Pronouns are such useful little words! They normally substitute nouns, making written and verbal language less boring by enhancing their flow. 

If we could choose one thing to begin studying when you first start learning any new language, it would probably be its pronouns. They’re so useful that you’d find it difficult to construct a full sentence in any language without using them. 

In Greek, as in English, the pronouns are divided into various categories. So, in this article, we’ll demonstrate all the tips and tricks about personal, demonstrative, interrogative, and indefinite Greek pronouns, setting the base for your further studies.

Table of Contents

1. Personal Pronouns in Greek
2. Demonstrative Pronouns in Greek
3. Interrogative Pronouns in Greek
4. Indefinite Pronouns in Greek
5. Relative Pronouns in Greek
6. Conclusion

1. Personal Pronouns in Greek

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One of the first things you need to know when you begin studying the Greek language is the use of Greek personal pronouns. From a syntax perspective, personal pronouns are most commonly used as a subject or an object within a sentence. Therefore, it’s almost impossible to engage in a simple dialogue without them.

Let’s have a look at some Greek pronouns in the nominative case, which can be used as a subject within a sentence.

• εγώ (egó) — “I”
• εσύ (esí) — “you”
• αυτός (aftós) — “he”
• αυτή (aftí) — “she”
• αυτό (aftó) — “it”
• εμείς (emís) — “we”
• εσείς (esís) — “you”
• αυτοί (aftí) — “they” (masculine)
• αυτές (aftés) — “they” (feminine)
• αυτά (aftá) — “they” (neutral)

As you might have noticed, there are three different third-person forms of the personal pronoun in plural, according to the gender of the name or noun that’s substituted. Indeed, when the word that’s substituted is masculine, for example άνδρες (ándres), meaning “men,“ then αυτοί should be used. Similarly, when the word is feminine, for example γυναίκες (ginékes), meaning “women,” then αυτές should be used. Last, but not least, when the word is neutral, for example παιδιά (pediá), meaning “children,” then αυτά should be used.

Now, let’s study some more-complex example sentences, which demonstrate the use of Greek personal pronouns in the nominative case.

Examples:

Greek: Εμείς μένουμε στο ξενοδοχείο, Ελένη. Εσείς που μένετε;

Romanization: Emís ménume sto xenodohío, Eléni. Esís pu ménete?

Translation: “We are staying at the hotel, Eleni. Where are you staying?”

Greek: Αυτοί θέλουν να πάνε σε μια ταβέρνα, όμως εμείς θέλουμε να πάμε για μπάνιο.

Romanization: Aftí thélun na páne se mia tavérna, ómos emís thélume na páme ya bánio.

Translation: “They want to go to a restaurant, but we want to go swimming.”

Greek: Τα παιδιά φορούσαν ελληνικές παραδοσιακές στολές και χόρευαν. Αυτά φαίνονταν πολύ χαρούμενα.

Romanization: Ta pediá forúsan ellinikés paradosiakés stolés ke hórevan. Aftá fénodan polí harúmena.

Translation: “Children were wearing traditional Greek suits and were dancing. They seemed very happy.”

Note that in sentences like in the example above, the pronoun Αυτά (Aftá) can also be omitted when it’s understood by the context whom we’re talking about. While in English, it’s indispensable to use the pronoun “they,” in Greek, it can be omitted. This is because the form of the verb indicates what person we’re talking about, in this case the third-person plural.

A characteristic of these pronouns is that they can stand alone in speech, just like in the second sentence of the following example.

Greek: 

• Ποιος θα πάει να φέρει ψωμί; 
• Εγώ.

Romanization: 

• Pios tha pái na féri psomí? 
• Egó.

Translation: 

• “Who’s going to get some bread?” 
• “I will.”

Now, what happens when we need to use these personal pronouns as the object of a verb within a sentence? The answer lies below, where the Greek personal pronouns are demonstrated in the objective cases, that is the accusative case (used more often for objects) and the genitive case (used less often for objects) accordingly.

• εμένα (eména) — “me” in both cases
• εσένα (eséna) — “you” in both cases
• αυτόν (aftón) / αυτού (aftú) — “him”
• αυτή(ν) (aftí(n)) / αυτής (aftís) — “her”
• αυτό (aftó) / αυτού (aftú) — “it”
• εμάς (emás) — “us” in both cases
• εσάς (esás) — “you” in both cases
• αυτούς (aftús) / αυτών (aftón) — “them” (masculine)
• αυτές (aftés) / αυτών (aftón) — “them” (feminine)
• αυτά (aftá) / αυτών (aftón) — “them” (neutral)

Examples: 

Greek: Η γυναίκα είπε αυτής να φύγει.

Romanization: I yinéka ípe aftís na fíyi.

Translation: “The woman told her to leave.”

Greek: Μην ακούς αυτούς. Εμένα να ακούς.

Romanization: Min akús aftús. Eména na akús.

Translation: “Don’t listen to them. Listen to me.”

Greek: Ο διευθυντής επέλεξε εμένα, για να κάνω αυτή τη δουλειά.

Romanization: O diefthindís epélexe eména, ya na káno aftí ti duliá.

Translation: “The director chose me to do this job.”

Greek: Ποιον επέλεξε; Εμένα.

Romanization: Pion epélexe? Eména.

Translation: “Whom did he choose? Me.”

As you can see in the second sentence of the last example, these pronouns can also stand alone in speech. The forms of the personal pronouns that we saw are called “strong” forms for that reason—they’re strong enough to maintain themselves alone in a sentence. They’re also called “emphatic,” as they’re used to emphasize a specific person as opposed to someone else. (“He chose me. Not someone else.”)

You might be wondering that since there are strong forms of the Greek personal pronouns, there might be “weak” forms as well. Well, there are, and these are used more often in speech but never alone; they need a verb to sustain themselves. In the accusative and genitive cases respectively, those are:

• με (me) / μου (mu) — “me”
• σε (se) / σου (su) — “you”
• τον (ton) / του (tu) — “him”
• τη(ν) (tin(n)) / της (tis) — “her”
• το (to) / του (tu) — “it”
• μας (mas) / μας (mas) — “us”
• σας (sas) / σας (sas) — “you”
• τους (tus) / τους (tus) — “them”
• τις  or τες* (tis or tes) / τους (tus) — “them”
• τα (ta) / τους (tus) — “them”

* τις is used before a verb, τες after a verb.

Greek: Σε βλέπω!

Romanization: Se vlépo!

Translation: “I see you!”

Greek: Της μιλάει.

Romanization: Tis milái.

Translation: “He is talking to her.”

However, what happens when we need to express possession? Then, we use the above weak personal pronouns in the genitive case to create Greek possessive pronouns:

Greek: Το φαγητό μου.

Romanization: To fayitó mu.

Translation: “My food.”

Greek: Αυτό είναι το σπίτι σας.

Romanization: Aftó íne to spíti sas.

Translation: “This is your house.”

To make these weak possessive forms strong and emphatic so they can stand alone in speech, we need to add the adjective δικός / -ή / -ό (dikós / -í / -ó) in front of them in the masculine, feminine, and neuter gender respectively. This depends on the gender of the person, animal, or thing that we’re talking about.

• (δικός / -ή / -ό) μου (dikós / -í / -ó mu) — “my” (weak) / “mine” (strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) σου (dikós / -í / -ó su) — “your” (weak) / “yours”
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) του (dikós / -í / -ó tu) — “his” (weak and strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) της (dikós / -í / -ó tis) — “her” (weak) / “hers” (strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) του (dikós / -í / -ó tu) — “its” (weak and strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) μας (dikós / -í / -ó mas) — “our” (weak) / “ours” (strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) σας (dikós / -í / -ó sas) — “your” (weak) / “yours” (strong)
• (δικός / -ή / -ό) τους (dikós / -í / -ó tus) — “their” (weak) / “theirs” (strong)

Compare the following examples with the two previous ones to understand their exact use and differences.

Greek: Το φαγητό είναι δικό μου.

Romanization: To fayitó íne dikó mu.

Translation: “The food is mine.” (and no one else’s, emphatic)

Greek: Αυτό το σπίτι είναι δικό σας.

Romanization: Aftó to spíti íne dikó sas.

Translation: “This house is yours.” (it doesn’t belong to anyone else, emphatic)

It’s pretty clear, right? Mind, however, the following two examples:

Greek: Το δικό μου φαγητό είναι ανάλατο.

Romanization: To dikó mu fayitó íne análato.

Translation: “My food is unsalted.” (my food as opposed to someone else’s, emphatic)

Greek: Το δικό σας σπίτι είναι πολύ καθαρό.

Romanization: To dikó sas spíti íne polí katharó.

Translation: “Your house is very clean.” (your house as opposed to someone else’s, emphatic)

When the strong possessive pronoun goes before the noun, it’s translated using the weak English possessive pronoun.

2. Demonstrative Pronouns in Greek

Pointing at an object by extending your index is totally fine in Greece as a gesture. However, when it comes to pointing at people, it’s considered rude, and you should probably avoid this. If you’re into learning more about gestures in Greek culture, you can read our related article.

Here are some useful Greek demonstrative pronouns:

• Greek: αυτός (masculine); αυτή (feminine); αυτό (neutral)
• Romanization: aftós; aftí; aftó
• Translation: “this”

• Greek: αυτοί (masculine plural); αυτές (feminine plural); αυτά (neutral plural)
• Romanization: aftí; aftés; aftá
• Translation: “these”

• Greek: εκείνος (masculine); εκείνη (feminine); εκείνο (neutral)
• Romanization: ekínos; ekíni; ekíno
• Translation: “that”

• Greek: εκείνοι (masculine plural); εκείνες (feminine plural); εκείνα (neutral plural)
• Romanization: ekíni; ekínes; ekína
• Translation: “those”

Example:

Greek: Αυτός ο δάσκαλος φαίνεται πολύ αυστηρός, ενώ εκείνη η δασκάλα είναι πολύ γλυκιά.

Romanization: Aftós o dáskalos fénete polí afstirós, enó ekíni i daskála íne polí glikiá.

Translation: “This (male) teacher seems very strict, whereas that (female) teacher is very sweet.”

3. Interrogative Pronouns in Greek

Almost every question includes an interrogative word. This statement alone highlights the importance of interrogative pronouns, not only in Greek, but in every language. The use of Greek interrogative pronouns is quite similar to the use of their English equivalents in terms of syntax and grammar.

Let’s begin with the basics.

• Greek: Τι;
• Romanization: Ti?
• Translation: “What?”

Examples: 

Greek: Τι είναι αυτό εκεί;

Romanization: Ti íne aftó ekí?

Translation: “What is that over there?”

Greek: Τι συμβαίνει;

Romanization: Ti simvéni?

Translation: “What is going on?”

However, if you had to choose from a variety of objects, you would use “which,” right? Here is its Greek equivalent. 

• Greek: Ποιο;
• Romanization: Pio?
• Translation: “Which?”

Example: 

Greek: Ποιο παντελόνι μου πηγαίνει καλύτερα;

Romanization: Pio pandelóni mu piyéni kalítera?

Translation: “Which trousers suit me better?”

A slight change is observed when asking “who.” In Greek, there are two forms, one for men and one for women. The one you use depends on the gender of the corresponding noun or name.

• Greek: Ποιος (masculine) / Ποια (feminine);
• Romanization: Pios / Pia?
• Translation: “Who?”

Example: 

Greek: Ποιος μπορεί να με βοηθήσει;

Romanization: Pios borí na me voithísi?

Translation: “Who can help me?”

When asking a general question, the masculine form is preferred, as shown in the example above. In this case, the answer is either a woman or a man.

• Greek: Ποιου/Ποιανού (masculine & neutral) / Ποιας/Ποιανής (feminine);
• Romanization: Piu/Pianú / Pias/Pianís ?
• Translation: “Whose…?”

So, this part might be a bit tricky. When referring to the interrogative pronoun “whose” in Greek, there are two types that can be used. The first one (ποιου, ποιας) is the more formal type, whereas the second one (ποιανού, ποιανής) is an informal type that’s mainly used in oral speech. Both types are correct and can be used interchangeably based on the occasion. Let’s have a look at some examples below.

Greek: Ποιου/Ποιανού είναι αυτό το παντελόνι;

Romanization: Piu/Pianú íne aftó to padelóni?

Translation: “Whose trousers are these?”

In questions like this one, we use the generic masculine type (ποιου, ποιανού), regardless of whether the answer refers to a male or a female. Therefore, “these trousers” could belong to either a man or a woman. 

Another important note on the above example, which isn’t related to pronouns, is that the word παντελόνι in Greek is singular, although in English it’s plural.

• Greek: Ποιον (masculine) / Ποια (feminine);
• Romanization: Pion / Pia ?
• Translation: “Whom…?”

Greek: Σε ποιον θέλεις να αναθέσεις αυτήν την εργασία;

Romanization: Se pion thélis na anathésis aftín tin ergasía?

Translation: “To whom would you like to assign this?”

Again, in this case, the masculine form is used as a generic form.

4. Indefinite Pronouns in Greek

Now, here’s a quick list of Greek indefinite pronouns you can use when you don’t need to be very specific. 

