Watching TV can be a relaxing as well as fun way to practise your listening skills and learn new vocabulary. This is why we would like to introduce you to a popular Greek comedy series called Στο Παρά 5 (Sto Para Pente; =at five minutes to… which in Greek also means “in the nick of time”). The series tells the story of five complete strangers who witness the death of a former minister in the elevator of a luxurious hotel and they soon find themselves tangled in a huge mystery, which they are now expected to solve!
A few words about the series
The dying minister begs the five seemingly unrelated protagonists to find the person who – as they will find out later on – poisoned him by researching a long-forgotten crime that took place decades before. Completely unaware that they are actually dealing with some of the most powerful criminals in Greece, they team up and set off to solve this mystery. Of course, they have no clue what course of action to follow, which leads them through a long series of adventures – sometimes dangerous, sometimes fun and always somewhat incredible!
The title of the show can be very telling: we have five protagonists fighting a team of five villains and, even though they find themselves in risky situations very often, they always manage to escape at the very last moment – or in the nick of time.
Στο Παρά 5 was aired between 2005 and 2007 and is one of the most popular and commercially successful shows in Greek television history. Originally, the series was supposed to include only one season, but it was expanded to include a second one after popular demand. The script was written by Giorgos Kapoutzidis, who also stars as one of the five main characters, Spiros, as we will see in the videos below.
Abstracts for practicing
Here we have chosen two short clips from the series where we see Spiros talking to his grandma Sophia, who stands out for her vibrant, open-minded and curious character that belies her age. She brought up her grandson after his parents were killed in an airplane crash, and now that he is an adult, she is determined to seize the day and to live all the life experiences that were denied to her before.
About the first video-clip, you can watch below
In this episode, Sophia and Theopoula, her best friend, have just returned from a trip to Paris that they won through a competition organised by their favorite morning TV show, and are showing Spiros all the photos they took during the trip. Surprisingly enough, they are all taken in cabarets and parties…
| Σπύρος: Τι είναι όλα αυτά; Μου απλώσατε και το χάρτη, οι Μαγγελάνες.
Σοφία: Σπύρο μου ξέρεις, θα ξαναφύγουμε πάλι. Καλό και άγιο το Παρίσι αλλά τέσσερις μέρες μόνο Σπύρος: Τέσσερις μέρες μόνο, αλλά όλα πληρωμένα. Τώρα με τι λεφτά θα πάτε; Θεοπούλα: Θα βρούμε εμείς. Σπύρος: Αυτό φοβάμαι. Σοφία: Καλά θα περάσουμε, μην ανησυχείς. Σπύρος: Κάντε ό,τι καταλαβαίνετε.
Θεοπούλα: Δείξε του τις φωτογραφίες απ’ το Παρίσι. Σοφία: Αχ ναι ναι, Σπυράκο μου. Σπύρος: Βγήκανε; Σοφία: Ναι ναι. Ξέχασα. Έλα να δεις αγόρι μου. Από τα Μουλέν Ρουζ. Και δω στα Μουλέν Ρουζ. Από ένα άλλο καμπαρέ. Από το πάρτι που έκανε το ξενοδοχείο. Και ‘δω στο πάρτι. Και ‘δω στο πάρτι. Και ‘δω πάλι στο πάρτι. Ένας που τον είδαμε στο δρόμο, μου άρεσε και τον έβγαλα. Στο καμπαρέ. Σπύρος: Στο καμπαρέ. Ο πύργος του Άιφελ πουθενά. Σοφία: Ε, σιγά τώρα. Σπύρος: Αυτός πάλι ποιος είναι; Σοφία: Ένας συνταξιούχος οδοντίατρος που γνώρισε η Θεοπούλα, ο Ζαν Πιέρ. Σπύρος: Μπα, είχαμε και φλέρτ, Θεοπούλα; Σοφία: Και ‘δω ο Ζαν Πιέρ. Σπύρος: Με κουστούμι, κύριος. Θεοπούλα: Μετά το βγάζει. Σπύρος: Τι εννοείς; Εδώ είναι μόνο με το εσώρουχο. Σοφία: … και ΄δω χωρίς.
[Spiros gasps in shock and covers his eyes with his hand.]
