases for Talking About Dates

Some useful phrases include:

• Ποια είναι η ημερομηνία σήμερα; – What is the date today?
• Σήμερα είναι η 10η Ιουνίου. – Today is the 10th of June.
• Γεννήθηκα στις 5 Μαΐου. – I was born on May 5th.