Starting Out In Greek
The Basics
On the following pages, you will find the most common words and phrases you might learn early on in any language. You will not find much in the way of grammar information - check out the online lessons and grammar reference if that interests you.
Approximate pronunciations can be seen by rolling your mouse over the Greek words and phrases. Please bear in mind that it is very hard to offer accurate pronunciations using English characters - please refer to the alphabet guide for a more accurate list of pronunciations.
Better still, consult a native speaker, or a course which contains some audio spoken by a native speaker. This is the only way to guarantee anything approaching an authentic sound!
Greetings
| Greek | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ΚαλημέραKa-lee-mer-a | Good morning / hello | Used for any time up to late afternoon. Used both when arriving and leaving. |
| ΚαλησπέραKa-lee-sper-a | Good afternoon / evening | Used for meeting people in the evening or at night. Used both when arriving and leaving. |
| ΚαληνύχταKa-lee-neekh-ta | Good night | Used when leaving somebody in the evening or at night. |
| ΧαίρετεKhye-re-te | Hello / Goodbye | More informal; the same word is used for arriving and leaving |
| Γεια σας / Γεια σουYa sas / Ya soo | Hi / Hello | Informal; the first form is addressed to more than one person, or to be polite to an unknown, older person. The second form is used to greet a friend or younger person (eg a child) |
| ΑντίοAd-ee-o | Goodbye | Polite |
About You
| Greek | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Με λένε NigelMe le-ne Nigel | My name is Nigel (Lit. "They call me Nigel") |
|
| Έχω τριάντα πέντε χρονών Ekh-o tree-and-a pen-de khro-non | I am 35 years old (Lit. "I have 35 of years") |
Check out the holiday Greek page for lists of numbers - unless you really are 35, in which case this is easy for you! |
| Είμαι από την ΑγγλίαEe-may ap-o teen Ang-lee-a | I am from England | Check out the holiday Greek page for a list of nations and nationalities |
| Έχω ένα αγόρι και δύο κορίτσια Ekh-o en-a a-ghor-i ke thee-o ko-rit-sia | I have one son and two daughters | |
| Είμαι δάσκαλος/δασκάλα Ee-may dhas-ka-los/dhas-kal-a | I am a teacher (Lit. "I am teacher") |
The first alternative describes a male employee, the
second a female. There are often (but not always) two
different words for jobs in Greek (similar to English "actor"
and "actress"). In general, the way to say what you do in Greek is as simple as "I am [JOB]" - check out the list of common jobs on the holiday Greek page. |
This list is a work in progress - please check back
to see it added to, or even have your say about what
should go on here!