• Greek: κάποιος
• Romanization: kápios
• Translation: “someone” (masculine)

• Greek: κάποια
• Romanization: kápia
• Translation: “someone” (feminine)

• Greek: κάποιο
• Romanization: kápio
• Translation: “someone” / “something” (neutral)

• Greek: κάτι
• Romanization: káti
• Translation: “something”

Example: 

Greek: Κάποιος πρέπει να κάνει κάτι.

Romanization: Kápios prépi na káni káti.

Translation: “Someone has to do something.”

• Greek: κανείς / κανένας
• Romanization: kanís / kanénas
• Translation: “no one” / “nobody” (masculine)

• Greek: καμιά / καμία
• Romanization: kamiá / kamía
• Translation: “nobody” (feminine)

• Greek: κανένα
• Romanization: kanéna
• Translation: “nobody” (neutral)

Example:

Greek: Κανένας άνδρας, καμία γυναίκα και κανένα παιδί δεν πρέπει να πεινούν.

Romanization: Kanénas ándras, kamía yinéka ke kanéna pedí den prépi na pinún.

Translation: “No man, no woman, and no child should be left starving.”

• Greek: τίποτα
• Romanization: típota
• Translation: “nothing,” “anything,” “something,” “any”

Example:

Greek: Δεν θέλει τίποτα.

Romanization: Den théli típota.

Translation: “He doesn’t want anything.”

5. Relative Pronouns in Greek

Again, in the case of Greek relative pronouns, there’s a distinction when it comes to different genders. 

• Greek: ο οποίος
• Romanization: o opíos
• Translation: “who” (masculine)

Example: 

Greek: Αυτός είναι ο άνδρας ο οποίος με βοήθησε να κουβαλήσω τη βαλίτσα μου.

Romanization: Aftós íne o ándras o opíos me voíthise na kuvalíso ti valítsa mu.

Translation: “This is the man who helped me carry my suitcase.”

• Greek: η οποία
• Romanization: i opía
• Translation: “who” (feminine)

Example: 

Greek: Η Μαρία είναι κοπέλα η οποία δουλεύει στο ξενοδοχείο.

Romanization: I María íne i kopéla i opía dulévi sto xenodohío.

Translation: “Maria is the girl who works at the hotel.”

• Greek: το οποίο
• Romanization: to opío
• Translation: “whο” (neutral) / “which”

Examples:

Greek: Αυτό είναι το παιδί το οποίο γλίστρησε και χτύπησε στην παιδική χαρά.

Romanization: Aftó íne to pedí, to opío glístrise ke htípise stin pedikí hará.

Translation: “This is the child who slipped and fell over at the playground.”

Greek: Αυτό είναι το σπίτι το οποίο είχαμε νοικιάσει πέρυσι.

Romanization: Aftó íne to spíti, to opío íhame nikiási périsi.

Translation: “This is the house which we rented last year.”

Feeling a bit confused? 

Not sure which type you should use in each case?

We’ve got the solution for you: The magic word is που (pu), which means “that,” and is often used to substitute ο οποίος / η οποία / το οποίο, offering the advantage that it doesn’t change according to the gender of the noun.

• Greek: που
• Romanization: pu
• Translation: “that” (for all genders)

Now, let’s adjust the above examples by using the word που. 

Greek: Αυτός είναι ο άνδρας που με βοήθησε να κουβαλήσω τη βαλίτσα μου.

Romanization: Aftós íne o ándras pu me voíthise na kuvalíso ti valítsa mu.

Translation: “This is the man that helped me carry my suitcase.”

Greek: Η Μαρία είναι κοπέλα που δουλεύει στο ξενοδοχείο.

Romanization: I María íne i kopéla pu dulévi sto xenodohío.

Translation: “Maria is the girl that works at the hotel.”

Greek: Αυτό είναι το παιδί που γλίστρησε και χτύπησε στην παιδική χαρά.

Romanization: Aftó íne to pedí pu glístrise ke htípise stin pedikí hará.

Translation: “This is the child that slipped and fell over at the playground.”

Greek: Αυτό είναι το σπίτι που είχαμε νοικιάσει πέρυσι.

Romanization: Aftó íne to spíti pu íhame nikiási périsi.

Translation: “This is the house that we rented last year.”

And here are some more Greek relative pronouns: 

• Greek: οποιοσδήποτε
• Romanization: opiosdípote
• Translation: “anyone” (masculine)

• Greek: οποιαδήποτε
• Romanization: opiadípote
• Translation: “anyone” (feminine)

• Greek: οποιοδήποτε
• Romanization: opiodípote
• Translation: “anyone” (neutral)

• Greek: οτιδήποτε
• Romanization: otidípote
• Translation: “anything”

6. Conclusion

Greek pronouns are part of the core of the language. By learning them, you’ll definitely find it easier to express yourself in Greek and you’ll be able to construct meaningful sentences in no time. 

So, what else will you probably need in order to enhance your vocabulary? Nouns and adjectives, of course. We’ve got you covered on this, as well. Just take a look at our Greek Nouns and Greek Adjectives articles and learn everything you need to know.

Did our Greek language pronouns guide help you out? Is there a pronoun that troubles you, or one we forgot?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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If you’ve been following us, it’s for sure that you’ve learned a bunch of Greek words and phrases. 

Well done!

However, random words and phrases can’t mean anything unless they’re placed in the correct order. This is why we’ve created a dedicated blog post showcasing the correct Greek word order.

While ancient Greek word order was a bit more complicated, things in modern Greek are much simpler. 

After reading this article, you’ll be able to construct full sentences in Greek like a native speaker.

Now, let’s have a look at some basic rules and comprehensive examples.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Word Order in Greek
2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object (or Predicate)
3. Word Order with Adverbial Phrases
4. Word Order with Modifiers
5. How to Change a Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question
6. How to Form Long Sentences Step-by-Step
7. Conclusion

1. Overview of Word Order in Greek

The basic word order in Greek sentences follows the SVO pattern. However, the sentence structure is flexible, and many other variations exist.

Overall, the sentence structure is the same as that in the English language. A major difference is that the subject can sometimes be omitted in Greek, as the form of the verb itself indicates the first, second, or third person so that the subject is often understood from the context. This is due to the conjugation of Greek verbs, according to which, the suffix of the verb changes based upon the person and the number of the subject.

2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object (or Predicate)

In this section, we’ll focus on the basic word order in modern Greek and its variations.

2.1 The Basic Word Order 

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká.

Translation: “I study Greek.”

Subject: Εγώ (Egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: ελληνικά (eliniká)

Greek: Η Μαρία οδηγεί ένα αυτοκίνητο.

Romanization: I María odiyí éna aftokínito.

Translation: “Maria drives a car.”

Subject: Η Μαρία (I María) | Verb: οδηγεί (odiyí) | Object: ένα αυτοκίνητο (éna aftokínito)

Greek: Ο πατέρας μου είναι δάσκαλος.

Romanization: O patéras mu íne dáskalos.

Translation: “My father is a teacher.”

Subject: Ο πατέρας μου (O patéras mu) | Verb: είναι (íne) | Predicate: δάσκαλος (dáskalos)

Greek: Το ξενοδοχείο είναι μεγάλο.

Romanization: To xenodohío íne megálo.

Translation: “The hotel is big.”

Subject: Το ξενοδοχείο (To xenodohío) | Verb: είναι (íne) | Predicate: μεγάλο (megálo)

2.2 Word Order with Emphasis on the Object

Now, let’s take a look at what happens when we need to emphasize the object.

When we want to emphasize the object, we place the object at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb and the subject. This can also be perceived as a reversal of the basic sentence components, which in this case follow the OVS pattern, as shown in the examples below.

Greek: Ελληνικά μελετώ εγώ.

Romanization: Eliniká meletó egó.

Translation: “Greek (is what) I study.”

Subject: εγώ (egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: Ελληνικά (Eliniká)

Greek: Ένα αυτοκίνητο οδηγεί η Μαρία.

Romanization: Éna aftokínito odiyí i María.

Translation: “(It is) a car (that) Maria drives.”*

Subject: η Μαρία (i María) | Verb: οδηγεί (odiyí) | Object: Ένα αυτοκίνητο (Éna aftokínito)

* This would be the answer to the question: Τι οδηγεί η Μαρία; (Ti odiyí i María?), or “What is Maria driving?” It indicates that she’s driving a car as opposed to a bus, for example.

Greek: Δάσκαλος είναι ο πατέρας μου.

Romanization: Dáskalos íne o patéras mu.

Translation: “(A) teacher is (what) my father (is).”

Subject: ο πατέρας μου (o patéras mu) | Verb: είναι (íne) | Predicate: Δάσκαλος (Dáskalos)

Greek: Μεγάλο είναι το ξενοδοχείο.

Romanization: Megálo íne to xenodohío.

Translation: “Big is (what) the hotel (is).”

Subject: το ξενοδοχείο (to xenodohío) | Verb: είναι (íne) | Predicate: Μεγάλο (Megálo)

3. Word Order with Adverbial Phrases

When it comes to adverbial phrases, Greek word order is almost identical to English. Adverbial phrases indicate information about the verb, such as “when,” “where,” or “how” something happened. These are normally placed at the end of the sentence. They can be single words (e.g. an adverb) or whole phrases (e.g. a prepositional phrase). If you want to learn more about Greek adverbs, visit our Top 100 Greek Adverbs article.

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά κάθε μέρα.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká káthe méra.

Translation: “I study Greek everyday.”

Subject: Εγώ (Egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: ελληνικά (eliniká) | Adverbial phrase answering “When?”: κάθε μέρα (káthe méra)

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά στο σπίτι.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká sto spíti.

Translation: “I study Greek at home.”

Subject: Εγώ (Egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: ελληνικά (eliniká) | Adverbial phrase answering “Where?”: στο σπίτι (sto spíti)

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά με το GreekPod101.com.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká me to GreekPod101.com.

Translation: “I study Greek with GreekPod101.com.”

Subject: Εγώ (Egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: ελληνικά (eliniká) | Adverbial phrase answering “How?”: με το GreekPod101.com (to GreekPod101.com)

When more than one adverbial phrase needs to be included, their order is flexible. Let’s have a

look at some examples below:

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά κάθε μέρα στο σπίτι με το GreekPod101.com.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká káthe méra sto spíti me to GreekPod101.com.

Translation: “I study Greek everyday at home with GreekPod101.com.”

Subject: Εγώ (Egó) | Verb: μελετώ (meletó) | Object: ελληνικά (eliniká) | Adverbial Phrase 1: κάθε μέρα (káthe méra) [indicating time] | Adverbial Phrase 2: στο σπίτι (sto spíti me) [indicating place] | Adverbial Phrase 3: με το GreekPod101.com (to GreekPod101.com) [indicating manner]

However, it would be equally correct to use any of the following variations, with no change in the

meaning or usage.

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά στο σπίτι κάθε μέρα με το GreekPod101.com.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká sto spíti káthe méra me to GreekPod101.com.

Translation: “I study Greek at home everyday with GreekPod101.com.”

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά στο σπίτι με το GreekPod101.com κάθε μέρα.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká sto spíti me to GreekPod101.com káthe méra.

Translation: “I study Greek at home with GreekPod101.com everyday.”

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά με το GreekPod101.com στο σπίτι κάθε μέρα .

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká me to GreekPod101.com sto spíti káthe méra.

Translation: “I study Greek with GreekPod101.com at home everyday.”

4. Word Order with Modifiers

4.1 Word Order with Adjectives

In Greek language word order, adjectives are usually placed before the noun they modify. In addition, they must follow the gender, case, and the number of the noun. The same rule applies to numerals. 

Greek: Εγώ γράφω με μπλε στιλό.

Romanization: Egó gráfo me ble stiló.

Translation: “I write with a blue pen.”

Learn the Top 100 Most Common Greek Adjectives in our relevant article!

4.2 Word Order with Adverbs

Adverbs are generally placed after the verb they modify, or at the end of the sentence.

Greek: Εγώ γράφω πιο καθαρά με μπλε στιλό.

Romanization: Egó gráfo pio kathará me ble stiló.

Translation: “I write more clearly with a blue pen.”

Greek: Εγώ γράφω με μπλε στιλό πιο καθαρά.

Romanization: Egó gráfo me ble stiló pio kathará.

Translation: “I write with a blue pen more clearly.”

Do you want to learn the most common Greek adverbs? Check out our Top 100 Greek Adverbs article!

4.3 Word Order with Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are placed within a sentence, after the word they refer to, like in English.

Greek: Ο καφές που παρήγγειλα ήταν κρύος.

Romanization: O kafés pu paríngila ítan kríos.

Translation: “The coffee that I ordered was cold.”

4.4 Word Order with Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are placed after the noun they refer to, as opposed to in English where they’re placed before the noun.

Greek: Ο καφές μου ήταν κρύος.

Romanization: O kafés mu ítan kríos.

Translation: “My coffee was cold.”

Practice makes perfect! Study the Top 100 Greek Pronouns in our article!

5. How to Change a Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question

Changing a sentence into a yes-or-no question is really easy in Greek. Usually, just adding a

question mark at the end will do the job, as demonstrated in the examples below:

Original Affirmative Sentence

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά κάθε μέρα.

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká káthe méra.

