Greek2Me staff · Vocab
Greek Greetings
Every greeting you'll really use in Greek, from a casual γεια to the polite καλησπέρα you'll want at dinner. Read each one at a glance, hear the sounds, and print the table for the fridge.
| Greek | English | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday hellos and goodbyes | |||
| Γεια | hi / byethe all-purpose one | ||
| Γεια σου | hi / bye (to one person) | ||
| Γεια σας | hi / bye (formal or to a group) | ||
| Καλημέρα | good morning | ||
| Καλησπέρα | good eveningused from late afternoon | ||
| Καληνύχτα | good nighton parting for bed | ||
| Καλό απόγευμα | good afternoon | ||
| Αντίο | goodbyefinal, like 'farewell' | ||
| Τα λέμε | talk to you later | ||
| Καλή συνέχεια | enjoy the rest of your day | ||
| How are you and small talk | |||
| Τι κάνεις; | how are you? (informal) | ||
| Τι κάνετε; | how are you? (formal or plural) | ||
| Πώς είσαι; | how are you? (informal) | ||
| Καλά, ευχαριστώ | fine, thank you | ||
| Χαίρω πολύ | pleased to meet you | ||
| Please, thank you, sorry | |||
| Παρακαλώ | please / you're welcome | ||
| Ευχαριστώ | thank you | ||
| Ευχαριστώ πολύ | thank you very much | ||
| Συγγνώμη | sorry / excuse me | ||
| Ναι | yessounds like English 'nay' | ||
| Όχι | no | ||
| Welcoming and toasting | |||
| Καλώς ήρθες | welcome (to one person) | ||
| Καλώς ήρθατε | welcome (formal or plural) | ||
| Στην υγειά σου | cheers (to one person) | ||
The most important word is γεια
If you learn one Greek greeting first, make it γεια (ya). It works for hello, hi, and bye, morning, noon, and night, with friends and with strangers you don't need to impress. Add σου when you're talking to one person you know, and σας when you're being polite or addressing a group.
So Fatima says γεια σου to her flatmate and γεια σας to her flatmate's grandmother. Same greeting, two levels of politeness.
Time-of-day greetings
Greeks pay more attention to the time of day than English speakers usually do. There are four you'll hear regularly:
- καλημέρα (kaliméra), good morning, used until roughly midday
- καλό απόγευμα (kaló apógevma), good afternoon, used after lunch
- καλησπέρα (kalispéra), good evening, kicks in late afternoon
- καληνύχτα (kaliníhta), good night, only at parting
Saying καλημέρα to the baker at 8am is one of those small things that instantly reads as 'this person has done their homework'. Ravi picked it up in a week and got warmer service everywhere he went.
Formal vs informal (σου vs σας)
Greek splits 'you' into two forms, so most greetings come in an informal (σου) and a formal or plural (σας) version. The rules are simple:
- Use σου with friends, family, children, and anyone your age or younger you're on first-name terms with.
- Use σας with strangers, older adults, shopkeepers you don't know well, and any group of two or more people.
When in doubt, default to σας. Nobody has ever been offended by too much politeness.
Thank you, please, and the polite core
Three words carry most of the everyday politeness in Greek:
- ευχαριστώ (efharistó), thank you
- παρακαλώ (parakaló), please and also you're welcome
- συγγνώμη (signómi), sorry or excuse me
παρακαλώ does double duty. It means please when you ask for something, and it's the standard reply when someone thanks you. Aisha remembers it as the word that answers ευχαριστώ.
Greetings for special moments
Beyond the everyday, Greek has warm, situation-specific greetings that turn up at parties, dinners, and family visits:
- καλώς ήρθες / καλώς ήρθατε, welcome (informal / formal or plural)
- στην υγειά σου / στην υγειά σας, cheers, literally 'to your health'
- χρόνια πολλά (hrónia polá), many years, used on birthdays, name days, and holidays
- καλή όρεξη (kalí óreksi), enjoy your meal
Each one has its moment. Learn them in context and they'll come out naturally when the moment arrives.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Greek greeting?+
Γεια (ya). It covers hello and goodbye, morning and evening, formal and informal. Add σου for one person you know, or σας for politeness or a group. If you only learn one greeting, learn this one.
How do you say hello in Greek formally?+
Γεια σας (ya sas) is the safe, polite version. For extra warmth in the morning use καλημέρα (kaliméra), and in the evening use καλησπέρα (kalispéra). All three work with strangers, shopkeepers, and older adults.
What does καλημέρα mean?+
Καλημέρα (kaliméra) means good morning, literally 'good day'. It's used from waking up until about midday, and it's one of the warmest ways to greet someone in Greek. After that, switch to καλησπέρα for the afternoon and evening.
How do you say thank you in Greek?+
Ευχαριστώ (efharistó). For extra warmth, ευχαριστώ πολύ (efharistó polí) means thank you very much. The reply is παρακαλώ (parakaló), which means 'you're welcome' in this context.
Is γεια the same as ciao?+
Very close. Like the Italian ciao, γεια works for both hello and goodbye and sits at the informal end of the register. Unlike ciao, it can be made polite by adding σας, so γεια σας is perfectly fine with a stranger.
Practise this in the app
Practise greetings in the app
Short quizzes, spaced repetition on the greetings you keep forgetting, and audio for every phrase.
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