# ιντα μπω, ρε κουμπάρε



## rupertbrooke

What exactly does ιντα μπω mean literally in the Cypriot dialect? Presumably ιντα is  άιντε but what does μπω mean? Thanks in advance.


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## Eltheza

Hi rupertbrooke!

I can only make a start here until the experts come along!

ιντα/ηντα seems to mean 'what' or 'how' (?) 

μπω in standard Greek is from μπαίνω = to go in (Irregular Verb):

Present: μπαίνω
Simple Past: μπήκα
Simple Future: θα μπώ

Whilst waiting for Δημήτρης, who's from Cyprus, and who I'm sure can shed some light on this, you might like to read this interesting article that I've come across:

http://www.thetutorpages.com/tutor-article/modern-greek/the-greek-cypriot-dialect/2365


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## cougr

re:Ήντα  μπω

My understanding of it is that it's something akin to "what's up?"/ "what's happening?" but it's best to wait for a response from Dimitri or another of our Cypriot friends.


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## Perseas

I don't know the Cypriot dialect (neither the Cretan), but Ι think that this _ήντα/ίντα _belongs also to the Cretan dialect and means _τι_, i.e. _what_. 
_μπω_ is a form of the verb _μπαίνω_ and means_ to get in, enter_ as Eltheza has written correctly. "what to get in" doesn't make sense, so I guess that it would be something like _ήντα πω_ (= what to say ??) , maybe. 
*_πω_ is a form of the verb λέ(γ)ω meaning _to say_. 
Δημήτρης or someone else who knows this dialect would enlighten us.


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## Δημήτρης

Ίντα is the island-ish variant of "τι" "what". It's used in Cyprus, Crete, Rhodes and I guess in other places to.
"μπω" (I'd spell it "μπο") is the conjuction  "που". The /u/ sound is lowered to /o/ and the consonant is voiced as it happens usually in Cypriot Greek. 
Ρε κουμπάρε is a very common vocative for male peers. 
All together can be "translated" to "Τι είναι που θέλεις, ρε φίλε;" "What do you want, mate?"


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## cougr

Hi Δημήτρη,

I was just wondering, depending on context, could _ίντα μπο_ be interpreted as _ίντα που κάμνεις_ or does it always necessarily refer to _ίντα που θέλεις _?


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## Δημήτρης

If ίντα is said on a higher pitch, I would understand it as "what the fuck are you doing?", which is one of the senses ίντα μπου κάμνεις ('τάμπου κάμνεις) can have. But not as in ίνταμπου κάμνεις "how are you doing". 
Ίντα μπου with a flat intonation, I understand it only as ίντα μπου θέλεις.


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## cougr

Thanks for that Δημήτρη!


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