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Τρίτη 11 Δεκεμβρίου 2012

Your first Greek Phrases



I selected some Greek phrases for you and listed them on this page, to help you to start your vacations straight away from home, get you into a holiday mood, and to take a shortcut to the Greek hearts straight after you arrived in this beautiful country. Study some Greek for beginners.

Being able to understand just a few words means, that you show interest in the language and the country, the effect this will have on people you are to meet during your vacations in Greece will surprise you. It will open a gateway straight to the hearts of the locals.

Never worry about their answers in Greek which you will likely not fully understand, just tell them that you do not speak Greek yet: "Den katalaveno Ellinika akoma". But you could still make your entry. You will see, it is fun!

For your first contact with Greek phrases, you should know the word for "tomorrow". It is "avrio", and you will hear it over and over again. It does not necessarily mean the day after today, the person might just want to state that he has it in mind to do in near future.

Basic and vital Greek phrases
hello or good-bye singularJia sou
hello or good-bye pluralJia sas
byeandio
good morningkali mera
hello (anytime of the day)hairete
good eveningkali spera
good nightkali nihta
how are you?
(friendly terms, single)
ti kanis
how are you? (plural)ti kanete
I am fineime kala
I am very fineime poli kala
we are very fineimaste poli kala
what's your name?pos se lene?
my name is ...me lene ...
I do not understandden katalaveno
do you speak English?milate Anglika?
I do not speak Greekden milao Ellinika
pleased to meet youhairo poli
pleaseparakalo
thank youefharisto
yesne
noohi
yesterdayxthes
todaysimera
tomorrowavrio
alrightendaksi
help!voithia!
excuse mesignomi
let's goas pame
leave me alone
(if you are a woman)
ase me isihi
leave me alone
(if you are a man)
ase me isiho
when will the club open?pote tha anixi to club?
shall we go together?as pame mazi?
see you later (we will speak later)ta leme meta

Greek phrases to support your shopping intentions
do you have ...?ehete ...
is it genuine leather?ine gnisio derma?
is it from wood?ine ksilino?
it is hand madeine hiropiito
it is a product from Greeceine Elliniko proion
I like thatm'aresi afto
I want thatthelo afto
I don't want thatden thelo afto
I will take ittha to paro
how much is it?poso kani?
could you wrap it?borite na to tiliksete?
do you take credit cards?pistotikes kartes pernete?
where is the next ATM?pou exi ATM?
openanikto
closedklisto

Greek phrases for your directions
where is ...pou ine ...
the main towni hora
the villageto horio
the hotelto xenodohio
the airportto aerodromio
the busto leoforio
the trainto treno
the stationo stathmos
the ticketto isitirio
the restaurantto estiatorio
the policei astinomia
in frontprosta
leftaristera
rightdexia
straight aheadefthia
behindpiso

Greek phrases to accommodate yourself
Do you have a room available?exete elefthero domatio?
with sea view?me thea thalassas?
for 5 nightsjia pende nihtes
unfurtunately we are fulldistihos imaste jemati
is there a hotel close by?iparhi ksenodohio edo konta?
single roommono domatio
double roomdiplo domatio
how much is it per night?poso kostizei jia mia nihta?
is breakfast included?simberilamvani kai proino?
come with me (friendly and singular)ela mazi mou
come with me (plural)elate mazi mou

Numbers - numbers - numbers
1ena11endeka
2dio12dodeka
3tria13dekatria
4tessera14dekatessera
5pende15dekapende
6exi16dekaexi
7epta17dekaepta
8okto18dekaokto
9ennea19dekaennea
10deka20ikosi

30trianda300trakossia
40saranda400tetrakossia
50peninda500pendakossia
60exinda600exakossia
70efdominda700eftakossia
80okdonda800oktakossia
90eneninda900eniakossia
100ekaton1000xilia
200diakossia2000dio xiliades

Some Greek phrases that you will need at the cafe and in the taverna
could I have ...?boro na eho ...?
I would like ...tha ithela ...
what will you drink?ti tha piite ...?
coffeekafe
teatsai
sugarzahari
milkgala
winekrasi
beerbira
whitelefko
redkokkino
breadpsomi
waternero
Greek saladhoriatiki
cucumberaguri
beefmoshari
meatkreas
goatkatsiki
porkhirino
potatoespatates
What would you recommend?Ti mas protinete?
I would like to order a table for two for tonight, 8:00.Tha ithela na kliso trapezi jia dio jia apopse, okto iora.
The bill, please!To logariasmo, parakalo!

Order a Cafe Frape, the best in the world! Greeks drink it from the morning on until late, in summer they have it as their first nourishment of the day and you see them in the streets with it all day. You decide how much sugar shall be in and if you want milk. The choices are:

Your coffee order
without sugarsketo
little sugarme ligi sahari
sweetgliko
with milkme gala
without milkhoris gala

This is how you order your cold coffee drink:
I would like a cafe frape with medium sugar and milk, please.
Tha ithela enan cafe frape metrio me gala, parakalo.

To really get ready and to hear how to pronounce the Greek phrases, take this complimentary online tutorial that I found for you. Go to the fabulousWeb site of the BBC to also take an acoustic tour for Greek phrases.

You have heard lots of essential Greek phrases now, some you will remember already, some you will recall, some will sound familiar to your ear when you are in Greece. The point is, that you started to have an idea about the Greek language. And this is a big first step to further encounters with the Greek soul. 

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