Signification
Hot temperature.
Contexte culturel
The 'Mesimeri' (afternoon) is a sacred time of rest due to the heat. Between 2 PM and 5 PM, it is considered rude to call someone's house or make noise. Heat in Cyprus can be even more intense than in mainland Greece, often reaching 45°C. The phrase is used with even more frequency and urgency. For Greeks living in colder climates (like London or New York), 'Είναι ζέστη' is often said with a sense of nostalgia or relief when visiting home. On the islands, the 'Meltemi' wind often masks how hot it really is. People say 'Είναι ζέστη' to warn tourists that they can still get sunburned despite the breeze.
The 'Small Talk' King
If you don't know what to say to a Greek person in July, just say 'Είναι ζέστη'. It works 100% of the time.
Avoid 'Είμαι'
Never say 'Είμαι ζέστη'. It's the most common beginner mistake and sounds very 'foreign'.
Signification
Hot temperature.
The 'Small Talk' King
If you don't know what to say to a Greek person in July, just say 'Είναι ζέστη'. It works 100% of the time.
Avoid 'Είμαι'
Never say 'Είμαι ζέστη'. It's the most common beginner mistake and sounds very 'foreign'.
Add 'Πω πω'
For extra native flavor, add 'Πω πω!' (Po po!) at the beginning: 'Πω πω, είναι ζέστη!'
The Siesta
Remember that 'Είναι ζέστη' is a valid excuse for being slow or tired in the afternoon.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'to be' (είναι) or the noun 'heat' (ζέστη).
Σήμερα _______ ζέστη στην Αθήνα.
While 'κάνει' and 'έχει' are also used, 'είναι' is the standard form for this specific phrase.
How do you say 'I am hot' correctly in Greek?
Choose the correct phrase:
'Ζεσταίνομαι' is the verb used to describe your personal feeling of being hot.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
Α: Πάμε για τρέξιμο; Β: Όχι, _________ πολλή ζέστη τώρα.
The context is 'now' (τώρα), so we use the present tense.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a heatwave (40°C)?
'Καύσωνας' is the specific word for an extreme heatwave.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Είναι ζέστη vs. Ζεσταίνομαι
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesΣήμερα _______ ζέστη στην Αθήνα.
While 'κάνει' and 'έχει' are also used, 'είναι' is the standard form for this specific phrase.
Choose the correct phrase:
'Ζεσταίνομαι' is the verb used to describe your personal feeling of being hot.
Α: Πάμε για τρέξιμο; Β: Όχι, _________ πολλή ζέστη τώρα.
The context is 'now' (τώρα), so we use the present tense.
Which phrase fits a heatwave (40°C)?
'Καύσωνας' is the specific word for an extreme heatwave.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsOnly if you are talking about an object (like 'the bread is warm'). For weather, always use the noun 'ζέστη'.
They are almost identical. 'Είναι' describes the state, 'Κάνει' describes the weather's action. Both are correct.
Use 'Είναι πάρα πολλή ζέστη'.
Yes, it is 'η ζέστη'. This is why we say 'πολλή' (feminine) and not 'πολύ' (adverb/masculine).
No. To say a person is hot (attractive), Greeks use different slang like 'είναι κομμάτι' or 'είναι φωτιά'.
Just change your intonation: 'Είναι ζέστη;'
It's a formal word for a heatwave, usually when temperatures exceed 38-40°C for several days.
Constantly! It's a national pastime, even though they love the summer.
Είναι κρύο (It is cold) or Κάνει κρύο.
Yes, 'Έχει ζέστη' (It has heat) is also very common and natural.
Expressions liées
Κάνει ζέστη
similarIt's hot (weather-focused)
Έχει ζέστη
similarIt's hot (possessive)
Ζεσταίνομαι
builds onI feel hot
Καύσωνας
specialized formHeatwave
Δροσιά
contrastCoolness/Breeze
