English borrows thousands of words from Greek, but Greek grammar is very different! Here are the most common direct translation errors we hear from our Greek students.
1
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"Please open the light."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Anoigo' (Open) is used for lights/TVs. English uses 'Turn on' or 'Switch on'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you want to unscrew the lightbulb and open it!
✅ Natural English version:
"Please turn on the light."
2
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I want that you go."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Direct translation of the Greek subjunctive 'Thelo na...'. English requires 'I want YOU TO...'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Very old-fashioned and robotic.
✅ Natural English version:
"I want you to go."
3
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I am working here from 2010."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek uses the Present tense for duration. English requires Present Perfect Continuous + Since.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Grammatically wrong. We need to connect the past to the present.
✅ Natural English version:
"I have been working here since 2010."
🎯 Practice: Which Word?
The room is dark. You say:
4
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I went to supermarket for to buy milk."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Gia na' (for to). In English, we express purpose with 'TO' + Verb, or 'FOR' + Noun. Never 'For To'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like an old folk song. "I'm going for to see my true love."
✅ Natural English version:
"I went to the supermarket to buy milk."
5
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I make a bath."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Kano banio' uses 'make'. English uses 'have' or 'take'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you are building the bathtub yourself.
✅ Natural English version:
"I take a bath." / "I have a shower."
6
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"We have a very good weather."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Kairos' (weather) often takes an article. In English, Weather is uncountable. No 'A'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like there is one specific weather cloud just for you.
✅ Natural English version:
"We have very good weather."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"Please close the TV."
7
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I am listening music."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Akouo mousiki' takes a direct object. English 'Listen' ALWAYS needs 'TO'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Incomplete. Listen to what?
✅ Natural English version:
"I am listening TO music."
8
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I know him from little."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Direct translation of 'Apo mikros'. English says 'Since I was young/little'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Very foreign phrasing.
✅ Natural English version:
"I have known him since I was young."
9
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"It likes me." (Meaning I like it)
🤔 Why learners say this:
Greek 'Mou aresei' works like 'It pleases me'. English 'Like' is active: I like It.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
You are saying the object has feelings and it likes you!
✅ Natural English version:
"I like it."
10
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I lost the bus."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Common error. 'Hano' means lose/miss. But 'Lose' is for keys. 'Miss' is for transport.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you owned the bus and can't find it.
✅ Natural English version:
"I missed the bus."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"I go to the gym for to make gymnastics."
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