έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ
énan kafé, parakaló
To say one coffee, please in Greek, say έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ (énan kafé, parakaló).
έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ is the short, polite way to order a single coffee at a café or kiosk.
What does it mean word for word?
έναν means one, καφέ means coffee and παρακαλώ means please.
How does it change in a sentence?
έναν is the masculine accusative form of one, used because coffee is a masculine noun. The phrase uses the accusative because the coffee is the object of an implied I want or give me.
How do you pronounce it?
Romanized it is énan kafé, parakaló.
When do people say it?
In Greece, asking for just a coffee is often not enough for the barista to know what to make. You will usually be expected to name the type, such as frappé, freddo espresso or ellinikos, Greek coffee.
Did you know?
- Ordering έναν καφέ at a traditional cafe may result in a 'Greek coffee' served in a small cup with the grounds left at the bottom, which are sometimes used for fortune telling.
- In Greece, if you order a φραπέ (frappé), you might be asked if you want it 'με μέτριο' or 'σκέτο', which refers to the amount of sugar rather than the milk.
- The word παρακαλώ comes from an Ancient Greek verb meaning 'beseech' or 'entreat'. While it now simply means 'please', it originally carried the weight of a formal plea or an invitation.
Examples in context
- Ένας εσπρέσο, παρακαλώOne espresso, please
- Θα ήθελα έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ.Tha íthela énan kafé, parakaló.I would like one coffee, please.
- Μπορείτε να μου φέρετε έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ;Boríte na mou férete énan kafé, parakaló;Can you bring me one coffee, please?
Example conversation
At a small cafe in Athens.
- Γιώργος GiorgosΚαλημέρα! Έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ.Kalimera! Enan kafe, parakalo.Good morning! One coffee, please.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΚαλημέρα, Γιώργο. Τι είδους καφέ;Kalimera, Giorgo. Ti eidos kafe?Good morning, Giorgos. What kind of coffee?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΈναν φραππέ, παρακαλώ.Enan frappe, parakalo.One frappe, please.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΈρχεται σε δύο λεπτά, Αναστασία.Erchetai se dyo lepta, Anastasia.It will be ready in two minutes, Anastasia.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries καφέ, παρακαλώ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
