Before I sign the contract in Greek
Going over the terms before signing in Greek. 7 phrases that the conversation is made of: «Διάβασα τη σύμβαση, αλλά δύο όροι δεν μου είναι ξεκάθαροι.» — I've read the contract, but two terms are unclear to me.; «Πείτε μου ποιο άρθρο σας δυσκολεύει.» — Tell me which clause is giving you trouble. Every line can be played right on the page. The conversation is predictable: few lines, and almost all of them repeat from one exchange to the next.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: going over the terms before signing. The conversation is short and predictable — which is exactly what makes it good for a first try: few lines, and almost all of them repeat from one exchange to the next.
- Διάβασα τη σύμβαση, αλλά δύο όροι δεν μου είναι ξεκάθαροι.diávasa ti símvasi, alá dío óri den mu íne ksekáthariI've read the contract, but two terms are unclear to me.
- Πείτε μου ποιο άρθρο σας δυσκολεύει.píte mu pio árthro sas diskoléviTell me which clause is giving you trouble.
- Το τρίτο. Λέει ότι η προκαταβολή δεν επιστρέφεται.to tríto. léi óti i prokatavolí den epistréfeteThe third. It says the deposit is not returned.
- Ισχύει, εκτός αν λύσουμε εμείς τη σύμβαση.iskhíi, ektós an lísume emís ti símvasiThat's how it is, except when we are the ones ending the contract.
- Και αν παραβιάσει κάποιος τη συμφωνία;ke an paraviási kápios ti simfonía?And if someone breaks the agreement?
- Τότε πληρώνει αποζημίωση, σύμφωνα με τον νόμο.tóte pliróni apozimíosi, símfona me ton nómoThen they pay compensation, by law.
- Εντάξει. Θέλω τα πάντα γραπτώς και ένα πρωτότυπο για μένα.endáksi. thélo ta pánda graptós ke éna protótipo ya ménaGood. I want it all in writing, and one original for me.
Lines one by one
| Greek | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Διάβασα τη σύμβαση, αλλά δύο όροι δεν μου είναι ξεκάθαροι. | diávasa ti símvasi, alá dío óri den mu íne ksekáthari | I've read the contract, but two terms are unclear to me. |
| Πείτε μου ποιο άρθρο σας δυσκολεύει. | píte mu pio árthro sas diskolévi | Tell me which clause is giving you trouble. |
| Το τρίτο. Λέει ότι η προκαταβολή δεν επιστρέφεται. | to tríto. léi óti i prokatavolí den epistréfete | The third. It says the deposit is not returned. |
| Ισχύει, εκτός αν λύσουμε εμείς τη σύμβαση. | iskhíi, ektós an lísume emís ti símvasi | That's how it is, except when we are the ones ending the contract. |
| Και αν παραβιάσει κάποιος τη συμφωνία; | ke an paraviási kápios ti simfonía? | And if someone breaks the agreement? |
| Τότε πληρώνει αποζημίωση, σύμφωνα με τον νόμο. | tóte pliróni apozimíosi, símfona me ton nómo | Then they pay compensation, by law. |
| Εντάξει. Θέλω τα πάντα γραπτώς και ένα πρωτότυπο για μένα. | endáksi. thélo ta pánda graptós ke éna protótipo ya ména | Good. I want it all in writing, and one original for me. |
How to prepare for a conversation like this
Memorizing the lines is not enough: the other person will say their own thing, not what is written. What helps more is catching the key words by ear and keeping three rescue phrases ready: “I don't understand”, “repeat, please”, “slower”.
And one more thing phrasebooks do not mention: awkwardness gets in the way more than not knowing the words.
- Fear of making mistakes gets in the way of learning a language, and it gets in the way badly. It is one of the most reliably measured findings in the entire field.checked many timesTeimouri, Goetze & Plonsky, 2019, Studies in Second Language Acquisition 41(2) · 19,933 participants from 23 countries; correlation with results r = −0.36.
- That fear can be dealt with — the methods have been tested and they work.checked many timesXiong et al., 2024, Journal of Language and Social Psychology · 37 studies, anxiety reduced by −0.61. Of the seven conditions examined, only age turned out to matter.
Frequently asked
How do you start a conversation in Greek in this situation?
“Διάβασα τη σύμβαση, αλλά δύο όροι δεν μου είναι ξεκάθαροι.” (diávasa ti símvasi, alá dío óri den mu íne ksekáthari) — I've read the contract, but two terms are unclear to me.. The first line in such a conversation is almost always the same, and that is the one worth learning: the other person will carry it from there.
What if you did not understand the reply?
Say “I don't understand” and “repeat, please” — both are in the rescue set. Admitting your language is still shaky almost always makes the other person more patient.
Should you memorize the dialogue?
No. It is more useful to catch the key words by ear: the other person will say their own thing, and a memorized line will not always fit their reply.