32 quotes
Cultural Expectations of Marriage and Family
Gus
You better get married soon. You're starting to look... old!
[to Toula]
Toula
My dad has been saying that to me since I was fifteen. Because nice Greek girls are supposed to do three things in life: marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone until the day we die.
[narrating]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding - Aunt Voula
Aunt Voula
Oh, Taki... he looks Greek.
[Watching Ian dance at the reception]
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Conflicted Communication in Relationships
Aunt Voula
Tell me what to say. But don't tell me what to say.
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Aunt Voula's Advice on Femininity
Aunt Voula
Skase! Be a lady!
[after her daughter Nikki behaves rudely]
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The Power Dynamics of Family Roles
Toula
Ma, Dad is so stubborn. What he says goes. "Ah, the man is the head of the household!
Maria
Let me tell you something, Toula. The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Concern About Overwhelming Family Expectations
Toula
Ma, you gonna make me swallow my tongue!
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A Lesson on Food from the Past
Maria
Niko! Don't play with your food! When I was your age, we didn't have food!
[to young Nick]
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Questioning Toula's Education Choices
Maria Portokalos
What is wrong with Toula going to school downtown?
[arguing with Gus about Toula attending college]
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Aunt Voula on Family Gift Traditions
Aunt Voula
Look, this is what we do. The parents, they give a gift.
[Telling Ian's Family]
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Aunt Voula's Acceptance of Dietary Choices
Aunt Voula
What do you mean, he don't eat no meat? ...That's okay, that's okay. I make lamb.
[upon learning Ian is a vegetarian; The entire room stops, in shock. We hear plates break and there are gasps.]
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Unity in Diversity: Apples and Oranges
Gus Portokalos
Hello. Welcome to the Portokalos family and welcome the-the Miller family. I-I was thinking last night, um, the night before my-my daughter was gonna marry, uh, I-an Miller, that, um, you know, the root of the word Miller is a Greek word. Miller come from the Greek word "milo", which is mean apple, there you go. As many of you know, our name Portokalos is come from the Greek word "portokali", which means orange. So, okay, here tonight we have, uh, apple and orange... we all different, but, in the end, we all fruit.
[at the wedding reception]
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Embracing Uniqueness in Childhood Identity
Toula
When I was growing up, I knew I was different. The other girls were blonde and delicate. And I was a swarthy six-year-old with sideburns.
[narrating]
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Concerns About Queen Size Appearance
Maria
No queen size, they make me look fat.
[after Athena offers to buy her some new pantyhose]
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Exploring Greek Roots in Everyday Language
Gus
Now, gimme a word, any word, and I show (sow) you how the root of that word is Greek.
Young Athena
Oh, not this again.
[under her breath; embarrassed]
Gus
Okay? How about arachnophobia? Arachna, that comes from the Greek word for spider, and phobia is a phobia, is mean fear. So, fear of spider, there you go.
Schoolgirl
Okay, Mr. Portokalos. How about the word kimono?
Young Athena
Good one.
[whispers]
Gus
Kimono, kimono, kimono. Ha! Of course! Kimono is come from the Greek word himona, is mean winter. So, what do you wear in the wintertime to stay warm? A robe. You see: robe, kimono. There you go!
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Introducing the Family Members
Gus Portokalos
Welcome to my home. Over here is my brother, Ted, and his wife, Melissa, and their children, Anita, Diane and Nick. Over here, my brother Tommy, his wife Angie, and their children, Anita, Diane and Nick. And here, my brother George, his wife Freda, and their children, Anita, Diane and Nick. Taki, Sophie, Kari, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, uh, Nikki, and I am Gus.
[to Ian's parents]
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Family Dynamics and Daily Concerns
Aunt Voula
Toula, have you seen Nikki?
Nico
What's up, dear?
Aunt Voula
No, my Nikki. She was supposed to come over and curl my hairs.
Maria
Nick, did you check the meat before you signed for it?
Nico
Yeah, I checked it.
Maria
It better be fresh!
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Aunt Voula Faces Business Challenges
Aunt Voula
Woe to me, business is bad.
[To Gus and Maria]
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Aunt Voula's Olympic Nagging Skills
Toula
If nagging were an Olympic sport, my Aunt Voula would win a gold medal!
[narrating]
Aunt Voula
Taki, you couldn't wait for me?
