# Utilities



## Cosmas1

Hi everybody,

Is there a word in Greek that covers utilities like it does in English? For example, a word that covers the electrical (ΔΕΗ), water (ΕΥΔΑΠ), gas (ΕΠΑΑ) and telephone (ΟΤΕ) utilities?

Thank you.


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## polytropos

You can use:  παροχές ΔΕΗ, ΕΥΔΑΠ, ΟΤΕ. 
   In context:   www.adslgr.com/.../showthread.php?

  In reference to a family or household budget, you can say οι λογαριασμοί: "Βάλε και τους λογαριασμούς, άλλα διακόσια ευρώ, πάει ο μισθός".

colloquial: φως, νερό, τηλέφωνο 
In context: www.moviereviews.gr/m1839


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## BrendaP

I'm interested in the answer to this question as well. One word that covers all of the utilities, in general...the way "utilities" does in English, without having to use the words water, electric, gas etc., along with it.. Maybe there is no word for this in Greek??


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## Cosmas1

Interesting.  I like the colloquialism of saying "φως, νερο, τηλεφωνο"...

Thank you, guys. Let me know if you think of anything else!


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## polytropos

BrendaP said:


> I'm interested in the answer to this question as well. One word that covers all of the utilities, in general...the way "utilities" does in English, without having to use the words water, electric, gas etc., along with it.. Maybe there is no word for this in Greek??



Just παροχές. (Not quite certain, it is somehow vague since you can use the term for social security benefits, medical care etc: παροχές ΙΚΑ, κλπ.)


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## BrendaP

Thanks polytropos.  That word does seem too vague for me to be comfortable with.  There are many words in English that don't have a direct translation in Greek, and "utilities" may be one of them.


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## cougr

polytropos said:


> Just παροχές. (Not quite certain, it is somehow vague since you can use the term for social security benefits, medical care etc: παροχές ΙΚΑ, κλπ.)



How about _"παροχές κοινής ωφέλειας"_?


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## polytropos

cougr said:


> How about _"παροχές κοινής ωφέλειας"_?



http://www.google.gr/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aia.gr%2Fpages.asp%3Fpageid%3D868%26langid%3D1&ei=t-_5TOu6NMSw8gPfouyIDA&usg=AFQjCNH5xe4QZvGrbyRIxiHkQ9paRewNDg 

                                                                                           BINGO!


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## BrendaP

So, it still takes three words to say it, and it's still not clear what it specifically refers to. In English, the word "utilities" actually means electric, water, gas etc., rather than medical care or social security. For those, we would use the word "benefits". Having to use three words to replace utilities, and still not be clear about it, I guess it makes more sense to just use φως, νερό, τηλέφωνο instead. Thanks guys!


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## polytropos

BrendaP said:


> So, it still takes three words to say it, and it's still not clear what it specifically refers to. In English, the word "utilities" actually means electric, water, gas etc., rather than medical care or social security. For those, we would use the word "benefits". Having to use three words to replace utilities, and still not be clear about it, I guess it makes more sense to just use φως, νερό, τηλέφωνο instead. Thanks guys!



I think we will survive using παροχές ΔΕΗ,ΟΤΕ,ΕΥΔΑΠ. Yet, it is not totally clear to me what kind of utility you did mean in first place:

http://www.google.gr/url?sa=t&sourc...293kCw&usg=AFQjCNGwg272YYFAFNUpPpWFRXfPP1Zc9g

                                                                Regards


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## Cosmas1

That's interesting.  Would "δημόσιες παροχες" work for "public utilities" or is that too direct a translation? What does everyone think?


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## BrendaP

I wondered about that myself, Cosmos.  Years ago, our bill payments  here were sent to the Public Utilities Commission. But, because this is instigating quite a bit of debate, it appears there's really no one-word translation for utilities that is in common usage in Greece, without using the words for water, electric and gas.


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## polytropos

Cosmas1 said:


> That's interesting.  Would "δημόσιες παροχες" work for "public utilities" or is that too direct a translation? What does everyone think?



As cougr suggested (see above, his post) παροχές κοινής ωφελείας is the appropriate  term, in use by the greek state agencies, organisations etc


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## BrendaP

I guess what I was looking for is something used colloquially, rather than formally and φως, νερό, τηλέφωνο etc. will work, in place of ""utilities".  Thanks to all of you.


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## winegrower

BrendaP said:


> I guess what I was looking for is something used colloquially, rather than formally and φως, νερό, τηλέφωνο etc. will work, in place of ""utilities". Thanks to all of you.


 
In colloquial speach, the alternatives offered by Polytropos in post N.2 are by far the best. All the rest are formal.


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## BrendaP

Thanks, Winegrower and thanks polytropos.  I'm comfortable with that.


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