Modern Greek is the sole official language of Greece and is spoken by the entire population. While the Greek alphabet looks unfamiliar at first, many letters correspond to Latin ones and pronunciation follows consistent rules. English is widely understood in tourist areas, but speaking even basic Greek earns real warmth from locals, particularly on smaller islands and in mountain villages where fewer tourists venture.
Greetings and Basics
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello (informal) | Γεια σου | YAH-soo |
| Hello (formal/plural) | Γεια σας | YAH-sas |
| Good morning | Καλημέρα | kah-lee-MEH-rah |
| Good evening | Καλησπέρα | kah-lee-SPEH-rah |
| Goodnight | Καληνύχτα | kah-lee-NEEKH-tah |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώ | ef-kha-ree-STOH |
| Please / You’re welcome | Παρακαλώ | pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| Yes | Ναι | NEH |
| No | Όχι | OH-hee |
| Excuse me | Συγνώμη | see-GHNO-mee |
| Goodbye | Αντίο | an-DEE-oh |
| OK / Fine | Εντάξει | en-DAK-see |
Getting Around
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Where is…? | Πού είναι…; | POO EE-neh…? |
| How much is this? | Πόσο κάνει; | POH-soh KAH-nee? |
| Too expensive | Πολύ ακριβό | po-LEE ah-kree-VOH |
| Left | Αριστερά | ah-ree-steh-RAH |
| Right | Δεξιά | thek-see-AH |
| Straight ahead | Ευθεία | ef-THEE-ah |
| Stop here | Σταματήστε εδώ | stah-mah-TEE-steh eh-THOH |
| Bus | Λεωφορείο | leh-oh-fo-REE-oh |
| Ferry | Πλοίο | PLEE-oh |
| Beach | Παραλία | pah-rah-LEE-ah |
Food and Dining
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Water | Νερό | neh-ROH |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ | ton lo-gha-ree-az-MOH pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| Delicious | Νόστιμο | NOH-stee-moh |
| Coffee | Καφές | kah-FES |
| Wine | Κρασί | krah-SEE |
| Beer | Μπύρα | BEE-rah |
| Bread | Ψωμί | psoh-MEE |
| Fish | Ψάρι | PSAH-ree |
| Meat | Κρέας | KREH-ahs |
| Cheers! | Στην υγειά μας! | steen ee-YAH-mas |
Numbers
| Number | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|
| 1 | Ένα | EH-nah |
| 2 | Δύο | THEE-oh |
| 3 | Τρία | TREE-ah |
| 4 | Τέσσερα | TEH-seh-rah |
| 5 | Πέντε | PEN-deh |
| 6 | Έξι | EK-see |
| 7 | Εφτά | ef-TAH |
| 8 | Οκτώ | ok-TOH |
| 9 | Εννιά | eh-nee-AH |
| 10 | Δέκα | THEH-kah |
Emergency Phrases
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Help! | Βοήθεια! | vo-EE-thee-ah |
| Police | Αστυνομία | ah-stee-no-MEE-ah |
| Hospital | Νοσοκομείο | no-so-ko-MEE-oh |
| I need a doctor | Χρειάζομαι γιατρό | khree-AH-zo-meh yah-TROH |
| I am lost | Έχω χαθεί | EH-kho kha-THEE |
| Call an ambulance | Καλέστε ασθενοφόρο | kah-LEH-steh as-the-no-FOH-ro |
Cultural Tips for Using Greek
Greeks place great value on hospitality — the concept of “filoxenia” (love of strangers) runs deep in the culture. Greeting a taverna owner with “Kalispera” (good evening) before sitting down shows respect and often results in warmer service, sometimes a complimentary dessert or raki. The word “Opa!” is genuinely used during celebrations, not just for tourists — feel free to join in. When clinking glasses, make eye contact and say “Stin iyia mas” (to our health). On smaller islands where English is less common, even basic Greek transforms your experience entirely.
Greek pronunciation has a few key differences from English. The letter delta sounds like “th” in “this”, while theta sounds like “th” in “think”. The combination “mp” sounds like “b”, and “nt” sounds like “d” at the start of words. Stress is critical in Greek — it always falls on the syllable marked with an accent in the written word. We recommend starting with “Yah-sas” and “Efharisto” — these two words plus a smile will serve you well from Athens to the smallest Cycladic island.