Taki
Sorry, sorry.
[whispers]
Aunt Voula
Sorry, sorry. Don't sorry me. Ugh. Look at this, a rash. Somebody gave me the mati.
Gus
Put some Windex on.
[sprays Windex on her rash]
Aunt Voula
Ohh Gus, please, please!
Gus
Voula, this works! Last night, my toe was as big as my face.
Aunt Voula
So why you not wait for me?
[very disgusted]
Taki
Cause, he wants to talk.
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The Distinction Between Greeks and Others
Gus Portokalos
Toula, there's two kinds of people: Greeks and everybody else who wish they were Greeks.
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A Moment of Everyday Distraction
Mike
Hi?
Toula
Hi. Sorry. My brain...switched off, you know. You ever have one of those days? Going along and then...rrrrrrRRRRRRRRrrrrrr. Here I am, standing here, your own private Greek statue.
[coming back to reality]
Mike
Could I, uh, get some more coffee?
Toula
Sure.
[pours Ian a cup and then walks off]
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Aunt Voula's Surprising Family Revelation
Aunt Voula
Now, you are family. Okay. All my life, I had a lump at the back of my neck, right here. Always, a lump. Then I started menopause and the lump got bigger from the "hormonees." It started to grow. So I go to the doctor, and he did the bio... the b... the... the bios... the... b... the "bobopsy." Inside the lump he found teeth and a spinal column. Yes. Inside the lump was my twin. Opa!!
[to Ian's parents; Ian's parents are horrified. Voula grabs a drink and toasts.]
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Cultural Tensions in a Family Dynamic
Toula
A couple more years went by, and Dad brought his mother over from Greece to live with us. Because we weren't weird enough.
[narrating]
Yiayia
Listen up, ugly Turk. You're not kidnapping me!
[spoken in Greek]
Gus
Mama, please! The Greeks and the Turks friends now!
Toula
We told my grandma the war was over, but she still slept with a knife under her pillow.
[narrating]
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Cultural Expectations and Gender Roles in Relationships
Gus Portokalos
It is mistake to educate women but, nobody listen to me cause now we have a boyfriend in the house! Is he nice Greek boy? Oh no no Greek! No Greek xeno! Xeno with the long hair on top of his head!
[To Maria and Toula]
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Lessons Learned in Greek School
Toula
In Greek school, where I learned valuable lessons such as: "If Nick has one goat and Maria has nine, how soon will they marry?
[narrating]
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Aunt Voula's Hair Curling Expectations
Aunt Voula
No, my Nikki. She was supposed to come over and curl my hair.
[After Nick accidentally hears his name called]
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Aunt Voula's Surprise at Toula's Engagement
Aunt Voula
Toula. Toula! You're engaged! You're engaged-We never think this would happen for you-Never! Never. Taki, didn't we say that..?
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Sibling Protection and Family Loyalty
Greek School Teacher
Ο Νίκος έχει ένα κατσίκι. (Nikos has one goat.)
Nick
I've never seen my sister this happy, Ian. If you hurt her, I'll kill you and make it look like an accident.
[serious]
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Embracing Life's Opportunities and Choices
Maria
I gave you life so that you could live it.
[to Toula]
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Generational Conflict Over Personal Aspirations
Toula
Dad, I've been going through our inventory and, um, I've noticed that we've been doing a lot of unnecessary ordering. Um, so, I've been thinking that maybe we should update our system, like, get a computer. I don't know if you remember, but I got all A's in computers. But there's a lot of new stuff to learn now, so, um, if you want, I could go to college and, um, take a few courses.
Gus
Why? Why you want to leave me?
[starts crying]
Toula
I'm not leaving you! Don't you want me to do something with my life?
[upset by her father's overreaction]
Gus
Yes! Get married! Make babies! You look so...old!
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Embracing Uniqueness and Self-Identity
Toula
I'm a snow beast!
[seeing herself in her wedding gown for the first time]
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Reflections on Marriage and Life Choices
Toula
Nice Greek girls who don't find a husband work in the family restaurant. So here I am, day after day, year after year, thirty and way past my expiration date.
[narrating]
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Cultural Education and Home Remedies in Greece
Toula
My dad believed in two things: That Greeks should educate non-Greeks about being Greek and that any ailment from psoriasis to poison ivy could be cured with ].
[narrating; [w:Windex|Windex]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.