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Χριστούγεννα
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This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular Greek song "Hristouyena" (Χριστούγεννα), which was sung by Despina Vandi. Sometimes this song title is spelled as "Christogenna". Also included is a pronunciation guide for the Greek lyrics so you can sing along if you like. Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source. About this SongDespite this song being so old, in Greece it has become a national anthem of Christmas songs. Very few newer Christmas songs have become as major a hit as this one. It's one of my favorites. "Hristouyena" is composed of the Greek words "Hristou" (Christ) and "Yena" (Birth). About Despina VandiDespina Vandi (birth name Δέσποινα Μαλέα) was born in Germany in 1969 to Pontian (Anatolian) Greek parents. (Pontus was a region of Turkey on the southern coast of the Black Sea populated by Greeks. Pontian people suffered from genocide policies of the Ataturk government after World War 1, and many fled Turkey as refugees.) Vandi's family moved back to Greece when she was a child. She launched her singing career in Athens in the mid-1990's. In 2000, she released the single "Ipofero", which became the best-selling single of all time in Greece. She has won numerous awards, and today is known as the "queen of Greek music". |
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About Fivos (Phivos, Phoebus)Fivos is the stage name for Evangelos-Phoebus Tassopoulos (Ευάγγελος Τασσόπουλος), the prominent Greek songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for this song. His name is sometimes written as "Phivos" or "Phoebus". He is one of the most successful Greek songwriters of the 1990's and early 2000's. Fivos was born in 1971. During his school years, he drummed in a band. He started writing songs while studying music at a conservatory, and signed his first contract with a record label at age 22. Over the next 10 years, his songs enjoyed spectacular success in Greece and Cyprus. He began to gain international recognition starting in 2001. In 2004, he signed a deal with Coca Cola to write the music that would be featured in Coca Cola's ads as part of their Olympics sponsorship, and in 2005 he created a new anthem for the Athens football team. |
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Song: Hristouyena (Christmas), 2001 Lyrics: Fivos Music: Fivos Original Artist: Despina Vandi Album: Yia |
Τραγούδι: Χριστούγεννα, 2001 Στίχοι: Φοίβος Μουσική: Φοίβος Πρώτη Εκτέλεση: Δέσποινα Βανδή Άλμπουμ: Γειά |
Lyrics
Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.
Greek Lyrics |
Pronunciation |
English Translation |
| Καρδιά μου | kardia mou | My heart, |
| από Δευτέρα, σε Δευτέρα | apo deftera, se deftera | from Monday to Monday, |
| μήνες τώρα νύχτα μέρα | mines tora nihta mera | months now, night and day |
| σε σκέφτομαι | se skeftome | I think of you |
| και πάω να τρελαθώ | ke pao na trelatho | and I'm about to go crazy. |
| καρδιά μου ο χρόνος | kardia mou o hronos | My heart, the time |
| σαν νεράκι τρέχει | san neraki trehi | flows like water. |
| πίσω γυρισμό δεν έχει | piso yirizmo den ehi | No turning back, |
| κaι ότι ζούμε | ke oti zoume | and whatever we live |
| είναι μοναδικό | ine monadiko | is one of a kind. |
| Για αυτό και μην αργείς | ya afto ke min aryis | So for this reason, don't be late. |
| έλα αμέσως κοντά μου | ela amesos konda mou | Come to me immediately, |
| κaι άλλο μόνη μη' μ' αφήνεις καρδιά μου | ke allo moni mi' m' afinis kardia mou | and don't leave me alone [any more], my heart. |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Χριστούγεννα | Hristouyena | Christmas — |
| όπου να 'ναι φτάνουν | opou na 'ne ftanoun | it's coming any moment now, |
| και τα κλάματα με πιάνουν | ke ta klamata me pianoun | and I'm crying |
| που δεν μπορώ, μαζί σου vα 'μαι εγώ | pou den boro, mazi sou na 'me ego | because I can't be with you. |
| Βλέπω τον Αϊ-Βασίλη | vlepo ton Ay Vasili | I see Santa Claus |
| να μου χαμογελάει | na mou hamoyelai | smiling at me. |
| κaι η έλλειψη σου | ke ee elipsi sou | and without you (1) |
| δυο φορές με πονάει | dio fores me ponai | it hurts me twice as much (2) |
| Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | Hristouyena irthan pali | Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| αχ και να σε είχα εδώ μωρό μου | ah ke na se iha edo moro mou | Oh, and to have had you here my baby, |
| στο πλευρό μου | sto plevro | by my side, |
| αγκαλιά μου | agalia mou | in my arms. |
| ναι Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | ne Hristouyena irthan pali | Yes, Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| μόνο εσένα έχω μωρό μου | mono esena eho moro mou | I have only you, my baby, |
| στο μυαλό μου | sto mialo mou | in my mind, |
