Learn Greek › A2 › βρε
βρε
hey / man (informal address, sometimes mildly scolding) /vre/
particleA2#988 most common
Also: dude, you there, come on
Example sentences
Έλα εδώ, βρε παιδί!
Come here, kid!
Τι κάνεις, βρε φίλε;
How's it going, man?
Άσε με ήσυχο, βρε!
Leave me alone, will you!
Βρε συ, δεν άκουσες τι είπα;
Hey you, didn't you hear what I said?
Μα βρε αδερφέ, γιατί δεν μου το είπες νωρίτερα;
Come on, man, why didn't you tell me sooner?
Βρε παιδιά, σταματήστε επιτέλους αυτόν τον καβγά, δεν έχει νόημα.
Hey, guys, stop this argument already, it makes no sense.
Word family
ρεeven more clipped, very common variant of βρεμωρέolder, fuller form of the same addressμωρήfeminine counterpart, used to address a woman
βρε παιδί μουfixed phrase, "hey, my child/kid", affectionate scolding
Etymology
Βρε most likely comes from μωρέ, the vocative form of μωρός, meaning "foolish" or "stupid," used in Byzantine and later Greek as a rough form of address. Over centuries the harsh sense faded, and the word wore down in casual speech to βρε and eventually to the even shorter ρε. Today it functions as a filler of familiarity or mild rebuke rather than an actual insult.
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