Translation: “I study Greek everyday.”

Conversion into a Yes-or-No Question:

Greek: Εγώ μελετώ ελληνικά κάθε μέρα;

Romanization: Egó meletó eliniká káthe méra?

Translation: “Do I study Greek everyday?”

As you can see, there’s no change in the sentence structure other than the addition of a question mark

at the end, which in Greek looks like an English semicolon.

6. How to Form Long Sentences Step-by-Step

The key to constructing longer and more complex sentences in Greek is to take into account everything we’ve covered so far. Here’s an example of how to construct a longer sentence in Greek, step-by-step:

Step 1: Just choose a simple SVO sentence first.

Greek: Εσύ ήπιες νερό.

Romanization: Esí ípies neró.

Translation: “You drank water.”

Note: The verb should comply with the person and number of the subject and be formed in the correct tense and mood, since Greek verbs conjugate.

Step 2: Add an adverbial phrase.

Greek: Εσύ ήπιες νερό πριν από δέκα λεπτά.

Romanization: Esí ípies neró prin apó déka leptá.

Translation: “You drank water ten minutes ago.”

Note: The adverbial phrase is placed at the end of the sentence.

Step 3: Add modifiers in the sentence.

Greek: Εσύ ήπιες δύο μικρά μπουκάλια νερό πριν από δέκα λεπτά.

Romanization: Esí ípies dío mikrá bukália neró prin apó déka leptá.

Translation: “You drank two small bottles of water ten minutes ago.”

Note: Take into account that the numeral is placed before the noun and before the adjective (if the noun has one), just like in English.

Step 4: Conversion to a Question

Greek: Εσύ ήπιες δύο μικρά μπουκάλια νερό πριν από δέκα λεπτά;

Romanization: Esí ípies dío mikrá bukália neró prin apó déka leptá?

Translation: “Did you drink two small bottles of water ten minutes ago?”

7. Conclusion

Unlike the vast Greek grammar, which consists of many rules and exceptions, Greek syntax is way easier to learn. 

As you might have noticed, there are only a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to modern Greek word order. 

Start learning Greek today in a consistent and organized manner by creating a free lifetime account on GreekPod101.com. Tons of free vocabulary lists, YouTube videos, and grammar tips are waiting for you to discover. 
In the meantime, is there a sentence structure that troubles you? Check out our Must-Know Greek Sentence Structures series. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments and we’d be happy to help!

Time is a human invention. It’s used to make our everyday lives easier, since it helps us communicate effectively. 

Ever wondered how to tell the hours, minutes, and seconds in Greek? Or about the Greek word for time? 

Even if you’ve never wondered, you’ll certainly need this knowledge while visiting Greece or when talking with your Greek friends. 

From arranging a business appointment to arranging a date with someone you really like, telling the time in Greek is a pretty important skill to learn. 

Telling the time in Greek is very similar to English, so this is considered an easy chapter. The first thing you need to know is that Greece uses both the twenty-four-hour format and the twelve-hour format, the latter of which is more often used in verbal speech. Secondly, you need to familiarize yourself with the Greek numbers.  

Thirdly, just keep reading and all of your questions around how to tell the time in Greek will be answered.

Table of Contents

1. How to Ask for the Time in Greek
2. The Hours in Greek
3. Minutes and Seconds in Greek
4. The Hours Divided into Minute-Packages
5. General Time Reference Throughout the Day
6. Time Adverbs in Greek
7. Greek Proverbs and Sayings Related to Time
8. Conclusion

1. How to Ask for the Time in Greek

Asking for the time in Greek is probably the most important aspect of time-telling you need to know. 

• Greek: Τι ώρα είναι;
• Romanization: Ti óra íne?
• Translation: “What time is it?”

Pretty easy, right?

Now let’s have a look at how to ask for the time of a specific event. 

• Greek: Τι ώρα είναι ο αγώνας / η συγκέντρωση / το ραντεβού;
• Romanization: Ti óra íne o agónas / i singéndrosi / to randevú?
• Translation: “What time is the game / the gathering / the appointment?”

Now let’s assume your phone battery is dead and you’re not wearing a watch. How could you possibly find out what time it is? The answer lies right below.

• Greek: Μήπως έχετε ώρα, παρακαλώ;
• Romanization: Mípos éhete óra, parakaló?
• Translation: “Do you have the time, please?”

The question above is widely used and it’s considered pretty polite when you’re not sure if someone has a watch or when you don’t know each other. The answer here would be the current time, thus this phrase can be used as an alternative to the simple Τι ώρα είναι; question. 

2. The Hours in Greek

First things first, let’s have a look at how to say the hours in Greek. 

• Greek: η ώρα
• Romanization: i óra
• Translation: “hour” / “o’ clock”

• Greek: ακριβώς
• Romanization: akrivós
• Translation: “sharp”

So, when you need to tell the hour, you can use the sentence below.

• Greek: Είναι……………….. η ώρα (ακριβώς).
• Romanization: Íne ………………….. i óra (akrivós).
• Translation: “It’s ……………………….. o’clock (sharp).”

While the addition of ακριβώς is optional, you can fill the blank space above with one of the hours below. 

Hours in Greek:

• μία (mía) — “one”
• δύο (dío) — “two”
• τρεις (tris) — “three”
• τέσσερις (téseris) — “four”
• πέντε (péde) — “five”
• έξι (éxi) — “six”
• επτά/εφτά (eptá/eftá) — “seven”
• οκτώ/οχτώ (októ/ohtó) — “eight”
• εννέα/εννιά (enéa/eniá) — “nine”
• δέκα (déka) — “ten”
• έντεκα (édeka) — “eleven”
• δώδεκα (dódeka) — “twelve”

In verbal speech in Greece, the most common way to tell the time is based on the twelve-hour clock. However, in written speech, it’s more common to use the twenty-four-hour clock.

3. Minutes and Seconds in Greek

Time flies. With GreekPod101.com, you won’t realize how quickly you’ll be an expert in Greek. As minutes and seconds pass by, you get a little bit closer to your Greek learning goals!

So, here’s how to say the minutes and the seconds in Greek. It will take only a minute to learn this!

• Greek: το λεπτό / τα λεπτά
• Romanization: to leptó / ta leptá
• Translation: “minute” / “minutes”

• Greek: το δευτερόλεπτο / τα δευτερόλεπτα
• Romanization: to defterólepto / ta defterólepta
• Translation: “second” / “seconds”

• Greek: και
• Romanization: ke
• Translation: equivalent to “and” / “past” in English

• Greek: παρά
• Romanization: pará
• Translation: equivalent to “to” in English

Now, let’s have a look at how to tell the time through some comprehensive examples:

• Greek: Είναι τρεις και δεκαοκτώ (03:18 / 15:18).
• Romanization: Íne tris ke dekaoktó.
• Translation: “It’s eighteen past three.”

• Greek: Είναι δύο παρά εικοσιπέντε (01:35 / 13:35).
• Romanization: Íne dío pará ikosipénde.
• Translation: “It’s twenty-five to two.”

4. The Hours Divided into Minute-Packages

• Greek: μισή
• Romanization: misí
• Translation: “half”

• Greek: τέταρτο
• Romanization: tétarto
• Translation: “quarter”

There is no Greek equivalent for “a third” of the hour. This can be translated in Greek as και είκοσι

or παρά είκοσι, as referenced in the previous section of this article. 

Here are some helpful phrases for telling time in Greek this way:

• Greek: Είναι έξι και τέταρτο.
• Romanization: Íne éxi ke tétarto.
• Translation: “It’s a quarter past six.”

• Greek: Είναι οκτώ παρά τέταρτο.
• Romanization: Íne októ pará tétarto.
• Translation: “It’s a quarter to eight.”

• Greek: Είναι έξι και μισή.
• Romanization: Íne éxi ke misí.
• Translation: “It’s half past six.”

5. General Time Reference Throughout the Day

Since the twelve-hour clock is preferred in oral speech in Greece, when someone says “at nine o’clock,” you probably need to know if they’re referring to the morning or the evening. This is indicated by using the phrases below.

• Greek: το πρωί
• Romanization: to proí
• Translation: “in the morning”

Example:

Greek: Στις έξι (η ώρα) το πρωί. 

Romanization: Stis éxi (i óra) to proí.

Translation: “At six (o’clock) in the morning.”

• Greek: το απόγευμα
• Romanization: to apóyevma
• Translation: “the afternoon”

Example:

Greek: Στις τρεις (η ώρα) το απόγευμα. 

Romanization: Stis tris (i óra) to apóyevma.

Translation: “At three (o’clock) in the afternoon.”

• Greek: το βράδυ
• Romanization: to vrádi
• Translation: “the night”

Example:

Greek: Στις δέκα (η ώρα) το βράδυ. 

Romanization: Stis déka (i óra) to vrádi.

Translation: “At ten (o’clock) at night.”

While the words above are common in everyday speech, in formal situations—for example, in the news—the way to indicate the exact time in Greek is by using the appropriate phrase from the list below.

• Greek: προ μεσημβρίας (π.μ.)
• Romanization: pro mesimvrías
• Translation: “ante meridiem” (a.m.) / “before midday”

• Greek: μετά μεσημβρίαν (μ.μ.)
• Romanization: metá mesimvrían
• Translation: “post meridiem” (p.m.) / “after midday”

However, at this point, you should note that in Greek you need to say the full phrase instead of just the initials. 

Here are some more time reference phrases you can use to indicate different time periods throughout the day. 

• Greek: το μεσημέρι
• Romanization: to mesiméri
• Translation: “noon” / “midday”

Example:

Greek: Στις δώδεκα το μεσημέρι. 

Romanization: Stis dódeka to mesiméri.

Translation: “At twelve o’clock noon.”

• Greek: τα μεσάνυχτα
• Romanization: ta mesánihta
• Translation: “midnight”

Example:

Greek: Είναι δώδεκα τα μεσάνυχτα. 

Romanization: Íne dódeka ta mesánihta.

Translation: “It’s twelve o’clock midnight.”

• Greek: το ξημέρωμα / τα ξημερώματα
• Romanization: to ximéroma / ta ximerómata
• Translation: “dawn/early morning hours”

Example:

Greek: Ήρθε στις πέντε η ώρα τα ξημερώματα. 

Romanization: Írthe stis pénde i óra ta ximerómata.

Translation: “He came at five o’clock in the morning.”

6. Time Adverbs in Greek

In this section, we present you with a list of some useful time adverbs in Greek to cover each and every case. All of these words for time in Greek can answer the question “When?”

• Greek: τώρα
• Romanization: tóra
• Translation: “now”

• Greek: αυτήν τη στιγμή
• Romanization: aftín ti stigmí
• Translation: “currently” / “at this moment”

• Greek: εν τω μεταξύ
• Romanization: en to metaxí
• Translation: “meanwhile”

• Greek: πριν
• Romanization: prin
• Translation: “before”

• Greek: μετά
• Romanization: metá
• Translation: “after” / “later”

• Greek: σύντομα
• Romanization: síndoma
• Translation: “soon”

• Greek: σχεδόν
• Romanization: schedón
• Translation: “almost”

• Greek: σε λίγο / σε λιγάκι
• Romanization: se lígo / se ligáki
• Translation: “in a bit” / “in a little while”

• Greek: το συντομότερο δυνατό
• Romanization: to sindomótero dinató
• Translation: “as soon as possible”

• Greek: οποιαδήποτε στιγμή
• Romanization: opiadípote stigmí
• Translation: “anytime”

• Greek: για πολύ καιρό
• Romanization: ya polí keró
• Translation: “for a long time”

7. Greek Proverbs and Sayings Related to Time

Learning some proverbs always takes you a step further into getting to know the Greek culture. Therefore, here are some of the most popular proverbs, sayings, and time expressions in Greek.

• Greek: Ο χρόνος είναι χρήμα.
• Romanization: O hrónos íne hríma.
• Translation: “Time is money.”

• Greek: Ο χρόνος είναι ο καλύτερος γιατρός.
• Romanization: O hrónos íne o kalíteros yatrós.
• Translation: “Time is the best doctor (corresponding to ‘Time heals all wounds.’).”

• Greek: Ο χρόνος πίσω δεν γυρνά.
• Romanization: O hrónos píso den yirná.
• Translation: “Time doesn’t come back.”

• Greek: Ή τώρα ή ποτέ.
• Romanization: Í tóra i poté.
• Translation: “It’s either now or never.”

8. Conclusion

O χρόνος πίσω δεν γυρνά. This is certain. 

So start learning Greek today with GreekPod101.com!

Ή τώρα ή ποτε!

Start by practicing the pronunciation of some of the most important words included in this article. Then, we suggest that you read our blog post on Dates in Greek to gain a more spherical knowledge on the subject. 

Then, you can create a free personal account and browse through our wide variety of educational material. You can also upgrade to Premium Plus and take advantage of our MyTeacher program to learn Greek with your own personal tutor, who will answer any questions you might have!

In the meantime… What time is it now while you read this blog post? Write the current hour in Greek in the comments section below.

Ever wondered how to say “north” or “south” in Greek?

Or how about asking for some directions in Greek or providing them?

Getting around a new and unfamiliar city such as Athens, or even a small island, can be tricky. But in Greece, kind-hearted and welcoming people are always eager to help you find exactly what you’re looking for!

