Knowing a number is not enough to understand opening hours. You also need to recognise whether it marks the opening time, closing time or the end of a longer interval. This fictional shop conversation gives you practice with those distinctions. Its hours are invented, not information about a real business.
A short conversation
| Συγγνώμη, τι ώρα ανοίγετε αύριο; | Excuse me, what time do you open tomorrow? |
| Ανοίγουμε στις εννέα. | We open at nine. |
| Και τι ώρα κλείνετε; | And what time do you close? |
| Στις πέντε το απόγευμα. | At five in the afternoon. |
| Είστε ανοιχτά την Κυριακή; | Are you open on Sunday? |
| Όχι, την Κυριακή είμαστε κλειστά. | No, we are closed on Sunday. |
Hear the opening and closing verbs
Ανοίγετε means “you open”; ανοίγουμε means “we open”. Κλείνετε means “you close”. In Τι ώρα κλείνετε;, the question is about closing even if you hear the same number used elsewhere for opening. Practise the two questions together: Τι ώρα ανοίγετε; Τι ώρα κλείνετε;
At a time versus until a time
Στις πέντε means “at five”. Μέχρι τις πέντε means “until five”. Compare Ανοίγουμε στις πέντε, “We open at five”, with Είμαστε ανοιχτά μέχρι τις πέντε, “We are open until five”. The number is identical, but the useful information is different. For a full interval, use από… μέχρι…: από τις εννέα μέχρι τις πέντε, “from nine until five”.
Specify the day
Αύριο means “tomorrow”. Την Κυριακή means “on Sunday”. A reply about tomorrow does not automatically tell you the Sunday hours. Ask separately: Είστε ανοιχτά την Κυριακή; If you want to check whether the place is open at this moment, ask Είστε ανοιχτά τώρα; — “Are you open now?”
Recognise the short signs
Ανοιχτά means “open” and κλειστά means “closed” in these shop expressions. Signs may show the words in capitals: ΑΝΟΙΧΤΑ and ΚΛΕΙΣΤΑ. A sign saying closed tells you the current status, but without more information it does not say when the shop will open again.
Check the meaning
- In the dialogue, what time does the shop open tomorrow?
- Is it open on Sunday?
- Does μέχρι τις πέντε mean “at five” or “until five”?
- Ask what time the shop closes.
See the answers
1. At nine: στις εννέα. 2. No: την Κυριακή είμαστε κλειστά. 3. Until five. 4. Τι ώρα κλείνετε; The afternoon closing time is stated explicitly in the dialogue.
Try a changed schedule
Invent a shop that opens at ten and closes at six: Ανοίγουμε στις δέκα. Κλείνουμε στις έξι. Say the interval too: από τις δέκα μέχρι τις έξι. Ask a partner to repeat either the opening time or the closing time. Check that the answer matches your question, not merely that the number sounds familiar.
Review numbers and time expressions. Practise asking for clarification.