Textbook Greek gets you through a shop. It does not prepare you for two friends talking on the bus. This guide covers words you will hear constantly in casual Greek: what they mean, who says them to whom, and how risky each one is with a stranger. Many are not slang in the strict sense, but familiar speech that dictionaries mark as colloquial. Learn to understand them first, and use them once people use them with you. In the pronunciation column the accent marks the stressed syllable and ch sounds like the German ach.
The last column gives the risk with someone you do not know. Safe means fine with anyone. Careful means normal among people who know each other, but too familiar for a stranger. Avoid means it may offend.
Greeting and addressing friends
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning | Who says it to whom | With a stranger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ρε | re | "Hey", "man": a small word placed before a name or a remark | Friends and family of similar age | Avoid: rude to strangers and older people, and to anyone in a raised voice |
| βρε | vre | A softer ρε, for surprise, mild annoyance or affection | People who know each other well | Careful: still familiar, and rude when said angrily |
| έλα | éla | Literally "come"; also "come on", and how you answer the phone to a close friend | Close friends and family, to one person (ελάτε for several) | Careful: on the phone, only when you know the caller |
| τι λέει; | ti léi? | "What's up?" (literally "what does it say?") | Friends and relatives, usually people your own age | Careful: too casual for a stranger |
| τι γίνεται; | ti yínete? | "What's up?", "how are things?"; said sternly, "what's going on here?" | Friends and relatives | Careful: too casual for a stranger |
| φίλε | fíle | "Mate", literally "friend" | Friends, and also someone whose name you do not know | Careful: heard with strangers in place of κύριε, but it is not the polite choice |
Μαλάκα: a word to recognise, not to use
Μαλάκα (maláka) is the form of μαλάκας used when speaking to someone. The Triantafyllidis dictionary gives two senses: an insult, roughly "idiot", and a familiar way of addressing or mentioning someone. Between close friends, especially young men, it works like "mate" or "dude". It is a vulgar word either way. Said in anger, or to anyone who is not a close friend, it is a real insult, and only the tone and the relationship tell the two apart. Avoid it completely with a stranger, an older person, a teacher or anyone at work. You need to recognise it; you do not need to say it.
Reacting
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning | Who says it to whom | With a stranger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τέλεια | télia | "Great", "perfect" | Anyone | Safe |
| φοβερό | foveró | "Amazing"; the word can also mean "terrible", so the situation decides | Anyone, in casual talk | Safe |
| πω πω | po po | "Wow", "oh dear": surprise, admiration or fear | Anyone | Safe |
| άντε | áde | "Come on", "hurry up"; on its own, "no way!" | Friends and family | Careful: it can also sound like "go away" |
| σιγά | sigá | Literally "slowly"; in a sarcastic tone, "big deal", "as if" | Friends | Careful: the sarcasm can sound dismissive |
| ουφ | uf | "Ugh" or "phew": annoyance or relief | Anyone | Safe: aimed at a person, it shows you are annoyed |
| αμάν | amán | "Oh no", "for heaven's sake" | Friends and family | Careful: aimed at someone, it is a complaint |
| πλάκα κάνεις; | pláka kánis? | "Are you kidding?" | Friends (κάνετε is the polite form) | Careful: it can sound as if you doubt the person |
Agreeing and making plans
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning | Who says it to whom | With a stranger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πάμε | páme | "Let's go"; as a question, "shall we?" | Anyone | Safe |
| χαλαρά | chalará | "No rush", "take it easy"; literally "loosely" | Friends and people you know | Careful: casual in tone |
| εντάξει | endáxi | "OK", "agreed"; εντάξει μωρέ means "it's fine, though it could be better" | Anyone | Safe |
| αμέ | amé | "Yes, of course" | Familiar conversation | Safe: colloquial, not rude |
Texting abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| τπτ | τίποτα | Nothing |
| ντξ | εντάξει | OK |
| τλμ | τα λέμε | See you, talk soon |
Use these only with friends. To a teacher, an employer or someone you do not know, write the words out in full. You will also see Greek typed in Latin letters, known as Greeklish (tpt, tlm), a habit from the time when many phones could not type Greek. A 2009 study of 447 text messages from young people in Athens found Greek letters were already the norm, so expect both.
When not to use any of this
- With people you do not know. Older people, teachers, officials, employers and shop staff get the polite forms: γεια σας, τι κάνετε;
- Before they do. Wait until people speak to you this way, then follow their lead.
- In a raised voice. Ρε and άντε can turn from friendly to rude on tone alone.
- In writing, outside messages. Emails, forms and essays stay in standard Greek.
- To get a laugh. A learner saying μαλάκα to sound local can easily land badly.
Slang also changes with age and place. This guide sticks to widely recorded words and leaves out the newest youth slang, which dates quickly, as well as anything vulgar beyond the one word above.
Where to go next
These words sit on top of ordinary polite Greek, so learn that first. Read our guide to Greek greetings, take a first lesson with greetings and politeness, then carry on with the free A1 Greek course.