Greek Wishes: Christmas, New Year, Birthday and Easter

The most useful Greek wish is Χρόνια πολλά! (chrónia pollá, "many years"), said for birthdays, name days, Christmas, New Year and Easter; most other wishes start with καλό, καλή or καλά ("good"). Greeks exchange wishes constantly, for a new week, a new month, a meal or a journey, and the usual answer is ευχαριστώ (efcharistó, "thank you") or επίσης (epísis, "you too"). In the transliteration below the accent marks the stressed syllable, ch sounds like the German ach, and d like the th in "this".

Καλός ("good") agrees with the noun that follows: καλή χρονιά (feminine), καλό ταξίδι (neuter), καλά Χριστούγεννα (neuter plural), καλές γιορτές (feminine plural), καλό μήνα (masculine, in the accusative). Wishes are in the accusative because they stand for "I wish you a good…".

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Greek

Ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος is typical of cards and business emails; in conversation Greeks say καλή χρονιά, often all through the first days of January.

Christmas and New Year customs in brief

• Τα κάλαντα (ta kálanda): carols sung by children going from door to door on the mornings of Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and the eve of Epiphany, often with a metal triangle. They ask Να τα πούμε; (na ta púme?, "shall we sing them?") and receive a little money or sweets.
• Η βασιλόπιτα (vasilópita): the New Year cake, named after Saint Basil, whose feast is on 1 January. A coin, το φλουρί (to flurí), is hidden inside. The cake is cut at midnight or on New Year's Day, and whoever finds the coin is said to have luck all year.
• Typical Christmas sweets are μελομακάρονα (melomakárona, honey cookies) and κουραμπιέδες (kurabiédes, butter cookies covered in icing sugar).

Happy birthday and name days

Many Greeks celebrate their name day (ονομαστική γιορτή), the feast of the saint they are named after, as much as their birthday. The Greek birthday song begins Να ζήσεις, Μαρία, και χρόνια πολλά ("Long live Maria, and many years"), with the person's name in the middle. Dates and customs are explained in Greek names and their meanings.

Happy Easter in Greek

Easter, το Πάσχα (to Páscha), is the biggest feast of the Greek year. It follows the Orthodox calendar, so it often falls on a different Sunday from Easter in Western Europe.

At midnight between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, people light candles at church and greet each other with Χριστός ανέστη. The greeting is used for several weeks afterwards. On Easter Sunday families crack red-dyed eggs against each other and roast lamb.

Cheers in Greek

Greeks clink glasses and look each other in the eye when they say γεια μας.

Good luck, get well soon and congratulations

Weddings and new babies

Και στα δικά σου (ke sta diká su, "and to yours") is the warm reply to a guest who is not married or has no children yet: may your own wedding or child come soon.

Condolences in Greek

These are said quietly, often with a handshake or an embrace. A simple συλλυπητήρια is always appropriate.

Everyday wishes Greeks use all the time

Καλώς σε βρήκα (kalós se vríka, "glad to have found you well") is the traditional answer to a welcome. For hello, thank you and goodbye themselves, see Greek greetings and polite phrases.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "Merry Christmas" in Greek?

Καλά Χριστούγεννα (kalá christúyenna). Answer with επίσης, "you too".

How do you say "Happy birthday" in Greek?

Χρόνια πολλά (chrónia pollá), "many years". For extra warmth add να τα εκατοστήσεις, "may you live to a hundred".

What do you answer to "Χριστός ανέστη"?

Αληθώς ανέστη (alithós anésti), "truly He is risen".

What does "Περαστικά" mean?

"Get well soon". It comes from περνάω, "to pass": may the illness pass quickly.

How do you say "cheers" in Greek?

Γεια μας (yia mas) or στην υγειά μας (stin iyiá mas), "to our health".

These wishes are easier to remember once you can read and pronounce Greek: start our free A1 Greek course, with audio and instant correction. For something more personal, read how to say I love you in Greek.