I suppose its a bit like English.. everyone can understand the basics but go to Newcastle and they have a lot of different words and usage to say London

The "p" is a soft sound which is why it sounds more like a "b" - the same goes for the letter "k" and "g". They are all soft consonants not hard sounding like we use in English.

For "sorry" you can use signowmee or leepahmeh

For "I speak a little Greek" - it's "meelaow leeghah elleneekah" = μιλάω λίγα Ελληνικά

I noticed something mentioned about Greek or Cypriot Greek being used in the language programme. You will only find programmes in Greek. The Cypriot "speak" is a local dialect only to Cyprus. Modern Greek is taught in the Cypriot schools but all the children will use the local dialect when with family or out with friends and it's this that gives it away when you use "Greek Greek" in Cyprus and identifies the Anglo Cypriots who were born and brought up in UK.

For instance - "do you have?" in Greek (Eχετε) is pronounced "eghehteh" (polite) or "eghees" of someone you know but here you will hear "ehshees" and for "here" and "there" instead of "ethow" or "ekhee" you will hear something that sounds like "jammy" and "podgy" in Cyprus!

It's all these little idiosyncrasies that my Greek teacher here in Cyprus helped with in the beginning and was a godsend after my Greek lessons I took for 6 months in UK before I left there. We used to hear some very odd words in the bar we ran with friends and that's where we picked up on the jammy, podgy stuff!

So, persevere - practice the reading and pronunciation of the letters of the alphabet and once you can do that you will be surprised at how many English words are derived from it and how easy it is to recognise them as you pronounce the Greek.

Shell
Limassol, Cyprus

Thanks Shell.. I don't think I'm going to pick it up quickly.. more slow and numb plodding along... some of the words are ok as they are pronounced using English sounds, so I can get my thick Lancy accent around them... but others use some very slight sounds that I've to listen to several times and still can't my head (or mouth) around... the word for "bill" for instance.. I know remembers its something like logarithm which is maths so adding up the bill .. and to do my best its something like ta logarisma... but when I try to say it, I cant get my tongue to work. ... same with the word for table, its something similar to trapeeze... but I can't quite remember it ...trap azee ?

I sort of know lots of bits picked up from varying sources... but still couldn't string a decent sentence together...

things like "ti cana te" how are you ?... but if they answered I wouldn't know what they said...

I thought "signomi mia beera parakalo" would be a reasonable attempt at ordering a beer... but this new app seems to suggest signomi wouldn't be used its the "Me seehoreete" thing I mentioned before and you should really use "I want" or "I would like" maybe "can I have"... so then I'm lost again...

yasus wzard......its taking me all my time to keep up with the reading at the moment...and good job you lot cant hear me.... ...or youd be ....Im trying to say stuff ...so that funny voice you keep hearing is me...and the coughing....tweetie

ps ....promise to do some homework to catch up

. the word for "bill" for instance.. I know remembers its something like logarithm

close its ton logarismos [ the bill]

are you a white rose boy then?? no wonder your having problems been married to the pendle witch for nigh on 40 yrs and still cant understand her when she sounds off

signomi mia beera parakalo works every time [unless you get the waiter from hell.. the one i got last time in Pafos looked at me raised his hands and said in English.. im from the Ukraine i dont speak Greek]

no red rose county...

my brother and I once asked the barman in Portugal how to ask for 2 ports (dush porta porfavor)... we'd been at it for a while (at least one bottle between us) and the other barman came in.... "dush porta porfavor" ..odd look... "dush" holds two fingers up.. "porta porfavor"... shakes head.... "dush porta porfavor"... ? points at himself "Cuba"...

Kalimera sas, ti kanate ?

just found a beginners Greek page with some simple useful words/phrases http://www.telendos.com/beginners.greek.htm

but... as with lots of the examples I'm finding different words used for the same things.

"I would like" is on my app and is listed as "Tha eeth-ela" as in Tha eethela mia beera parakalo

but that page I've just given the link for uses "Thelo mia beera parakalo" and under it has it written "qelw mia mpura parakalw" which I've no idea what thats supposed to be telling me !

any ideas ?

thanks

just found this site, looks good for standard greek and you can listen to it being said.... useful as a sort of dictionary, but not the best way to learn the language...

http://www.xanthi.ilsp.gr/filog/

yasus kala efharisto, essee'

under it has it written "qelw mia mpura parakalw" which I've no idea what thats supposed to be telling me !

It looks to me Steve like they have tried to write the Greek words using a latin character keyboard.
Switching to Greek characters gives

θελω μια μπÏ!ρα παρακαλω

yasus kala efharisto, essee' hello, good thanks, "eesee" ? and you ??

Pubdog - θελω μια μπÏ!ρα παρακαλω

so is that "I would like" then ?

Strictly I believe it's "I want" - θελω or thelo

that sounds a bit demanding then ?... I WANT a beer, now, or else... ?

lol
I suppose it depends how you say it. "I want a beer please" doesn't have to be agressive or demanding if said in the right tone.

I *think* your app version is "I would like..." and the one on the web page you linked is "I want..."

I'm not sure if I can ask on here... I see people address people in posts on facebook saying things like "Yianni Mou"... what is mou ? is that My John ? or John love ?.. ?

Yes, it's "my John" used as a term of endearment

so a lovely dove'y type thing...