Although the majority of Greek people speak English at a conversational level, it’s always good to know the basics.

In this blog post, we’ll present you with some of the most popular words and ready-to-use phrases, as well as useful examples, so you can learn everything you need to know about asking for or giving directions in Greek.



Table of Contents

1. Directions on the Map
2. Directions on the Road
3. Important Places and Landmarks
4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions
5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions
6. Example Dialogue for Asking and Providing Directions in Greek
7. Conclusion

1. Directions on the Map

The position of Greece on the map is characterized by many as strategic. This is no surprise, as Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Let’s have a look at some of the most important Greek words for describing a place on the map. Knowing the cardinal directions in Greek will be of great help as you try to navigate the area you’re in.

– ο βορράς (o vorás) — “the north” [noun]

Example:

• Greek: Η Σουηδία βρίσκεται στον βορρά.
• Romanization: I Suidía vrískete ston vorá.
• Translation: “Sweden is in the north.”

– βόρειος (vórios) — “northern” [adjective]

Example:

• Greek: Ο βόρειος άνεμος είναι κρύος.
• Romanization: O vórios ánemos íne kríos.
• Translation: “The northern wind is cold.”

– βόρεια (vória) — “north” [adverb]

Example:

• Greek: Βόρεια της Ελλάδας βρίσκεται η Βουλγαρία.
• Romanization: Vória tis Eládas vrískete i Vulgaría.
• Translation: “North of Greece lies Bulgaria.”

Similarly, you can use all of the compass directions in Greek as follows:

• Greek: o νότος [noun]
• Romanization: o nótos
• Translation: “the south”



• Greek: νότιος [adj.]
• Romanization: nótios
• Translation: “southern”



• Greek: νότια [adverb]
• Romanization: nótia
• Translation: “south”



• Greek: η ανατολή [noun]
• Romanization: i anatolí
• Translation: “the east”



• Greek: ανατολικός [adj.]
• Romanization: anatolikós
• Translation: “eastern”



• Greek: ανατολικά [adverb]
• Romanization: anatoliká
• Translation: “east”



• Greek: η δύση [noun]
• Romanization: i dísi
• Translation: “the west”



• Greek: δυτικός [adj.]
• Romanization: ditikós
• Translation: “western”



• Greek: δυτικά [adverb]
• Romanization: ditiká
• Translation: “west”



• Greek: βορειοανατολικός [adj.]
• Romanization: vorioanatolikós
• Translation: “northeastern”



• Greek: βορειοανατολικά [adverb]
• Romanization: vorioanatoliká
• Translation: “northeast”



• Greek: βορειοδυτικός [adj.]
• Romanization: vorioditikós
• Translation: “northwestern”



• Greek: βορειοδυτικά [adverb]
• Romanization: vorioditiká
• Translation: “northwest”



• Greek: νοτιοανατολικός [adj.]
• Romanization: notioanatolikós
• Translation: “southeastern”



• Greek: νοτιοανατολικά [adverb]
• Romanization: notioanatoliká
• Translation: “southeast”



• Greek: νοτιοδυτικός [adj.]
• Romanization: otioditikós
• Translation: “southwestern”



• Greek: νοτιοδυτικά [adverb]
• Romanization: notioditiká
• Translation: “southwest”

Example:

• Greek: Η Ελλάδα βρίσκεται στη νότια Ευρώπη. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, βρίσκεται δυτικά της Τουρκίας, νότια της Βουλγαρίας, νοτιοανατολικά της Αλβανίας και ανατολικά της Ιταλίας.
• Romanization: I Eláda vrískete sti nótia Evrópi. Pio singekriména, vrískete ditiká tis Turkías, nótia tis Vulgarías, notioanatoliká tis Alvanías ke anatoliká tis Italías.
• Translation: “Greece is located in southern Europe. More specifically, it is located east of Turkey, south of Bulgaria, southeast of Albania, and east of Italy.”

As you might have noticed, you can choose to use either the appropriate noun, adjective, or adverb, based on the context of each sentence. However, you should pay attention, because there’s a high risk of confusion.

Our suggestion is that you write down many examples to familiarize yourself with each.

2. Directions on the Road

Getting around on the road, though, might be more useful during your trip in Greece. Therefore, we’ve gathered here all the basics on this subject.

• Greek: μπροστά
• Romanization: brostá
• Translation: “front”



• Greek: πίσω
• Romanization: píso
• Translation: “back” / “behind”



• Greek: αριστερά
• Romanization: aristerá
• Translation: “left”



• Greek: δεξιά
• Romanization: dexiá
• Translation: “right”

Example:

• Greek: Το σούπερ μάρκετ είναι πίσω από το ταχυδρομείο και αριστερά από την τράπεζα.
• Romanization: To súper márket íne píso apó to tahidromío ke aristerá apó tin trápeza.
• Translation: “The supermarket is located behind the post office and on the left of the bank.”

Other useful location-related words can be found below:

• Greek: κοντά
• Romanization: kondá
• Translation: “near”



• Greek: μακριά
• Romanization: makriá
• Translation: “far”



• Greek: μακριά από
• Romanization: makriá apó
• Translation: “away from”

Example:

• Greek: Πόσο μακριά είναι το μετρό από το ξενοδοχείο;
• Romanization: Póso makriá íne to metró apó to xenodohío?
• Translation: “How far away is the metro from the hotel?”

As you might have noticed, many location-related adverbs are accompanied by the word από. This corresponds to the English word “from,” so you can add it when you feel it’s appropriate.

• Greek: δίπλα (σε / στον / στην / στο)
• Romanization: dípla (se / ston / stin / sto)
• Translation: “next to”



• Greek: απέναντι από
• Romanization: apénandi apó
• Translation: “across the street from”



• Greek: στη γωνία
• Romanization: vsti gonía
• Translation: “at the corner”



• Greek: στη διασταύρωση
• Romanization: sti diastávrosi
• Translation: “at the intersection”

Example:

• Greek: Το νοσοκομείο βρίσκεται δίπλα στο σούπερ μάρκετ και απέναντι από το ταχυδρομείο. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, βρίσκεται ακριβώς στη γωνία της διασταύρωσης.
• Romanization: To nosokomío vrískete dípla sto súper márket ke apénandi apó to tahidromío. Pio singekriména, vrískete akrivós sti gonía tis diastávrosis.
• Translation: “The hospital is located next to the supermarket and across the street from the post office. More specifically, it is located at the corner, right at the intersection.”

3. Important Places and Landmarks

In this section, you’ll find some of the most important places and landmarks in Greek towns. These words can be used to enhance your knowledge on giving and receiving directions.

• Greek: αεροδρόμιο
• Romanization: aerodrómio
• Translation: “airport”



• Greek: μετρό
• Romanization: metró
• Translation: “metro” / “subway”



• Greek: το κέντρο της πόλης
• Romanization: to kéndro tis pólis
• Translation: “the center of the city”



• Greek: πάρκο
• Romanization: párko
• Translation: “park”



• Greek: ξενοδοχείο
• Romanization: xenodohío
• Translation: “hotel”



• Greek: νοσοκομείο
• Romanization: nosokomío
• Translation: “hospital”



• Greek: τράπεζα
• Romanization: trápeza
• Translation: “bank”

And here are some more important words to get around at ease during your holiday or vacation.

• Greek: τουαλέτα
• Romanization: tualéta
• Translation: “restroom”



• Greek: φανάρια
• Romanization: fanária
• Translation: “traffic lights”



• Greek: ασανσέρ
• Romanization: asansér
• Translation: “elevator”

4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions

We couldn’t omit some ready-to-use phrases about how to ask for directions in Greek. You can practice using these, or you can transform them and create similar sentences on your own by mixing and matching all of the words you’ve learned so far.

• Greek: Συγγνώμη, μπορώ να κάνω μια ερώτηση;
• Romanization: Signómi, boró na káno mia erótisi?
• Translation: “Excuse me, may I ask something?”



• Greek: Πού είναι η τουαλέτα;
• Romanization: Pu íne i tualéta?
• Translation: “Where is the restroom?”



• Greek: Πώς μπορώ να πάω στο σούπερ μάρκετ;
• Romanization: Pos boró na páo sto súper márket?
• Translation: “How can I get to the supermarket?”



• Greek: Πόσο μακριά είναι η παραλία;
• Romanization: Póso makriá íne i paralía?
• Translation: “How far is the beach?”



• Greek: Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ!
• Romanization: Sas efharistó polí!
• Translation: “Thank you very much!” (Politely in plural)



• Greek: Ευχαριστώ για τη βοήθεια!
• Romanization: Efharistó ya ti voíthia!
• Translation: “Thanks for the help!”

5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions

It’s not always about asking for directions, though. There can be situations where you need to give someone directions, for example to a taxi driver.

Take a look at some more ready-to-use phrases, which can be used to give directions.

• Greek: Συνεχίστε ευθεία.
• Romanization: Sinehíste efthía.
• Translation: “Keep going straight ahead.”



• Greek: Κάντε αναστροφή.
• Romanization: Kánde anastrofí.
• Translation: “Make a U-turn.”



• Greek: Στρíψτε δεξιά / αριστερά.
• Romanization: Strípste dexiá / aristerá.
• Translation: “Turn right / left.”



• Greek: Θα πάτε στον τρίτο όροφο.
• Romanization: Tha páte ston tríto órofo.
• Translation: “You should go to the third floor.”



• Greek: Συνεχίστε.
• Romanization: Sinehíste.
• Translation: “Keep going.”



• Greek: Βιαστείτε, παρακαλώ.
• Romanization: Viastíte, parakaló.
• Translation: “Hurry up, please.”



• Greek: Πιο αργά, παρακαλώ.
• Romanization: Pio argá, parakaló.
• Translation: “Slower, please.”

6. Example Dialogue for Asking and Providing Directions in Greek

While taking a ride in a taxi…

Greek:

A: Καλησπέρα σας, θα ήθελα να με πάτε στο Ξενοδοχείο Μαρία, παρακαλώ.

B: Καλησπέρα! Που ακριβώς βρίσκεται το ξενοδοχείο;

A: Είναι στην οδό Ηλία Βενέζη 15, δίπλα από το σούπερ μάρκετ Βασιλόπουλος. Απέναντί του βρίσκεται η Εθνική Τράπεζα.

B: Ωραία, κατάλαβα, σας ευχαριστώ.

Romanization:

A: Kalispéra sas, tha íthela na me páte sto Xenodohío María, parakaló.

B: Kalispéra! Pu akrivós vrískete to xenodohío?

A: Íne stin odó Ilía Venézi dekapéde, dípla sto súper márket Vasilópulos. Apénadi tu vrískete i Ethnikí Trápeza.

B: Oréa, katálava, sas efharistó.

Translation:

A: “Good afternoon, I would like you to take me to Maria Hotel, please.”

B: “Good afternoon! Where exactly is the hotel?”

A: “It is on Ilia Venezi street number 15, next to the supermarket Vasilopulos. Across the street from the National Bank.”

B: “Great, I get it, thank you.”

7. Conclusion

Asking for directions while wandering around can save you time and lots of meters of walking distance. In this article, we tried to make it easier for you to ask for directions, or even provide some.

If you feel like studying some more, here’s our article on Popular Greek Travel Phrases.

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In the meantime, can you think of any other phrase related to directions that we haven’t included in this article? Let us know in the comments!

In this article, you’ll learn all the essential Greek nouns so that you can enhance your knowledge about useful, everyday words.

Before we start our modern Greek nouns list, what are Greek declensions?

In Greek, each noun has a gender, which is indicated by its article. More specifically, Greek noun declension by gender uses the following articles:

• ο (singular) or οι (plural) — indicates a masculine noun
• η (singular) or οι (plural) — indicates a feminine noun
• το (singular) or τα (plural) — indicates a neutral noun

Therefore, in this guide, we’ll use the articles respectively to indicate the Greek nouns’ gender and number.

Are you ready to learn some nouns in Greek?

Let’s begin!



Table of Contents

1. Appliances
2. Technology
3. Transportation
4. Restaurant
5. School Essentials
6. Occupation
7. Family Members
8. Body Parts
9. Time
10. Conclusion

1. Appliances

1. Η τηλεόραση (i tileórasi) – “TV”

Greek: Το διαμέρισμα έχει δορυφορική τηλεόραση.
Romanization: To diamérizma éhi doriforikí tileórasi.
Translation: The apartment has satellite TV.

2. Το κλιματιστικό (to klimatistikó) – “air conditioner”

Greek: Άναψε το κλιματιστικό, γιατί έχει πολλή ζέστη εδώ μέσα.
Romanization: Ánapse to klimatistikó, yatí éhi polí zésti edó mésa.
Translation: Turn on the air conditioner because it’s very hot in here.

3. Το πλυντήριο (to plindírio) – “washing machine” [for clothes]

Greek: Το πλυντήριο είναι καινούργιο.
Romanization: To plindírio íne kenúrio.
Translation: The washing machine is new.

4. Το στεγνωτήριο (to stegnotírio) – “dryer” [for clothes]

Greek: To στεγνωτήριο στεγνώνει τα ρούχα πολύ γρήγορα.
Romanization: To stegnotírio stegnóni ta rúha polí grígora.
Translation: The dryer dries the clothes very quickly.