| στη' καρδιά μου | sti' kardia mou | in my heart. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, δε' γίνονται | de' yinonde, de' yinonde, | is not possible, is not possible |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, καρδούλα μου | de' yinonde, kardoula mou | is not possible, my heart |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Ου ου | Ou ou | Ou ou |
| Γυρνάω στους δρόμους | yirnao stous dromous | I'm wandering the streets |
| μόνη και χαζεύω | moni ke hazevo | alone, and I'm looking around, |
| βλέπω ανθρώπους | vlepo anthropous | looking at people, |
| και ζηλεύω | ke zilevo | and I'm jealous. |
| που φαίνονται | pou fenonde | [Couples] who seem |
| γεμάτοι από χαρά | yemati apo hara | full of joy, |
| πιασμένα χέρι χέρι ζευγαράκια | piasemeni heri heri zevgarakia | hand in hand couples |
| καθισμένα σε παγκάκια | kathismena se pagakia | sitting on the benches. |
| πονάει πολύ | ponai poli | It hurts a lot, |
| απόψε η μοναξιά | apopse ee monaxia | tonight, the loneliness. |
| Βλέπω τον Αϊ-Βασίλη | vlepo ton Ay Vasili | I see Santa Claus |
| να μου χαμογελάει | na mou hamoyelai | smiling at me. |
| κaι η έλλειψη σου | ke ee elipsi sou | and without you (1) |
| δυο φορές με πονάει | dio fores me ponai | it hurts me twice as much (2) |
| Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | Hristouyena irthan pali | Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| αχ και να σε είχα εδώ μωρό μου | ah ke na se iha edo moro mou | Oh, and to have had you here my baby, |
| στο πλευρό μου | sto plevro | by my side, |
| αγκαλιά μου | agalia mou | in my arms. |
| ναι Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | ne Hristouyena irthan pali | Yes, Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| μόνο εσένα έχω μωρό μου | mono esena eho moro mou | I have only you, my baby, |
| στο μυαλό μου | sto mialo mou | in my mind, |
| στη' καρδιά μου | sti' kardia mou | in my heart. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, δε' γίνονται | de' yinonde, de' yinonde, | is not possible, is not possible |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, καρδούλα μου | de' yinonde, kardoula mou | is not possible, my heart |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
Instrumental |
Instrumental |
Instrumental |
| Βλέπω τον Αϊ-Βασίλη | vlepo ton Ay Vasili | I see Santa Claus |
| να μου χαμογελάει | na mou hamoyelai | smiling at me. |
| κaι η έλλειψη σου | ke ee elipsi sou | and without you (1) |
| δυο φορές με πονάει | dio fores me ponai | it hurts me twice as much (2) |
| Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | Hristouyena irthan pali | Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| αχ και να σε είχα εδώ μωρό μου | ah ke na se iha edo moro mou | Oh, and to have had you here my baby, |
| στο πλευρό μου | sto plevro | by my side, |
| αγκαλιά μου | agalia mou | in my arms. |
| ναι Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | ne Hristouyena irthan pali | Yes, Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| μόνο εσένα έχω μωρό μου | mono esena eho moro mou | I have only you, my baby, |
| στο μυαλό μου | sto mialo mou | in my mind, |
| στη' καρδιά μου | sti' kardia mou | in my heart. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas, |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, δε' γίνονται | de' yinonde, de' yinonde, | is not possible, is not possible. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas, |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, δε' γίνονται | de' yinonde, kardoula mou | is not possible, my heart |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
| Xριστούγεννα, Χριστούγεννα | hristouyena, hristouyena | Christmas, Christmas, |
| ευτυχισμένα | eftihismena | joyful |
| δε' γίνονται, δε' γίνονται | de' yinonde, de' yinonde, | is not possible, is not possible |
| χωρίς εσένα | horis esena | without you. |
| Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | Hristouyena irthan pali | Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me. |
| να σε είχα εδώ μωρό μου | na se iha edo moro mou | To have had you here, my baby, |
| στο πλευρό μου | sto plevro | by my side, |
| αγκαλιά μου | agalia mou | in my arms. |
| Χριστούγεννα ήρθαν πάλι | Hristouyena irthan pali | Christmas came again, |
| μα είσαι πάλι | ma ise pali | but you are again |
| μακριά μου | makria mou | away from me |
| να σε είχα εδώ μωρό μου | na se iha edo moro mou | To have had you here, my baby, |
| στο πλευρό μου | sto plevro mou | by my side, |
| αγκαλιά μου | agalia mou | in my arms. |
- Literally, "the lack of you".
- Literally, "two times is hurting me", meaning it hurts doubly.
Translations of Despina Vandi's Songs On This Site
Other translations of songs performed by Despina Vandi on this web site include:
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About the Translator
This page was contributed by Panayiota Bakis, who is happy to share her culture and music she grew up with! Here's how Panayiota describes her background:
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