Language Basics
Essential Phrases | |
Hello | Yia su |
Goodbye | Adio |
Please | Parakalo |
Thank you | Efkharisto |
Welcome | Kopiaste |
Cheers! | Stin iyia mas! |
Here you are | Oriste |
Yes | Ne |
No | Ohi |
What is your name? | Pos se lene? |
Excuse me | Me sinhorite |
Sorry | Sighnomi |
I have a reservation | Ekho kani mia kratisi |
I would like a taxi | Tha ithela ena taksi |
I understand | Katalaveno |
I don't understand | Then katalaveno |
One moment please | Mia stigmi parakalo |
Help! | Voithia! |
Greetings & Goodbyes | |
Hello / Hi | Yia su |
Good Afternoon | Herete |
Good Morning | Kalimera |
Good Evening | Kalispera |
Good Night | Kalinikhta |
How are you? | Ti kaneis? (singular) / Ti kanete? (plural) |
Fine and you? | Kala esi? (singular) / Kala eseis? (plural) |
What's your name? | Pos se lene |
My name is... | Me lene... |
I'm pleased to meet you | Hero poli |
Goodbye | Adio |
Bon voyage | Kalo taksithi |
Question Words | |
How? | Pos? |
How many? | Posoi (plural masculin) / Poses (plural feminin) / Posa (plural neuter) |
How much? | Posos (masculin) / Posi (feminin) / Poso (neuter) |
What? | Ti? |
When? | Pote? |
Where? | Pu? |
Who? | Pios (musculin) / Pia (feminin)/ Pio (neuter) |
Why? | Yiati? |
How much is it? | Poso kani? |
When's the first bus? | Pote ine to proto leoforio? |
What time does it leave? | To ora fevgyi? |
How far is it? | Poso makria ine? |
Who is that? | Pios ine ekeinos? |
What is the address? | Pia einai i thiefthinsi? |
Can you show me on the map? | Boris na mu thiksis sto kharti? |
Do you speak English? | Milas (Anglika)? |
Does anyone speak (English)? | Mila kanis Anglika? |
I beg your pardon? | Oriste / Signomi |
Do you understand? | Katalavenis? |
Pardon? | Sighnomi? |
What will the weather be like tomorrow? | Pos tha ine o keros avrio? |
Where's the toilet? | Pu ine I toualeta? |
Telling the Time | |
What time is it? | Ti ora ine? |
It's ten o'clock. | Ine theka i ora |
Five past ten | Theka ke pende |
Quarter past ten | Theka ke tetarto |
Half past ten | Theka ke misi |
Quarter to ten | Theka para tetarto |
Twenty to ten | Theka para ikosi |
At what time? | Se posi ora? |
At ten | Stis theka |
Sweet Talk | |
I love you | Se aghapo |
My baby | Moro mu |
My soul | Psihula mu |
My treasure | Khriso mu |
Sweetheart | Karthula mu |
I like you very much | Mu aresis poli |
He's a babe | Ine kuklos |
She's a babe | Ine kukla |
Local Talk | |
Don’t stress | Min kanis etsi |
Enough | Arketa |
Exactly | Akrivos |
Great! | Apithano! |
I don't care | Then me niazi |
It's OK | Ine endaksi |
Just a minute | Miso lepto |
Just joking | Astievome |
Maybe | Isos |
No problem | Den iparhi provlima |
No way | Apokliete |
Rubbish | Sakhlamares |
Sure | Sighura |
Well now… | Lipon |
You're wrong | Kanis lathos |
Emergency | |
Help | Voithia |
Call the police | Kalese tin astinomia |
Call a doctor | Kalese ena yiatro |
Ambulance | Asthenoforo |
Fire | Fotia |
I'm sick | Ime arostos |
I'm lost | Ekho khathi |
Thief | Kleftis |
Watch out | Prosehe |
Stop | Stamata |
Go away | Fiye |
Food and Drink | |
Can you recommend a bar / cafe / restaurant? | Boris na sistisis ena bar / kafe / estiatorio? |
I would like to reserve a table | Tha ithela na kratiso ena trapezi |
Enjoy your meal | Kali oreksi |
I am allergic to | Ime aleryikos |
Food | Fayito |
Drink | Poto |
Breakfast | Proyevma |
Lunch | Yevma |
Dinner | Thipno |
Water | Nero |
Tea | Tsai |
Coffee | Kafe |
Beer | Bira |
Wine | Krasi |
Bill | Loghariazmos |
I'm feeling drunk | Methisa |
Numbers | |
1 | ena |
2 | thio |
3 | tria |
4 | tesera |
5 | pende |
6 | eksi |
7 | efta |
8 | okhto |
9 | enea |
10 | deka |
11 | edeka |
12 | thotheka |
13 | thekatria |
14 | thekatesera |
15 | thekapende |
16 | thekaeksi |
17 | thekaefta |
18 | thekaohto |
19 | thekaenea |
20 | ikosi |
21 | isosiena |
22 | ikosithio |
30 | trianda |
40 | saranda |
50 | penida |
60 | exsida |
70 | evthomida |
80 | oghthoda |
90 | enenida |
100 | ekato |
200 | thiakosia |
1000 | hilia |
1,000,000 | ena ekatomirio |
The calender | |
Days | |
Monday | Theftera |
Tuesday | Triti |
Wednesday | Tetarti |
Thursday | Pempti |
Friday | Paraskevi |
Saturday | Savato |
Sunday | Kiriaki |
Months | |
January | Ianuarios |
February | Fevruarios |
March | Martios |
April | Aprilios |
May | Maios |
June | Iunios |
July | Iulios |
August | Avghustos |
September | Septemvrios |
October | Oktovrios |
November | Noemvrios |
December | Thekemvrios |
Seasons | |
Spring | Aniksi |
Summer | Kalokeri |
Autumn | Fthinoporo |
Winter | Himonas |
Greek is one of the world's oldest recorded living languages and holds an important place in the histories and cultures of Europe. It is the language of Aristotle, Homer, Plato, Herodotus and Alexander the Great.
Greek was a widely spoken lingua franca in the Mediterranean world and beyond during Classical Antiquity, and would eventually become the official parlance of the Byzantine Empire. In its modern form, it is the official language of Greece and Cyprus and one of the 23 official languages of the European Union. The language is spoken by approximately 13 million people today. Many modern languages, such as English, have adopted words from Greek. English has over 50,000 words in its lexicon which are derived from the Greek language, especially in the sciences and medicine. As with Latin, Greek is used in the process of new word production in modern languages.
The Modern Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters. Adjective in Greek normally come before the noun, just like in English. They take different endings to agree with the noun they qualify. Greek nouns have gender – masculine, feminine and neuter. Plural nouns take different endings depending on gender.