5. Το πλυντήριο πιάτων (to plindírio piáton) – “dishwasher”

Greek: Ξέπλυνε τα πιάτα, πριν τα βάλεις στο πλυντήριο πιάτων.
Romanization: Xépline ta piáta, prin ta vális sto plindírio piáton.
Translation: Rinse the dishes before you put them into the dishwasher.

6. Ο φούρνος (o fúrnos) – “oven/stove”

Greek: Αυτό το φαγητό χρειάζεται ψήσιμο μόνο 30 λεπτά στον φούρνο.
Romanization: Aftó to fayitó hriázete psísimo móno triánda leptá ston fúrno.
Translation: This food needs baking for only thirty minutes in the oven.

7. Ο φούρνος μικροκυμάτων (o fúrnos mikrokimáton) – “microwave”

Greek: Ο φούρνος μικροκυμάτων ζεσταίνει το φαγητό πολύ γρήγορα.
Romanization: O fúrnos mikrokimáton zesténi to fayitó polí grígora.
Translation: The microwave heats up the food really quickly.

8. Οι εστίες (i estíes) – “hot plates/burners”

Greek: Οι εστίες φαίνονται πολύ βρόμικες.
Romanization: I estíes fénode polí vrómikes.
Translation: The hot plates look very dirty.

9. Το πιστολάκι (to pistoláki) – “hair dryer”

Greek: Το καλοκαίρι αποφεύγω το πιστολάκι, επειδή ξεραίνεται το μαλλί μου.
Romanization: To kalokéri apofévgo to pistoláki, epidí xerénete to malí mu.
Translation: In the summer, I avoid using the hair dryer because it dries out my hair.

10. Ο ανεπιστήρας (o anemistíras) – “fan”

Greek: Ο ανεμιστήρας οροφής δροσίζει το δωμάτιο.
Romanization: O anemistíras orofís drosízi to domátio.
Translation: The ceiling fan cools down the room.

11. Το ψυγείο (to psiyío) – “fridge”

Greek: Βάλε τις μπύρες στο ψυγείο, για να τις πιούμε παγωμένες.
Romanization: Vále tis bíres sto psiyío, ya na tis piúme pagoménes.
Translation: Put the beers in the fridge, so that we can drink them cold.

2. Technology

12. O ηλεκτρονικός υπολογιστής (o ilektronikós ipoloyistís) – “computer”

Greek: Ο ηλεκτρονικός υπολογιστής μου ήταν παλιός, οπότε αγόρασα έναν καινούργιο.
Romanization: O ilektronikós ipoloyistís mu ítan paliós, opóte agórasa énan kenúrio.
Translation: My computer was old, so I bought a new one.

13. Ο φορητός υπολογιστής (o foritós ipoloyistís) – “laptop”

Greek: Πήρα τον φορητό υπολογιστή μου και πήγα σε μια καφετέρια.
Romanization: Píra ton foritó ipoloyistí mu ke píga se mia kafetéria.
Translation: I took my laptop and went to a cafeteria.

14. Το τάμπλετ (to táblet) – “tablet”

Greek: Το τάμπλετ που αγόρασα είναι πολύ ελαφρύ.
Romanization: To táblet pu agórasa íne polí elafrí.
Translation: The tablet I bought is very lightweight.

15. To κινητό τηλέφωνο / κινητό (to kinitó tiléfono / kinitó) – “cell phone”

16. Το έξυπνο τηλέφωνο (to éxipno tiléfono) – “smartphone”

Greek: Οι περισσότεροι άνθρωποι προτιμούν ένα έξυπνο τηλέφωνο από ένα απλό κινητό.
Romanization: Oi perisóteri ánthropi protimún éna éxipno tiléfono apó éna apló kinitó.
Translation: Most people prefer a smartphone over a simple cell phone.

17. Τα ακουστικά (ta akustiká) – “headphones”

18. Ο φορτιστής (o fortistís) – “charger”

Greek: Μην ξεχάσεις να πάρεις μαζί σου τα ακουστικά και τον φορτιστή σου.
Romanization: Min xehásis na páris mazí su ta akustiká ke ton fortistí su.
Translation: Don’t forget to take your headphones and your charger with you.

19. Η ιστοσελίδα (i istoselída) – “website”

20. Ο λογαριασμός (o logariazmós) – “account”

21. Ο κωδικός πρόσβασης (o kodikós prózvasis) – “password”

Greek: Η πρόσβαση στην ιστοσελίδα γίνεται με έναν λογαριασμό και έναν κωδικό πρόσβασης.
Romanization: I prózvasi stin istoselída yínete me énan logariazmó ke énan kodikó prózvasis.
Translation: Access to the website is granted by using an account and a password.

22. Το αρχείο (to arhío) -“file”

Greek: Το αρχείο ήταν τόσο μεγάλο που δεν μπορούσα να το στείλω μέσω email.
Romanization: To arhío ítan tóso megálo pu den borúsa na to stílo méso ’email.’
Translation: The file was so big that I couldn’t send it via email.

23. Το ποντίκι (to pondíki) – “mouse”

24. Το πληκτρολόγιο (to pliktrolóyio) – “keyboard”

Greek: Αγόρασα ένα ασύρματο ποντίκι και ένα πληκτρολόγιο.
Romanization: Agórasa éna asírmato pondíki ke éna pliktrolóyio.
Translation: I bought a wireless mouse and a keyboard.

25. O εκτυπωτής (o ektipotís) – “printer”

Greek: Αυτός ο εκτυπωτής εκτυπώνει ασπρόμαυρα.
Romanization: Aftós o ektipotís ektipóni asprómavra.
Translation: This printer prints in black and white.

3. Transportation

26. Το αεροπλάνο (to aeropláno) – “airplane”

27. Το αεροδρόμιο (to aerodrómio) – “airport”

Greek: Το αεροπλάνο απογειώθηκε από το αεροδρόμιο της Αθήνας μετά από τρεις ώρες καθυστέρηση.
Romanization: To aeropláno apoyióthike apó to aerodrómio tis Athínas metá apó tris óres kathistérisi.
Translation: The airplane took off from the Athens airport after a three-hour delay.

28. Το τρένο (to tréno) – “train”

29. O σταθμός του τρένου (o stathmós tu trénu) – “train station”

Greek: Ο σταθμός του τρένου είχε πολύ κόσμο.
Romanization: O stathmós tu trénu íhe polí kózmo.
Translation: The train station was very crowded.

30. To λεωφορείο (to leoforío) – “bus”

31. Η στάση του λεωφορείου (i stási tu leoforíu) – “bus stop”

Greek: Η στάση του λεωφορείου είναι πολύ κοντά στο ξενοδοχείο.
Romanization: I stási tu leoforíu íne polí kondá sto xenodohío.
Translation: The bus stop is very close to the hotel.

32. Το ταξί (to taxí) – “taxi”

33. Το αυτοκίνητο (to aftokínito) – “car”

Greek: Θα πάρω ένα ταξί, γιατί το αυτοκίνητό μου είναι χαλασμένο.
Romanization: Tha páro éna taxí, yatí to aftokínitó mu íne halazméno.
Translation: I’ll take a taxi because my car has broken down.

34. Το ποδήλατο (to podílato) – “bike”

35. Η μηχανή (i mihaní) – “motorcycle”

Greek: Το ποδήλατο είναι πιο φιλικό προς το περιβάλλον από τη μηχανή.
Romanization: To podílato íne pio filikó pros to periválon apó ti mihaní.
Translation: The bike is more eco-friendly than the motorcycle.

36. Ο δρόμος (o drómos) – “road”

37. Το φανάρι (to fanári) – “traffic light”

Greek: Αυτός ο δρόμος έχει πολλές διασταυρώσεις και φανάρια.
Romanization: Aftós o drómos éhi polés diastavrósis ke fanária.
Translation: This road has many intersections and traffic lights.

4. Restaurant

38. Το τραπέζι (to trapézi) – “table”

Greek: Θα ήθελα ένα τραπέζι για δύο, παρακαλώ.
Romanization: Tha íthela éna trapézi ya dío, parakaló.
Translation: I would like a table for two, please.

39. Ο κατάλογος (o katálogos) – “menu”

Greek: Μπορώ να δω τον κατάλογο, παρακαλώ;
Romanization: Boró na do ton katálogo, parakaló?
Translation: May I have a look at the menu, please?

40. O σερβιτόρος / Η σερβιτόρα (o servitóros / i servitóra) – “waiter” / “waitress”

Greek: Ο σερβιτόρος ήταν χαμογελαστός και πολύ ευγενικός.
Romanization: O servitóros ítan hamoyelastós ke polí evyenikós.
Translation: The waiter was smiling and was very kind.

41. Ο λογαριασμός (o logariazmós) – “bill”

Greek: Ο λογαριασμός ήταν φουσκωμένος.
Romanization: O logariazmós ítan fuskoménos.
Translation: The bill was inflated.

42. Το πιρούνι (to pirúni) – “fork”

43. Το μαχαίρι (to mahéri) – “knife”

44. Το κουτάλι (to kutáli) – “spoon”

45. Το πιάτο (to piáto) – “plate”

46. Το ποτήρι (to potíri) – “glass”

Greek: Υπήρχαν ένα πιρούνι, ένα μαχαίρι, ένα κουτάλι, ένα πιάτο και ένα ποτήρι για κάθε άτομο.
Romanization: Ipírhan éna pirúni, éna mahéri, éna kutáli, éna piáto ke éna potíri ya káthe átomo.
Translation: There was a fork, a knife, a spoon, a plate, and a glass for each person.

47. Το νερό (to neró) – “water”

48. Το κρασί (to krasí) – “wine”

49. Η μπύρα (i bíra) – “beer”

Greek: Θα θέλατε νερό, κρασί ή μπύρα με το δείπνο σας;
Romanization: Tha thélate neró, krasí i bíra me to dípno sas?
Translation: Would you like some water, wine, or beer with your dinner?

50. Το τσάι (to tsái) – “tea”

Greek: Θα θέλατε λίγο τσάι ή καφέ;
Romanization: Tha thélate lígo tsái i kafé?
Translation: Would you like some tea or coffee?

51. Τα λαχανικά (ta lahaniká) – “vegetables”

52. Το κοτόπουλο (to kotópulo) – “chicken”

53. Το χοιρινό (to hirinó) – “pork”

54. Το μοσχάρι (to moshári) – “beef”

Greek: Αυτό το πιάτο περιέχει κοτόπουλο/χοιρινό/μοσχάρι και λαχανικά
Romanization: Aftó to piáto periéhi kotópulo/hirinó/moshári ke lahaniká.
Translation: This dish consists of chicken/pork/beef and vegetables.

5. School Essentials

55. Το δημοτικό (to dimotikó) – “primary school”

56. Το γυμνάσιο (to yimnásio) – “secondary school”

Greek: Η υποχρεωτική εκπαίδευση στην Ελλάδα περιλαμβάνει έξι χρόνια δημοτικό και τρία χρόνια γυμνάσιο.
Romanization: I ipohreotikí ekpédefsi stin Eláda perilamváni éxi hrónia dimotikó ke tría hrónia yimnásio.
Translation: Mandatory education in Greece includes six years of elementary school and three years of middle school.

57. Το λύκειο (to líkio) – “high school”

Greek: To λύκειο είναι προαιρετικό, αλλά οι περισσότεροι μαθητές το παρακολουθούν.
Romanization: To líkio íne proeretikó, alá i perisóteri mathités to parakoluthún.
Translation: High school is optional, however most students attend it.

58. Το πανεπιστήμιο (to panepistímio) – “university”

Greek: Το 42% των Ελλήνων έχει αποφοιτήσει από το πανεπιστήμιο.
Romanization: To saránda dío tis ekató ton Elínon éhi apofitísi apó to panepistímio.
Translation: 42% of Greeks have graduated from the university.

59. Ο δάσκαλος / Η δασκάλα (o dáskalos / i daskála) – “teacher” [male / female]

Greek: O δάσκαλος εξήγησε στα παιδιά τις ασκήσεις για το σπίτι.
Romanization: O dáskalos exíyise sta pediá tis askísis ya to spíti.
Translation: The teacher (male) explained the homework to the children.

60. Ο καθηγητής / Η καθηγήτρια (o kathiyitís / i kathiyítria) – “professor” [university] / “teacher” [middle or high school]

Greek: Η καθηγήτρια μού έβαλε άριστα στην εργασία μου.
Romanization: I kathiyítria mú évale árista stin ergasía mu.
Translation: The teacher (female) graded my assignment with A+.

61. Η τάξη (i táxi) – “classroom”

Greek: Η κάθε τάξη αποτελείται από 20 μαθητές.
Romanization: I káthe táxi apotelíte apó íkosi mathités.
Translation: Each classroom consists of twenty students.

62. Το βιβλίο (to vivlío) – “book”

63. Το τετράδιο (to tetrádio) – “notebook”

64. Το μολύβι (to molívi) – “pencil”

65. Το στιλό (to stiló) – “pen”

66. Ο μαθητής / Η μαθήτρια (o mathitís / i mathítria) – “student” [male / female] from elementary school to high school

Greek: Κάθε μαθητής είχε ένα βιβλίο, ένα τετράδιο, ένα μολύβι και ένα στιλό.
Romanization: Káthe mathitís íhe éna vivlío, éna tetrádio, éna molívi ke éna stiló.
Translation: Each student had a book, a notebook, a pencil, and a pen.

