You can get by in Greece with English, but a few words of Greek change the atmosphere at once: people smile, help more, and a free dessert sometimes arrives with the bill. Here are the essential Greek phrases for a holiday, grouped by situation, each with a simple transliteration and its meaning. The accent in the transliteration marks the stressed syllable, ch sounds like the German ach, d like the th in "this", and th like the th in "think".
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Γεια σας | yia sas | Hello / goodbye (polite) |
| Καλημέρα / Καλησπέρα | kaliméra / kalispéra | Good morning / good evening |
| Ευχαριστώ (πολύ) | efcharistó (polí) | Thank you (very much) |
| Παρακαλώ | parakaló | Please / you're welcome |
| Ναι / Όχι | ne / óchi | Yes / no |
| Συγγνώμη | signómi | Sorry / excuse me |
| Μιλάτε αγγλικά; | miláte angliká? | Do you speak English? |
| Δεν καταλαβαίνω. | den katalavéno. | I don't understand. |
| Πιο αργά, παρακαλώ. | pio argá, parakaló. | More slowly, please. |
Careful with ναι: it means yes, although it sounds like "nay". For greetings in depth, see our guide to Greek greetings and polite phrases.
Ordering in a café or taverna
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ένα τραπέζι για δύο, παρακαλώ. | éna trapézi ya dío, parakaló. | A table for two, please. |
| Τον κατάλογο, παρακαλώ. | ton katálogo, parakaló. | The menu, please. |
| Τι μας προτείνετε; | ti mas protínete? | What do you recommend? |
| Θα ήθελα... | tha íthela... | I would like... |
| Έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ. | énan kafé, parakaló. | A coffee, please. |
| Έναν ελληνικό, μέτριο. | énan ellinikó, métrio. | A Greek coffee, medium sweet. |
| Ένα νερό / μια μπίρα | éna neró / mia bíra | A water / a beer |
| Ένα ποτήρι κρασί, κόκκινο ή λευκό | éna potíri krasí, kókkino i lefkó | A glass of wine, red or white |
| Δεν τρώω κρέας. | den tróo kréas. | I don't eat meat. |
| Είμαι αλλεργικός / αλλεργική στους ξηρούς καρπούς. | íme alergikós / alergikí stus xirús karpús. | I'm allergic to nuts (man / woman). |
| Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ. | ton logariasmó, parakaló. | The bill, please. |
| Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα; | boró na pliróso me kárta? | Can I pay by card? |
For Greek coffee, say how sweet you want it: σκέτο (no sugar), μέτριο (medium) or γλυκό (sweet). Before eating, wish καλή όρεξη (kalí órexi, enjoy your meal); when you raise your glass, say γεια μας! (yia mas, cheers). Notice έναν καφέ: "a" changes with the gender of the noun (ένας, μία, ένα), as explained in our guide to Greek numbers. Practise a full café conversation in at the café, and learn the words for dishes with the food and drink vocabulary.
Shopping and prices in Greek
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Πόσο κάνει; / Πόσο κάνουν; | póso káni? / póso kánun? | How much is it? / How much are they? |
| Έχετε...; | échete...? | Do you have...? |
| Μόνο κοιτάζω. | móno kitázo. | I'm just looking. |
| Θέλω αυτό. | thélo aftó. | I want this one. |
| Είναι ακριβό. | íne akrivó. | It's expensive. |
| Μια σακούλα, παρακαλώ. | mia sakúla, parakaló. | A bag, please. |
| Την απόδειξη, παρακαλώ. | tin apódixi, parakaló. | The receipt, please. |
Useful shops: φούρνος (fúrnos, bakery), περίπτερο (períptero, street kiosk for water, snacks and tickets), φαρμακείο (farmakío, pharmacy, with a green cross). To understand the answer to "how much?", you need numbers: prices are said like τρία πενήντα (3.50 €). Our guide to Greek numbers, prices and the time covers them, and you can practise with euros, cents and change.
