Bedeutung
To moderate one's demands to reach an agreement.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The idiom reflects the 'Symposium' culture where social harmony was prioritized over individual intoxication. Wine-producing cultures (Greece, France, Italy) often use wine as a metaphor for the 'self' or 'spirit'. In Greek business culture, negotiations are often lengthy and personal. Using this idiom can signal a friendly opening for a deal. Greek political discourse is often polarized. This phrase is the standard way the media describes 'centrist' shifts.
The 'Amount' Trick
You can add 'λίγο' (a little) or 'πολύ' (a lot) to show the scale of the compromise. 'Έβαλε πολύ νερό στο κρασί του' means he gave up almost everything.
Possessive Agreement
Always check your pronoun! If 'we' are compromising, it's 'μας'. If 'they' are, it's 'τους'. This is the #1 error for B1 learners.
Bedeutung
To moderate one's demands to reach an agreement.
The 'Amount' Trick
You can add 'λίγο' (a little) or 'πολύ' (a lot) to show the scale of the compromise. 'Έβαλε πολύ νερό στο κρασί του' means he gave up almost everything.
Possessive Agreement
Always check your pronoun! If 'we' are compromising, it's 'μας'. If 'they' are, it's 'τους'. This is the #1 error for B1 learners.
Positive Connotation
In Greek, this is usually a positive thing. It implies wisdom and maturity, not weakness.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'βάζω' and the correct possessive pronoun.
Εμείς θέλουμε τη συμφωνία, οπότε ________ νερό στο κρασί ________.
The subject is 'Εμείς' (we), so the verb must be 'βάζουμε' and the pronoun 'μας'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to suggest a compromise?
Ο φίλος σου είναι πολύ επίμονος. Τι του λες;
Option 'β' is the correct idiomatic expression.
Match the situation to the correct use of the idiom.
1. Political coalition. 2. Literal wine tasting. 3. Total surrender.
The idiom is for compromise (1), not literal wine (2) or total defeat (3).
Complete the dialogue.
Α: Δεν θέλω να πάω στο πάρτι, θέλω να κοιμηθώ. Β: Έλα τώρα, βάλε λίγο ________ στο ________ σου και έλα για μια ώρα!
The idiom is 'water in the wine'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenΕμείς θέλουμε τη συμφωνία, οπότε ________ νερό στο κρασί ________.
The subject is 'Εμείς' (we), so the verb must be 'βάζουμε' and the pronoun 'μας'.
Ο φίλος σου είναι πολύ επίμονος. Τι του λες;
Option 'β' is the correct idiomatic expression.
1. Political coalition. 2. Literal wine tasting. 3. Total surrender.
The idiom is for compromise (1), not literal wine (2) or total defeat (3).
Α: Δεν θέλω να πάω στο πάρτι, θέλω να κοιμηθώ. Β: Έλα τώρα, βάλε λίγο ________ στο ________ σου και έλα για μια ώρα!
The idiom is 'water in the wine'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
No, it is strictly for metaphorical compromises in behavior or demands.
You could say 'είμαι ανένδοτος' (I am adamant/unyielding).
Not necessarily. It means you are being smart to reach a goal.
Yes, 'ρίχνω νερό στο κρασί μου' is perfectly natural and slightly more common in spoken Greek.
Yes, it is common across the entire Greek-speaking world.
Yes: 'Έβαλα νερό στο κρασί μου' (I compromised).
Yes, you can use 'αλλοιώνω' or 'μετριάζω', but 'βάζω νερό στο κρασί μου' is the most idiomatic for the act of compromising.
It sounds incomplete. Always add the possessive pronoun.
They share the metaphor, but 'water down' is often negative (weakening something), while the Greek phrase is often positive (being flexible).
Verwandte Redewendungen
κάνω πίσω
similarTo step back / to back down.
τα βρίσκουμε στη μέση
synonymTo meet in the middle.
κρατάω σκληρή στάση
contrastTo keep a hard stance.
ρίχνω γέφυρες
builds onTo build bridges.