67. Ο φοιτητής / Η φοιτήτρια (o fititís / i fitítria) – “university student” [male / female]

68. Οι εξετάσεις (i exetásis) – “exams”

Greek: Οι φοιτητές στην Ελλάδα δίνουν εξετάσεις κάθε έξι μήνες.
Romanization: I fitités stin Eláda dínun exetásis káthe éxi mínes.
Translation: University students in Greece take part in exams every six months.

6. Occupation

69. Ο/Η δικηγόρος (o/i dikigóros) – “lawyer” [either male or female]

70. Ο/Η γιατρός (o/i yatrós) – “doctor” [either male or female]

71. Ο νοσοκόμος / Η νοσοκόμα (o nosokómos / i nosokóma) – “nurse” [male / female]

72. Ο/Η αστυνομικός (o/i astinomikós) – “police officer” [either male or female]

73. Ο/Η υπάλληλος (o/i ipálilos) – “employee” [either male or female]

74. Ο/Η επιχειρηματίας (o/i epihirimatías) – “businessman/businesswoman” [either male or female]

Greek:
— Τι δουλειά κάνεις;
— Είμαι δικηγόρος / γιατρός / νοσοκόμος / αστυνομικός / υπάλληλος / επιχειρηματίας.

Romanization:
— Ti duliá kánis?
— Íme dikigóros / yatrós / nosokómos / astinomikós / ipálilos / epihirimatías.

Translation:
— What do you do for a living?
— I’m a lawyer / doctor / nurse / police officer / employee / businessman.

Can’t find your occupation in this list? No problem, we’ve got you covered!

While you’re at it, take a look at our article about finding a job in Greece, as well!

7. Family Members

75. Ο μπαμπάς (o babás) – “dad”

76. Η μαμά (i mamá) – “mom”

77. Ο παππούς (o papús) – “grandpa”

78. Η γιαγιά (i yayá) – “grandma”

79. Ο αδερφός / Η αδερφή (o aderfós / i aderfí) – “brother” / “sister”

Greek: Σε αυτήν τη φωτογραφία είναι ο μπαμπάς, η μαμά, ο παππούς, η γιαγιά, ο αδερφός και η αδερφή μου.
Romanization: Se aftín ti fotografía íne o babás, i mamá, o papús, i yayá, o aderfós ke i aderfí mu.
Translation: In this photo, there’s my father, my mother, my grandpa, my grandma, my brother, and my sister.

80. Το παιδί / Τα παιδιά (to pedí / ta pediá) – “child” / “children”

Greek: Τα περισσότερα νέα ζευγάρια κάνουν ένα ή δύο παιδιά.
Romanization: Ta perisótera néa zevgária kánun éna i dío pediá.
Translation: Most young couples have one or two children.

If you want to learn more about Greek family members, we highly suggest that you read another blog post we’ve prepared for you.

8. Body Parts

81. Το σώμα (to sóma) – “body”

82. Το κεφάλι (to kefáli) – “head”

83. O ώμος / Οι ώμοι (o ómos / i ómi) – “shoulder” / “shoulders”

84. Το χέρι / Τα χέρια (to héri / ta héria) – “hand” / “hands”

85. Το πόδι / Τα πόδια (to pódi / ta pódia) – “leg” / “legs”

86. Το πρόσωπο (to prósopo) – “face”

87. Το στήθος (to stíthos) – “chest”

88. Το μάτι / Τα μάτια (to máti / ta mátia) – “eye” / “eyes”

89. Το αυτί / Τα αυτιά (to aftí / ta aftiá) – “ear” / “ears”

90. Η μύτη (i míti) – “nose”

91. Το στόμα (to stóma) – “mouth”

Greek: Η εικόνα δείχνει ένα ανθρώπινο σώμα που αποτελείται από ένα κεφάλι, δύο ώμους, δύο χέρια, δύο πόδια, ένα πρόσωπο, ένα στήθος, δύο μάτια, δύο αυτιά, μία μύτη και ένα στόμα.
Romanization: I ikóna díhni éna anthrópino sóma pu apotelíte apó éna kefáli, dío ómus, dío héria, dío pódia, éna prósopo, éna stíthos, dío mátia, dío aftiá, mía míti ke éna stóma.
Translation: The image shows a human body that consists of a head, two shoulders, two hands, two legs, a face, a chest, two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a mouth.

9. Time

92. Το σήμερα (to símera) – “today”

93. Το αύριο (to ávrio) – “tomorrow”

94. Το χθες (to hthes) – “yesterday”

Greek: Το σήμερα είναι το χθες του αύριο.
Romanization: To símera íne to hthes tu ávrio.
Translation: Today is tomorrow’s yesterday.

95. Η ημέρα (i iméra) – “day”

96. Η εβδομάδα (i evdomáda) – “week”

Greek: Χθες ήταν Δευτέρα, η πρώτη ημέρα της εβδομάδας.
Romanization: Hthes ítan Deftéra, i próti iméra tis evdomádas.
Translation: Yesterday was Monday, the first day of the week.

97. Ο μήνας (o mínas) – “month”

98. Το έτος (to étos) – “year”

99. Η ώρα (i óra) – “hour”

100. Το λεπτό (to leptó) – “minute”

Greek: Κάθε έτος έχει δώδεκα μήνες και κάθε ώρα έχει εξήντα λεπτά.
Romanization: Káthe étos éhi dódeka mínes ke káthe óra éhi exínda leptá.
Translation: Every year has twelve months, and every hour has sixty minutes.

Wondering how to tell the hour or the days and months in Greek? Guess what! This knowledge is also available for you on GreekPod101.com!

10.Conclusion

Learning how to describe various objects around you is the core of your study. In this article, we tried to cover a wide range of common Greek nouns, which will certainly be useful in everyday life.

But learning Greek nouns is just the beginning. GreekPod101.com offers you high-quality, practical knowledge about the Greek language.

On GreekPod101.com, we aim to provide you with everything you need to know about the Greek language in a fun and interesting way. Stay tuned for more articles like this one, word lists, grammar tips, and even YouTube videos, which are waiting for you to discover them!

You can also upgrade to Premium Plus and take advantage of our MyTeacher program to learn Greek with your own personal tutor, who will answer any questions you might have!

In the meantime, can you think of another noun not included in this list? Let us know in the comments and we’ll surely inform you about its Greek equivalent!

Who doesn’t enjoy a heartfelt compliment?

I don’t know about you, but Greeks do enjoy compliments very much!

Giving and receiving compliments is what brings people closer.

Whether between friends, colleagues, or even lovers, complimenting is an integral part of everyday life.

In this article, we’ve gathered the best Greek compliments, along with what they mean and how to use them! By the time you finish reading, you’ll be able to share everything you’ve always wanted with the people you appreciate. We’ll explore how to compliment someone’s looks, work, and skills, with relevant examples.

So, are you ready to begin complimenting in Greek? Then continue reading.

Table of Contents

1. An Introduction to Greek Compliments
2. Complimenting Someone’s Look
3. Complimenting Someone’s Work
4. Complimenting Someone’s Skills
5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere
6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
7. Conclusion

1. An Introduction to Greek Compliments

First things first, let’s have a look at how to say the word “compliment” as a noun in Greek.

• Greek: (το) κομπλιμέντο
• Romanization: kompliméndo
• Translation: “compliment”

Did you notice anything interesting?

I’m sure you did:

The Greek word κομπλιμέντο (or κοπλιμέντο) is very similar to its English equivalent. The explanation is really simple: both words are borrowed from Italian. At this point, we should note that this term is widely used in everyday conversations.

However, there’s another Greek word for “compliment,” demonstrated below.

• Greek: (η) φιλοφρόνηση
• Romanization: filofrónisi
• Translation: “compliment”

This term is an original Greek compound word. More specifically, it consists of the words φίλος (fílos), meaning “friend” + φρονώ (fronó), meaning “to think” or “to consider.” It’s a very scholarly word, so it’s not widely used in everyday conversations; however, you might encounter it in Greek books and literature.

Now let’s take a look at how to say “giving a compliment” in Greek.

• Greek: Κάνω ένα κομπλιμέντο.
• Romanization: Káno éna kompliméndo.
• Literal Translation: “I do a compliment.”
• Meaning: “I give a compliment.” / “I compliment.”

Whereas in English, we can simply use “compliment” as a verb, there’s no equivalent verb in Greek. So the same meaning can be expressed by using the phrase κάνω ένα κομπλιμέντο (káno éna kompliméndo), which literally means “I do a compliment.” Please note the difference, since in English, the verb “to give” is used in this case (instead of “to do”), which might confuse novice Greek learners.

2. Complimenting Someone’s Look

Image Description:

Complimenting someone on their looks can really cheer them up!

In Greek, however, it’s more common to compliment someone’s look when flirting, rather than between friends. Nevertheless, this is definitely not a constraint, as many close friends also compliment each other.

You can find the most common Greek phrases for complimenting someone’s look below.

• Greek: Τα μαλλιά σου είναι πολύ ωραία σήμερα.
• Romanization: Ta maliá su íne polí oréa símera.
• Translation: “Your hair is very nice today.”
• Example Situation: When you want to compliment someone (male or female) on their hair.
• Greek: Μου αρέσει η μπλούζα σου.
• Romanization: Mu arési i blúza su.
• Translation: “I like your blouse/shirt.”
• Example Situation: When you want to compliment someone (male or female) on their blouse/shirt.
• Greek: Έχεις όμορφο χαμόγελο.
• Romanization: Éhis ómorfo hamóyelo.
• Translation: “You’ve got a pretty smile.”
• Example Situation: When you want to compliment someone (male or female) on their smile.
• Greek: Είσαι πολύ γλυκός!
• Romanization: Íse polí glikós.
• Translation: “You are very sweet!”
• Example Situation: When you want to compliment someone (male) on his personality.
• Greek: Είσαι η πιο όμορφη γυναίκα που έχω γνωρίσει.
• Romanization: Íse i pio ómorfi yinéka pu ého gnorísi.
• Translation: “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met.”
• Example Situation: When you want to compliment someone (female) on her beauty.

Please note that giving such personal compliments to someone of the opposite sex might be perceived as flirting, so use them wisely. Within the same context, Greek men tend to give many compliments…even to random women in the streets. There’s nothing to be afraid of, though. Just smile and say thank you.

If you want to learn more about Greek flirting, take a look at our list of the Top 15 Love Phrases.

3. Complimenting Someone’s Work

Another context where complimenting is really important is in our work environment. After all, we tend to spend a third of our life in our workspace. So, giving and receiving work-related compliments is crucial for bonding with colleagues, as well as for making progress.

Here are the most common Greek compliments that can be used in a work environment:

• Greek: Μπράβο!
• Romanization: Brávo!
• Translation: “Bravo!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone.
• Greek: Συγχαρητήρια!
• Romanization: Siharitíria!
• Translation: “Congratulations!”
• Example Situation: When you want to congratulate someone.
• Greek: Έχεις κάνει πολύ καλή δουλειά.
• Romanization: Éhis káni polí kalí duliá.
• Translation: “You’ve done a very good job.”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone for their work.
• Greek: Είσαι πολύ εργατικός / εργατική!
• Romanization: Íse polí ergatikós / ergatikí!
• Translation: “You are very hardworking!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone for their hard work.
• Greek: Η παρουσίασή σου ήταν πολύ καλή.
• Romanization: I parusíasi su ítan polí kalí.
• Translation: “Your presentation was very good.”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone who has just finished their presentation.
• Greek: Η ιδέα σου ήταν εξαιρετική.
• Romanization: Ι idéa su ítan exeretikí.
• Translation: “Your idea was excellent.”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone for their idea.

4. Complimenting Someone’s Skills

Excellent skills are hard to find. Therefore, we should recognize them and praise those who have them accordingly. This acknowledgement is what keeps people going and becoming better and better.

Below are some of the most common Greek compliments on someone’s skills.

• Greek: Έχεις πολύ ταλέντο!
• Romanization: Éhis polí talédo!
• Translation: “You are very talented!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (male or female) for their skills.
• Greek: Είσαι εξαιρετικός μάγειρας!
• Romanization: Íse exeretikós máyiras!
• Translation: “You are an exceptional cook!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (male) for his cooking skills.
• Greek: Είσαι εξαιρετική μαγείρισσα!
• Romanization: Íse exeretikí mayírisa!
• Translation: “You are an exceptional cook!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (female) for her cooking skills.
• Greek: Βγάζεις πολύ ωραίες φωτογραφίες!
• Romanization: Vgázis polí orées fotografíes!
• Translation: “You take very nice shots!”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (male or female) for their photos.
• Note: In Greek, the expression is βγάζω φωτογραφία, which is literally translated as “take out photos.”
• Greek: Μιλάς πολύ καλά ελληνικά.
• Romanization: Milás polí kalá eliniká.
• Translation: “You speak very good Greek.”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (male or female) for their language skills.
• Greek: Είσαι σίγουρος/-η ότι δεν είσαι επαγγελματίας;
• Romanization: Íse síguros/-i óti den íse epaggelmatías?
• Translation: “Are you sure you’re not a professional?”
• Example Situation: When you want to praise someone (male or female) for their skills in a specific sector.

