όπα

όπα

See also: ὦπα

Greek

Alternative forms

• ώπα (ópa) (a different, expressive spelling)

Etymology

Extension of οπ! (op!), οnomatopoeic from Turkish hop.[1] (compare with Portuguese opa, English hop).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈo.pa/

Interjection

όπα • (ópa)

1. hey!, olé! (indicating good cheer, often used during dancing, expressing fun, enthusiasm and excitement)
2. Indicating admiration and surprise.

   Όπα! για κοίτα ποιος ήρθε!

   Ópa! gia koíta poios írthe!

   Hey! Look who's arrived!

3. Indicating endearment and care, accompanying singing to infants.
4. whoa! (a command to stop)
5. oops, expression for acknowledgment of a minor mistake.

Related terms

• όπ (óp)
• όπαλα (ópala) [2]
• οπαλάκια (opalákia)
• χοπ (chop)

References

1. όπα - Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], 1998, by the "Triantafyllidis" Foundation.
2. Georgios Babiniotis (2008), “όπα”, in Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας: […] [Dictionary of the New Greek Language] (in Greek), 3rd edition, Athens: Kentro Lexikologias, →ISBN.

Further reading

• Opa! (Greek expression) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Ώπα on the Greek Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^el