Greek

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Etymology

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Inherited from the mediaeval Byzantine Greek ἔλα (éla), imperative of the Ancient Greek ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, drive a chariot), possibly from a cry at the Hippodrome.[1]

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈe.la/
  • Hyphenation: έ‧λα

Verb

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έλα (éla)

  1. second-person singular perfective imperative of έρχομαι (érchomai): "Come!"
    Έλα εδώ!Éla edó!Come here!

Interjection

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έλα (éla)

  1. you don't say; come on.
    Έλα, πλάκα κάνεις!Éla, pláka káneis!come on, you must be joking!
  2. an informal greeting used when answering the telephone, "go ahead"
    Α, με παίρνει ο Γιάννης στο κινητό. "Ελα"A, me paírnei o Giánnis sto kinitó. "Ela"Oh, Yiannis is calling me on the cell. "Go ahead."

See also

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  • ελάτε (eláte) (plural form of the verb, polite plural)
  • εμπρός (emprós) (interjection when answering the telephone)

References

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  1. ^ έλα, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language
  NODES
Note 1