Σπύρος: Θεοπούλα, τι έκανες στο Παρίσι; Θεοπούλα: Θραύση! |
Spyros: What’s all this? You’ve also spread out the map like you’re Magellan himself.
Sophia: Spyros, you know, we’re going to take off again. Paris was great, but it was only four days. Spyros: It was only four days, but all expenses paid. How are you going to find money now? Theopoula: We’ll manage. Spyros: That’s what I’m afraid of. Sophia: We’ll have fun, no worries. Spyros: Do whatever you think it’s best.
Theopoula: Show him the photos from Paris. Sophia: Oh yes yes, my dear Spyros. Spyros: They’ve already been developed? Sophia: Yes yes. I forgot. Come have a look, my boy. At the Moulin Rouge. Also at the Moulin Rouge. At another cabaret. At the party organized by the hotel. Also at the party. Also at the party. And again at the party. Just a man that I saw on the street, I liked him and I took a photo of him. At the cabaret. Spyros: At the cabaret. The Eiffel Tower is nowhere to be seen. Sophia: Oh, come on now. Spyros: Who’s that? Sophia: A retired dentist Theopoula met, Jean-Pierre. Spyros: [You’re] such a flirt, Theopoula! Sophia: And here’s Jean-Pierre. Spyros: [He’s] in a suit, such a gentleman. Theopoula: Then he takes it off. Spyros: What do you mean? In this one, he’s has only his underwear on. Sophia: …and in this one, he takes it off.
[Spiros gasps in shock and covers his eyes with his hand.]
Spyros: Theopoula, what were you doing in Paris? Theopoula: Thundering success!
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About the second video clip, you can watch below
Spiros has returned from a get-away where the five protagonists follow two of the villains… at a camping! His grandma is disappointed that he didn’t invite her along and is showering with questions about what he did there. After she complains that he never asks what her plans are, she lists all the exciting things Theopoula and herself have done while he was away – quite the unusual to-do list as you’ll see!
A tout a l’heure
| Σοφία: Ωραίο το φαγητό; Πάλι καλά που εκτιμάς και κάτι. Αλλά για να σου μαγειρεύω είμαι καλή, για να με πας και μένα μερικές μέρες στο κάμπινγκ δεν είμαι. Τέσσερις μέρες έλειψες, εκεί έτρωγες;
Σπύρος: Όχι, είχα ορό. Σοφία: Κοροϊδεύεις κόλας. Αυτό το παιδάκι που ήσασταν μαζί απ’ τη σχολή σου είναι; Κανένα κορίτσι δεν είχατε μαζί σας; Πότε θα φέρεις καμιά κοπέλα εδώ στο σπίτι; Τώρα αρχίζει η εξεταστική σου, δε θα έχεις χρόνο. Αλήθεια πότε αρχίζει; Χρωστάς πολλά; Τι έπαθες, γιατί δεν απαντάς; Σπύρος: Σε ποιο απ’ όλα; Δεν ήταν μια και δυο οι ερωτήσεις. Πέφταν βροχή από παντού. Σοφία: Καλά, δε θα μιλάμε κιόλας; Σπύρος: Μα εσύ δε μιλάς, εσύ μου παίρνεις συνέντευξη. Βγάλε με και δυο φωτογραφίες μετά όπως είμαι με την μπριζόλα, έτοιμο το εξώφυλλο. Κάθομαι εγώ να σε ρωτήσω τι έκανες τη Δευτέρα, τι έκανες την Τρίτη, τι έκανες την Τετάρτη; Σοφία: Ρώτα με! Τη Δευτέρα πήγαμε με τη Θεοπούλα στο ωδείο και γραφτήκαμε να μάθουμε από ένα όργανο. Την Τρίτη κατεβήκαμε σε μια διαδήλωση που είχαν οι αδιόριστοι του ΑΣΕΠ και την Τετάρτη βγάλαμε εισιτήρια για τον αγώνα με τη Γεωργία. Σπύρος: Γι’ αυτό δε ρωτούσα. Σοφία: Τι εννοείς; Σπύρος: Τι εννοώ και από που να πρωτο-ξεκινήσω. Απ’ το ωδείο, απ’ τη διαδήλωση, απ’ τον αγώνα, από πού; Σε κάνα rave πάρτι πήγατε ή όχι ακόμα; Σοφία: Τι είναι αυτό; Σπύρος: Άσε καλύτερα γιατί θα μπλέξουμε. Σοφία: Να μη με άφηνες τόσες βραδιές μόνη μου εδώ πέρα… τι ήθελες να κάνω;
Σπύρος: Ναι; Ααα, έλα. Σοφία: Ορίστε, τ’ άφησε το φαγητό του. Όλη την ώρα κρυφά τηλεφωνήματα.