5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

Although compliments should always be honest, there are a few things you can do to seem more sincere. In Greece, there isn’t anything specific you should do while giving compliments, but here are a few useful tips:

• A shining smile is always a good way to show that you really mean the compliment. Just wear your best smile and say something honest and nice.
• Looking the other party in the eye is another way to express your honesty. In Greece, it’s considered to be the best way to detect if someone is lying.
• Feel free to clap if you’re excited. While this isn’t appropriate for more personal comments, it’s perfectly fine when giving compliments about someone’s skills or work-related achievements.

6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

When receiving a compliment, most people kindly smile and say thank you.

Here are some relevant phrases you can use when receiving compliments in Greek.

• Greek: Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
• Romanization: Efharistó polí!
• Translation: “Thank you very much!”
• Greek: Ευχαριστώ πολύ για το κομπλιμέντο!
• Romanization: Efharistó polí ya to kompliméndo!
• Translation: “Thank you very much for the compliment!”
• Greek: Υπερβάλλεις!
• Romanization: Ipervális!
• Translation: “You are exaggerating!”

7. Conclusion

Giving a compliment is always a nice gesture; it makes people happy and brightens their day. In Greek, there are no special phrases, and at this point we could say that complimenting in Greek is very similar to complimenting in English. Indeed, even in the context of gestures, no significant differences have been found.

Put on your best smile and make others happy!

Just a short note to self: Compliment others more—even in Greek!

Is there another compliment in Greek you want to learn? Let us know in the comments!

At GreekPod101.com, we aim to provide you with everything you need to know about the Greek language in a fun and interesting way. Articles, word lists, grammar tips, and even YouTube videos, are waiting for you to discover them! And if you prefer a one-on-one learning experience, you can use our MyTeacher Messenger before heading over to our online community to discuss lessons with other students.

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In the Greek language, there are three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each noun in Greek has a specific gender and—unlike in English—these genders don’t only apply exclusively to nouns referring to people, but also to nouns that refer to things or animals. Therefore, gender should be viewed as a grammatical attribute of a noun and not necessarily as the sex of a person, animal, or thing.

The gender roles in Greek society are deeply influenced by the patriarchal family model, although it has been modernized over the past few decades, attempting to ensure that women are equal to men. If you take a look at Greek mythology, the gods normally represent physical power, whereas goddesses represent wisdom, love, and organization. However, today’s Greek society is quite balanced when it comes to the differences between the two genders.

In this article, we’ve gathered all the tips and tricks to help you understand grammatical Greek genders.

Table of Contents

1. The Word “Gender” in Greek
2. Articles in Greek According to Their Gender
3. Guessing the Gender of a Word in Greek
4. Memorizing the Gender of a Noun in Greek
5. Gender Variations for Adjectives
6. Conclusion

1. The Word “Gender” in Greek

• Greek: γένος
• Romanization: yénos
• Translation: “gender”

The word above is utilized in grammar to express the gender of a noun or an adjective.

• Greek: φύλο
• Romanization: fílo
• Translation: “gender”

This one is utilized in everyday speech to express the gender/sex of a person.

In Greek grammar, we use the word γένος, therefore there are three genders, which are: αρσενικό (arsenikó) meaning “masculine,” θηλυκό (thilikó) meaning “feminine,” and ουδέτερο (udétero) meaning “neuter.” These genders characterize nouns, adjectives, articles, and some pronouns and participles.

2. Articles in Greek According to Their Gender

The definitive articles in Greek are: ο (masculine), η (feminine), and το (neuter). They change depending on the grammatical case, though they all translate to the English word “the.”

Masculine Definitive Article:
Nominative: ο
Genitive: του
Accusative: τον

Feminine Definitive Article:
Nominative: η
Genitive: της
Accusative: τη(ν)

Neuter Definitive Article:
Nominative: το
Genitive: του
Accusative: το

Here’s an example of how these definite articles can be used in everyday conversations.

• Greek: Στο εστιατόριο ο άντρας κοιτούσε τον κατάλογο, η γυναίκα κοιτούσε το κινητό και το παιδί έπαιζε με τα παιχνίδια του.
• Romanization: Sto estiatório o ándras kitúse ton katálogo, i yinéka kitúse to kinitó ke to pedí épeze me ta pehnídia tu.
• Translation: “In the restaurant, the man was looking at the menu, the woman was looking at the phone, and the child was playing with his toys.”

The indefinite articles in Greek are: ένας (masculine), μια/μία (feminine), and ένα (neuter). They also get inflected according to the case.

Masculine Indefinite Article:
Nominative: ένας
Genitive: ενός
Accusative: έναν

Feminine Indefinite Article:
Nominative: μια
Genitive: μιας
Accusative: μια

Neuter Indefinite Article:
Nominative: ένα
Genitive: ενός
Accusative: ένα

Here’s an example of how to use indefinite articles.

• Greek: Ένας άντρας, μια γυναίκα και ένα παιδί έκατσαν στο δίπλα τραπέζι.
• Romanization: Énas ándras, mia yinéka ke éna pedí ékatsan sto dípla trapézi.
• Translation: “A man, a woman, and a child sat on the nearby table.”

3. Guessing the Gender of a Word in Greek

Recognizing the gender of a noun in Greek can be tricky, since all of these get inflected, resulting in different endings depending on the case they’re used in. However, in this section, we’ll refer to the most popular masculine, feminine, and neuter noun endings in the nominative case (i.e. the dictionary form).

Masculine endings:

-ος      Examples: ο άνθρωπος (o ánthropos) meaning “the human”; ο καιρός (o kerós) meaning “the weather”; ο ήλιος (o ílios) meaning “the sun”; ο κόσμος (o kózmos) meaning “the world.”

-ας      Examples: ο μπαμπάς (o babás) meaning “the father”; ο άντρας (o ándras) meaning “the man”; ο κανόνας (o kanónas) meaning “the rule”; ο ελέφαντας (o eléfandas) meaning “the elephant.”

-ης      Examples: ο λογιστής (o loyistís) meaning “the accountant”; ο υπολογιστής (o ipoloyistís) meaning “the computer”; ο πελάτης (o pelátis) meaning “the customer”; ο μαθητής (o mathitís) meaning “the student.”

-ες      Examples: ο καφές (o kafés) meaning “the coffee”; ο λεκές (o lekés) meaning “the stain.”

-ούς      Examples: ο παππούς (o papús) meaning “the grandfather.”

-έας      Examples: ο γραμματέας (o gramatéas) meaning “the secretary.”

Feminine endings:

-ος      Examples: η μέθοδος (i méthodos) meaning “the method”; η άνοδος (i ánodos) meaning “the rise”; η κάθοδος (i káthodos) meaning “the descent”; η οδός (i odós) meaning “the street”; η λεωφόρος (i leofóros) meaning “the avenue.”

-α      Examples: η μητέρα (i mitéra) meaning “the mother”; η καρέκλα (i karékla) meaning “the chair”; η θάλασσα (i thálasa) meaning “the sea”; η ώρα (i óra) meaning “the hour”; η αγελάδα (i ageláda) meaning “the cow.”

-η      Examples: η λέξη (i léxi) meaning “the word”; η αγάπη (i agápi) meaning “the love”; η ψυχή (i psihí) meaning “the soul”; η ζάχαρη (i záhari) meaning “the sugar”; η οθόνη (i othóni) meaning “the monitor.”

-ού      Examples: η μαϊμού (i maimú) meaning “the monkey.”

-ώ      Examples: η ηχώ (i ihó) meaning “the echo.”

Neuter endings:

-ος      Examples: το λάθος (to láthos) meaning “the passion”; το γεγονός (to yegonós) meaning “the incident.”

-ο      Examples: το φυτό (to fitó) meaning “the plant”; το βιβλίο (to vivlío) meaning “the book”; το γραφείο (to grafío) meaning “the office”; το ξενοδοχείο (to xenodohío) meaning “the hotel”; το λεωφορείο (to leoforío) meaning “the bus.”

-ι      Examples: το σπίτι (to spíti) meaning “the house”; το κουτί (to kutí) meaning “the box”; το πουλί (to pulí) meaning “the bird.”

-α      Examples: το πρόβλημα (to próvlima) meaning “the problem”; το μάθημα (to máthima) meaning “the lesson”; το θέμα (to théma) meaning “the subject.”

-ιμο      Examples: το φταίξιμο (to ftéximo) meaning “the fault”; το πλύσιμο (to plísimo) meaning “the washing.”

Major Exception:
There are some neuter nouns ending in -υ, which are the following:

• βράδυ (vrádi) — “night”
• στάχυ (stáhi) — “ear; the plant”
• δόρυ (dóri) — “spear”
• οξύ (oxí) — “acid”
• δίχτυ (díhti) — “net”
• δάκρυ (dákri) — “tear”

For more information on how to tell the gender of a noun, check out this video lesson.

4. Memorizing the Gender of a Noun in Greek

As you might have noticed, the -ος (-os) ending is found in nouns of all three genders, so it’s difficult to guess the gender by the ending. In this case, you should try to find another nearby word, preferably an article, which indicates the gender of the noun.

But what if there’s no indication of the noun’s gender around? Then, you can check if the noun is stressed on its last syllable; if it is, you can at least be sure that it’s not a neutral noun.

Another tricky part of the Greek language gender rules which confuses a lot of learners is the fact that there are many nouns that end with -ος (-os), which can be either masculine or feminine. Those usually indicate a profession, such as ο/η γιατρός (o/i yatrós) meaning “doctor” or ο/η δικηγόρος (o/i dikigóros) meaning “lawyer.”

It’s easy to guess the gender of some Greek nouns that refer directly to a specific sex, like the words μητέρα or μπαμπάς, because they follow their sex. But that’s not always the case. For example, το αγόρι (to agóri) meaning “the boy” is not a masculine noun; it’s neuter!

The best thing you can do to memorize the gender of a noun in Greek is to learn the noun in its dictionary form together with its article. For example, the word γάλα (gála) meaning “milk” which ends in -α could give the impression that it’s feminine—but it’s neuter. So memorizing it as το γάλα (to gála) instead could help you avoid that confusion.

5. Gender Variations for Adjectives

Adjectives can vary depending on the gender of the noun they define. Each adjective changes its ending in a different manner.

Let’s have a look at some examples below.

Normally, when the male adjective ends in -ος, then the feminine ending will be -η and the neuter ending will be -ο.

– καλ-ός / καλ-ή / καλ-ό

• Greek: Αυτός o δάσκαλος είναι πολύ καλός.
• Romanization: Aftós o dáskalos íne polí kalós.
• Translation: “This (masculine) teacher is very good.”
• Greek: Αυτή ή δασκάλα είναι πολύ καλή.
• Romanization: Aftí i daskála íne polí kalí.
• Translation: “This (feminine) teacher is very good.”
• Greek: Αυτό το παιδί είναι πολύ καλό.
• Romanization: Aftó to pedí íne polí kaló.
• Translation: “This kid is very good.”

In the same manner, indicatively, the following adjectives change their ending when referring to masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns:

ελεύθερος (eléftheros) — “free”
άρρωστος (árrostos) — “sick”
όμορφος (ómorfos) — “good-looking”
άσχημος (áschimos) — “ugly”
έξυπνος (éxipnos) — “smart”

Another common category of adjectives includes masculine adjectives ending in -ος, changing the feminine to -α and the neuter to -ο.

– άδει-ος / άδει-α / άδει-ο

• Greek: Ο χώρος ήταν άδειος.
• Romanization: O hóros ítan ádios.
• Translation: “The space was empty.”
• Greek: Η αίθουσα ήταν άδεια.
• Romanization: I éthusa ítan ádia.
• Translation: “The classroom was empty.”
• Greek: Το κουτί ήταν άδειο.
• Romanization: To kutí ítan ádio.
• Translation: “The box was empty.”

In the same manner, indicatively, the following adjectives change their ending when referring to masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns:

ωραίος (oréos) — “nice”
άγριος (ágrios) — “wild”
γαλάζιος (galázios) — “light blue”
γελοίος (yelíos) — “ridiculous”
αιώνιος (eónios) — “eternal”

Another category of adjectives affected by the gender of the noun is as follows:

– βαθ-ύς / βαθ-ιά / βαθ-ύ

• Greek: Ο βαθύς ποταμός.
• Romanization: O vathís potamós.
• Translation: “The deep river”
• Greek: Η βαθιά λίμνη.
• Romanization: I vathiá límni.
• Translation: “The deep lake”
• Greek: Το βαθύ πηγάδι.
• Romanization: To vathí pigádi.
• Translation: “The deep water well”

In the same manner, the following adjectives change their endings when defining masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns:

ελαφρύς (elafrís) — “light”
βαρύς (varís) — “heavy”
μακρύς (makrís) — “long”
πλατύς (platís) — “wide”
παχύς (pahís) — “thick”

If you’re interested in learning more about Greek adjectives, you’re in luck!