Asking for directions in Greek
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Πού είναι...; | pu íne...? | Where is...? |
| Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; | pu íne i tualéta? | Where is the toilet? |
| Πού είναι η παραλία; | pu íne i paralía? | Where is the beach? |
| Πώς πάω στο κέντρο; | pos páo sto kéndro? | How do I get to the centre? |
| Είναι μακριά; / Είναι κοντά; | íne makriá? / íne kondá? | Is it far? / Is it near? |
| ευθεία / δεξιά / αριστερά | efthía / dexiá / aristerá | straight on / right / left |
| στη γωνία | sti gonía | at the corner |
Transport: bus, ferry, taxi
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ένα εισιτήριο για τον Πειραιά, παρακαλώ. | éna isitírio ya ton Pireá, parakaló. | A ticket to Piraeus, please. |
| Απλό ή με επιστροφή; | apló i me epistrofí? | Single or return? |
| Πού είναι η στάση; | pu íne i stási? | Where is the (bus) stop? |
| Τι ώρα φεύγει το λεωφορείο; | ti óra févgi to leoforío? | What time does the bus leave? |
| Τι ώρα φεύγει το πλοίο για τη Νάξο; | ti óra févgi to plío ya ti Náxo? | What time does the ferry to Naxos leave? |
| Στο αεροδρόμιο, παρακαλώ. | sto aerodrómio, parakaló. | To the airport, please (in a taxi). |
| Σταματήστε εδώ, παρακαλώ. | stamatíste edó, parakaló. | Stop here, please. |
Other words you will see on signs: λιμάνι (port), μετρό (metro), ΕΙΣΟΔΟΣ (entrance), ΕΞΟΔΟΣ (exit), ΑΝΟΙΧΤΟ / ΚΛΕΙΣΤΟ (open / closed). Signs are written in capitals without accents, so reading the Greek alphabet pays off quickly. Practise with means of transport and a trip by train.
At the hotel
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Έχω κάνει κράτηση στο όνομα... | écho káni krátisi sto ónoma... | I have a reservation in the name of... |
| Έχετε ελεύθερο δωμάτιο; | échete eléfthero domátio? | Do you have a room available? |
| Για δύο νύχτες. | ya dío níchtes. | For two nights. |
| Τι ώρα είναι το πρωινό; | ti óra íne to proinó? | What time is breakfast? |
| Το κλιματιστικό δεν λειτουργεί. | to klimatistikó den lituryí. | The air conditioning doesn't work. |
| Το κλειδί, παρακαλώ. | to klidí, parakaló. | The key, please. |
Listen to a real check-in in at the hotel, and find more travel words in the travel vocabulary list.
Emergencies and health
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Βοήθεια! | voíthia! | Help! |
| Καλέστε γιατρό! | kaléste yiatró! | Call a doctor! |
| Καλέστε την αστυνομία! | kaléste tin astinomía! | Call the police! |
| Πού είναι το νοσοκομείο; | pu íne to nosokomío? | Where is the hospital? |
| Είμαι άρρωστος / άρρωστη. | íme árostos / árosti. | I'm ill (man / woman). |
| Πονάει εδώ. | ponái edó. | It hurts here. |
| Έχασα το διαβατήριό μου. | échasa to diavatírió mu. | I've lost my passport. |
The European emergency number 112 works everywhere in Greece. The national numbers are 100 for the police, 166 for an ambulance and 199 for the fire brigade. At night and on Sundays, look for the εφημερεύον φαρμακείο, the pharmacy on duty; every pharmacy door lists the nearest one.
Politeness tips for your holiday in Greece
- Add παρακαλώ to every request. It turns "a coffee" into "a coffee, please".
- Use the polite form with people you don't know: γεια σας, έχετε, μιλάτε. It is never wrong.
- Θα ήθελα ("I would like") is softer than θέλω ("I want").
- Greet when you enter a small shop or a taverna: a simple καλημέρα or καλησπέρα is expected.
- Try, even imperfectly. Greeks are generous with learners, and many will answer in English. Ask στα ελληνικά, παρακαλώ ("in Greek, please") if you want to practise.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Greek to travel in Greece?
No. English is widely spoken in tourist areas. But greetings, thank you, numbers and a few café phrases make every day easier and friendlier, especially on smaller islands and in villages.
What are the most important Greek words for a holiday?
Γεια σας, καλημέρα, ευχαριστώ, παρακαλώ, ναι, όχι, συγγνώμη, πόσο κάνει; and τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ. With these nine you can greet, thank, buy and pay.
How do I ask for the bill in Greek?
Say τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ (ton logariasmó, parakaló). In Greece the waiter usually brings the bill only when you ask for it.
Is it rude to speak English in Greece?
Not at all. Starting with a Greek greeting and then switching to English is perfectly normal and much appreciated.
Want more than survival phrases? Start the free A1 Greek course a few weeks before you leave.