Σπύρος: Τι έγινε; Ντάλια: Ακυρώνεται το ραντεβού σήμερα στο σπίτι του Φώτη. Σπύρος: Γιατί; Ντάλια: Δεν ξέρω, κάτι έγινε στο κανάλι. Αύριο την ίδια ώρα. Σπύρος: Εντάξει, τα λέμε αύριο τότε. Ντάλια: Οκ, bye Σπύρος, φιλάκια. Ντάλια: Καλέ; Κλείστηκα!
Σοφία: Ποιος ήταν; Σπύρος: Να μη σε νοιάζει. Σοφία: Θα βγεις όμως. Σπύρος: Όχι, δε θα βγω. Ορίστε, ευχαριστήθηκες; Θα κάτσω εδώ να σου κάνω και παρέα, να μη λες. Σοφία: Σήμερα; Να το βράσω! Θα βγούμε με τη Θεοπούλα. Θα πάμε στην παρουσίαση του νέου δίσκου της Πέγκυ Ζήνα. Είσοδος ελεύθερη. Πάω να ετοιμαστώ. A tout a l’heure! Σπύρος: Το τι ακούω σ’ αυτό το σπίτι είναι αδιανόητο. |
Sophia: Do you like the food? Thankfully, you can appreciate at least that. I’m good enough to cook for you, but I’m not good enough for you to take me camping with you. You’ve been gone four days, did you eat there? Spyros: No, I had an IV drip. Sophia: And now you’re making fun of me as well. Is the guy with whom you went from the same university? Did you have any girls with you? When will you bring a nice girl home? Now that your exams are starting, you won’t have time for this. Actually, when do your exams start? How many exams do you need to take? What happened, why aren’t you answering? Spyros: Which question? It wasn’t just one or two. It was raining questions. Sophia: Well, are we not allowed to have a conversation now? Spyros: This is not a conversation, it’s like you’re interviewing me. You can take a couple photos afterwards while I’m eating my steak, and there you go – the magazine cover is ready. Do I bother asking you what you did on Monday, what you did on Tuesday, what you did on Wednesday? Sophia: Ask me! On Monday, Theopoula and I went to the music school and signed up to learn to play an instrument. On Tuesday, we went to a march organised by ASEP (note: this is the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) and on Wednesday we bought tickets to see the match against Georgia. Spyros: That’s why I don’t ask. Sophia: What do you mean? Spyros: What do I mean? Where should I begin? From the music school, the march, the football game, where? Did you go to any rave parties or not yet? Sophia: What’s this? Spyros: Let it go, otherwise we’ll get in trouble. Sophia: You shouldn’t have left me all these nights alone here… What did you want me to do?
Spyros: Yes? Oh, hi. Sophia: Here here, he left his food. He’s having secret phone calls all the time.
Spyros: What happened? Dalia: The meeting at Fotis’ house tonight has been cancelled. Spyros: Why? Dalia: I don’t know, something happened at the TV channel. [We’re meeting] tomorrow at the same time. Spyros: Okay, see you tomorrow then. Dalia: Okay, bye Spyros, kisses. Dalia: Hello? I’m trapped inside!
Sophia: Who was it? Spyros: It’s none of your business. Sophia: But you’re going out. Spyros: No, I’m not going out. Here, are you happy now? I’ll stay in to keep you company so that you don’t complain. Sophia: Today of all days? Can’t be bothered. I’m going out with Theopoula. We’re going to the presentation of Peggy Zena’s new album. Admission free. I’m going to go get ready. A tout a l’heure! Spyros: It’s unbelievable what I hear in this house.
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We hope you found the two videos funny and that they were easy to follow along – if not watching them a second or third time could help loads!
In case you enjoy comedy, you can always watch the video (+ transcript) with Greek comedian Lambros Fisfis.
Otherwise, why not discover more about another successful Greek TV series called Το Νησί (To Nisi; en. the island) here?
