Signification
To make light of a serious situation.
Contexte culturel
Greeks use humor as a social 'safety valve.' In a culture where emotions run high, 'turning it to a joke' prevents many arguments from escalating. Similar to mainland Greece, but the dialectal 'to girizo ston pashia' (turning it to the joke/fun) might be heard in very informal settings. In international business, 'turning it to a joke' can be risky. While Greeks see it as wit, some cultures (like Japan or Germany) might see it as a lack of professionalism. Greek social media is famous for 'turning it to a joke' regarding national crises, creating a unique form of 'black humor' (μαύρο χιούμορ).
The 'To' is Key
Never forget the 'το'. It's the 'glue' that makes the phrase idiomatic. Without it, you're just a person turning a physical object.
Don't Overdo It
If you 'turn it to a joke' too often, people might think you are 'asovaros' (not serious/unreliable).
Signification
To make light of a serious situation.
The 'To' is Key
Never forget the 'το'. It's the 'glue' that makes the phrase idiomatic. Without it, you're just a person turning a physical object.
Don't Overdo It
If you 'turn it to a joke' too often, people might think you are 'asovaros' (not serious/unreliable).
Self-Deprecation
In Greece, turning a mistake into a joke about yourself is seen as a sign of confidence, not weakness.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing words to complete the phrase.
Όταν είδε ότι θύμωσα, αμέσως ___ γύρισε ___ αστείο.
The phrase requires the clitic 'το' and the prepositional phrase 'στο αστείο'.
Which sentence correctly uses the phrase to describe diffusing tension?
Ποια πρόταση είναι σωστή;
This sentence correctly shows the shift from a 'difficult situation' to humor.
Match the response to the situation.
Situation: You forgot your anniversary. Your partner looks upset.
This uses humor to deflect the specific tension of the forgotten anniversary.
🎉 Score : /3
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
3 exercicesΌταν είδε ότι θύμωσα, αμέσως ___ γύρισε ___ αστείο.
The phrase requires the clitic 'το' and the prepositional phrase 'στο αστείο'.
Ποια πρόταση είναι σωστή;
This sentence correctly shows the shift from a 'difficult situation' to humor.
Situation: You forgot your anniversary. Your partner looks upset.
This uses humor to deflect the specific tension of the forgotten anniversary.
🎉 Score : /3
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, both are perfectly interchangeable. 'Το γυρίζω στο αστείο' is slightly more common in written Greek.
Not inherently. It depends on the timing. If used to diffuse tension, it's helpful. If used to ignore someone's feelings, it can be rude.
It's a dummy pronoun referring to the general situation or the atmosphere of the conversation.
Only if you are very careful. It can show wit, but don't use it for serious questions about your skills.
Yes, you can use the verb 'διακωμωδώ' (to satirize/make light of).
Usually, yes, but it can be used critically: 'Πάλι το γύρισες στο αστείο!' (You turned it into a joke again! - implying avoidance).
You would say 'Πλάκα κάνω' or 'Αστειεύομαι.' 'Το γυρνάω στο αστείο' describes the *act* of shifting the mood.
Yes, many Greek songs about breakups mention 'turning it to a joke' to hide the pain.
Yes: 'το γυρνάω στην πλάκα' is a very common and slightly more informal variation.
The opposite would be 'το σοβαρεύω' (I'm making it serious).
Expressions liées
το ρίχνω στην πλάκα
synonymTo throw it into the joke/prank.
κάνω χιούμορ
similarTo be humorous.
το παίρνω στα σοβαρά
contrastTo take something seriously.
διακωμωδώ
specialized formTo satirize or make a comedy of.