Just take a look at our article on the Top 100 Greek Adjectives. And if you feel like digging deeper into Greek grammar, check out lessons 13-17 of our Intermediate series.

6. Conclusion

Recognizing the gender of each noun in Greek isn’t easy. We get it. However, if you follow the above tips and tricks, you’ll be able to guess the gender of a noun or an adjective accurately in most cases. With experience, practice, and study, we’re sure you’ll soon become a master of Greek noun gender.

At GreekPod101.com, we aim to provide you with everything you need to know about the Greek language in a fun and interesting way. Stay tuned for more articles like this one, word lists, grammar tips, and even YouTube videos, which are waiting for you to discover them!

You can also upgrade to Premium Plus and take advantage of our MyTeacher program to learn Greek with your own personal teacher, who will answer any questions you might have!

In the meantime, is there a noun or adjective that troubles you? Let us know in the comments.

People in Greece might be welcoming, generous, and hospitable. However, they can also be pretty tense. A walk around Athens can resolve all your doubts. You’ll definitely encounter some people shouting at each other while driving, or even groups of teenagers arguing about their favorite artist.

This is a characteristic of almost all cultures around the Mediterranean Sea. Greek culture closely resembles those of the Italian and the Spanish. However, this phenomenon normally can’t be characterized as anger; it’s really just vivid talking. In this article, we’ll be going over the Greek word for anger, as well as how to express negative emotions in Greek.

Anger is an emotion that Greeks have tried to understand and explain since ancient times. The concept of anger is prominent in ancient Greek mythology, as the 12 Gods of Olympus showcased the same behavioral traits as the mortals. Indeed, they could be jealous, intimidated, and even angered—and believe me, you don’t want to see an angry Greek god!

When a thunderstorm hit, Greeks perceived it as an expression of Zeus’s anger. Within the same context, a storm at sea was believed to be the release of tension of Poseidon, the God of the Seas. As for earthquakes, there was the angry God Enceladus, one of the Giants, who made the Earth shiver due to his bad temper.

In the Homeric epics Iliad and Odyssey, anger is the reason for war and many other bad things that happen to the heroes. Since antiquity, it was believed that anger could make a man “blind” in the sense that he would be unable to think and act straight, thus leading to poor decision-making. One of Aristotle’s most-known quotes is:

“Anybody can become angry—that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”

From ancient Greece until today, anger is always present in our lives.

→ For information on how to put other feelings into Greek words, check out our useful lesson on GreekPod101.com.

So, how is anger in modern Greek culture? Well, here’s the word for “anger” in Greek:

Greek: (o) θυμός
Romanization: thimós
Translation: “anger” (masculine)

This is a masculine noun, but there’s also a feminine noun that you can use for more intense anger:

Greek: (η) οργή
Romanization: oryí
Translation: “rage” (feminine)

In this article, we’ll demonstrate some of the most common angry Greek phrases and expressions. Nevertheless, we don’t encourage you to use them frequently, because who wants to be angry, after all?

Table of Contents

1. Angry Imperatives
2. Angry Warnings
3. Angry Blames
4. Describing How You Feel
5. How to Calm Someone Down
6. Conclusion

1. Angry Imperatives

Imperatives can be rude. So, while we don’t advise the use of the following phrases, it’s always good to know a thing or two—just in case. As you might notice, the phrases used are pretty similar to the English ones, which makes them easier to remember.

• Greek: Σκάσε!
• Romanization: Skáse!
• Translation: “Shut up!”
• Example Situation: When someone is talking constantly and you can’t stand it anymore.
• Additional Notes: This is an imperative form of the verb σκάω (skáo). This phrase is considered particularly rude and you should avoid using it.
• Greek: Άντε / Άι χάσου!
• Romanization: Áde / Ái hásu!
• Translation: “Get lost!”
• Example Situation: When someone has angered you so much that you can’t stand seeing him/her.
• Additional Notes: This is an imperative form of the verb χάνομαι (hánome), meaning “to get lost.” The first word, άντε, which is often used as άι, is an interjection and acts as a prompt meaning “go ahead” or “go on.” This is another phrase that should be avoided, as it’s considered pretty rude.

You’re probably wondering “Avoid this…avoid that…which phrase can I actually use when I’m angry?” Here are some milder examples of ways to express that you’re angry in Greek:

• Greek: Σταμάτα!
• Romanization: Stamáta!
• Translation: “Stop (it)!”
• Example Situation: When someone does something annoying.
• Additional Notes: This is an imperative form of the verb σταματάω / σταματώ (stamatáo / stamató), meaning “to stop.”
• Greek: Κόφ’ το!
• Romanization: Kóf’ to!
• Translation: “Cut it out!”
• Example Situation: When someone does something annoying.
• Additional Notes: The first word comes from the verb κόβω (kóvo), meaning “to cut,” which has been contracted before the pronoun το (to). το (to) means “it” and serves as an object here, due to a phonological phenomenon called apocope. Keep in mind that this is a slang expression, so it’s more suitable in casual situations.
• Greek: Παράτα με!
• Romanization: Paráta me!
• Translation: “Leave me alone!”
• Example Situation: When someone keeps talking to you or keeps doing something annoying.
• Additional Notes: This is an imperative form of the verb παρατάω / παρατώ (paratáo / parató), which means “abandon” / “quit” / “leave.” The word με is the weak form of the personal pronoun εμένα (eména), meaning “me” in the accusative.

→ Check out our lesson on making negative Greek commands for additional information on this topic!

2. Angry Warnings

Warning someone can be a good tactic to avoid becoming angry in the first place. These are some phrases you can use to make your point as clear as the Greek blue sky.

• Greek: Μην ανακατεύεσαι!
• Romanization: Min anakatévese!
• Translation: “Stay out of it!”
• Example Situation: When someone gets in the way or intervenes on a matter that doesn’t concern them.
• Greek: Δεν θέλω να σε ξαναδώ.
• Romanization: Den thélo na se xanadó.
• Translation: “I don’t want to see you again.”
• Example Situation: When you break up with someone.
• Greek: Μη με κάνεις να το ξαναπώ.
• Romanization: Mi me kánis na to xanapó.
• Translation: “Don’t make me say it again.”
• Example Situation: When you’ve said something over and over again, but the other individual doesn’t go along with it.
• Greek: Δεν θα το ανεχτώ!
• Romanization: Den tha to anehtó!
• Translation: “I won’t tolerate that!”
• Example Situation: When something happens that goes well and beyond your limits.

3. Angry Blames

We couldn’t leave angry blames out of this list. This is simply because the phrases below can be used to set your limits, express your anger about a situation that’s beyond your control, or make a point clear.

• Greek: Μα καλά, τι σκεφτόσουν;
• Romanization: Ma kalá, ti skeftósun?
• Translation: “What were you thinking?”
• Example Situation: When someone does something so stupid that you can’t even understand what led to this.
• Additional Notes: The phrase μα καλά literally means “But well.” However, its meaning here is different. It’s used as an exclamatory phrase to express surprise over something unthinkable.
• Greek: Εσύ φταις!
• Romanization: Esí ftés!
• Translation: “It’s your fault!”
• Example Situation: When someone does something bad.
• Greek: Ποιος νομίζεις πώς είσαι;
• Romanization: Pios nomízis pos íse?
• Translation: “Who do you think you are?”
• Example Situation: When someone acts in such a way that it suggests they think too highly of themselves.
• Greek: Αυτό που έκανες ήταν απαράδεκτο!
• Romanization: Aftó pu ékanes ítan aparádekto!
• Translation: “What you did was unacceptable!”
• Example Situation: When someone does something inappropriate.
• Greek: Είσαι τρελός / τρελή;
• Romanization: Íse trelós / trelí?
• Translation: “Are you crazy?”
• Example Situation: When someone does something crazy.
• Greek: Πας καλά;
• Romanization: Pas kalá?
• Translation: “Are you in your right mind?”
• Example Situation: When someone does something crazy and you think something is wrong with them. This expression literally means “Are you going well?” in the sense of “Are you functioning well (mentally)?”

→ Need more words and phrases? Check out our lesson on how to have an argument in Greek!

4. Describing How You Feel

Many people find it difficult to express their feelings. What you should keep in mind is that without expressing ourselves, others might misinterpret our actions or feelings. In many cases, being straightforward is a good move for avoiding anger. Here are some to-the-point phrases you can use to say “I am angry” in Greek, or to express other negative emotions:

• Greek: Είμαι πολύ θυμωμένος / θυμωμένη!
• Romanization: Íme polí thimoménos / thimoméni!
• Translation: “I am very angry!”
• Example Situation: When you’re very angry.
• Additional Notes: θυμωμένος is masculine and θυμωμένη is feminine.
• Greek: Έχω μπουχτίσει!
• Romanization: Ého buhtísi!
• Translation: “I am fed up!”
• Example Situation: When you feel like you can’t take it anymore.
• Additional Notes: The verb μπουχτίζω corresponds to the phrasal verb “feed up.”
• Greek: Ποτέ δεν έχω υπάρξει τόσο απογοητευμένος / απογοητευμένη.
• Romanization: Poté den ého ipárxi tóso apogoitevménos / apogoitevméni.
• Translation: “I’ve never been so disappointed.”
• Example Situation: When you feel deeply disappointed.
• Greek: Δεν μπορώ άλλο.
• Romanization: Den boró állo.
• Translation: “I can’t take it anymore.”
• Example Situation: When you feel you can’t take it anymore.

→ Learn the top 21 words for negative emotions with GreekPod101.com to better explain yourself.

5. How to Calm Someone Down

Calming someone down is not about charisma. It’s knowing what to say and when to say it. Here are some relevant examples of Greek phrases and expressions, which can be used for this purpose:

• Greek: Πάρε μια βαθιά ανάσα.
• Romanization: Páre mia vathiá anása.
• Translation: “Take a deep breath.”
• Example Situation: Trying to calm someone down who is very upset or in shock.
• Greek: Έλα, ηρέμησε.
• Romanization: Éla, irémise.
• Translation: “Come on, calm down.”
• Example Situation: Trying to calm someone down who is very upset.
• Greek: Πρέπει να προσπαθήσεις να ηρεμήσεις.
• Romanization: Prépi na prospathísis na iremísis.
• Translation: “You should try to calm down.”
• Example Situation: Suggesting to someone that being angry won’t do any good.

6. Conclusion

As the Greek historian Plutarch pointed out: “The characteristic of a wise man is the ability to avoid every conflict and anger.” This is indeed a wise move, although we understand that it can be difficult to stay calm in some situations.

That’s why we’ve outlined some of the most common Greek phrases and expressions related to anger—that feeling which can make you behave without thinking through all aspects of a situation.

In the end, our suggestion is the following: Every time you feel anger, just take a step back and breathe. Give it a second thought. Then, and only then, you can reach true wisdom.

However, if you feel the urge to speak, we’ve got you covered! At GreekPod101.com, we focus on practical learning, providing you with useful sentences, expressions, and word lists!

What do you do to calm down when angry?

Let us know in the comments!

Ever wondered how to say Happy Birthday in Greek?

Well, now you can easily learn all the useful Greek phrases about various life events, brought to you in this article by GreekPod101.com.

Learning—and using—the most popular Greek life event messages, such as Merry Christmas in Greek and Happy New Year in Greek, can be a nice surprise for your Greek friends.

Let’s have a look at the most appropriate ready-to-use Greek congratulations phrases you can use for each of the following occasions.

Table of Contents

1. Birthday
2. Pregnancy and Birth
3. Graduation
4. New Job or Promotion
5. Retirement
6. Wedding
7. Death or Funeral
8. Bad News
9. Illness or Injury
10. Holidays
11. New Beginnings within the Year
12. Acquiring Something New
13. Meals
14. Conclusion

1. Birthday

Greeks love birthdays and name-days. They often organize small feasts, during which all of their friends are gathered to celebrate. If you have a Greek friend, feel free to wish them a happy birthday in Greek by choosing one of the following Greek congratulations phrases.

Greek: Χρόνια πολλά!
Romanization: Hrónia polá!
Meaning: “Happy birthday!” / “Happy Name Day!” (Literally: [I wish you] many years [to live]!)

Greek: Και στα εκατό!
Romanization: Ke sta ekató!
Meaning: “(May you live) up to 100 years old!”

Greek: Να χαίρεσαι το όνομά σου!
Romanization: Na hérese to ónomá su!
Meaning: “Be happy for your name!”

Greek: Χρόνια πολλά, έστω και καθυστερημένα!
Romanization: Hrónia polá, ésto ke kathisteriména!
Meaning: “Happy belated birthday!” (Literally: Happy birthday, although belated!)

Greek: Να τα εκατοστήσεις!
Romanization: Na ta ekatostísis!
Meaning: “May you reach 100 years old!”

Greek: Να τα χιλιάσεις!
Romanization: Na ta hiliásis!
Meaning: “May you reach 1000 years old!”

Greek: Πολύχρονος (masculine) / Πολύχρονη (feminine)!
Romanization: Políhronos / Políhroni!
Meaning: “(May you be) long-lived!”

Greek: Ό,τι επιθυμείς!
Romanization: Ó,ti epithimís!
Meaning: “(May you get) everything you desire!”

2. Pregnancy and Birth

Bringing a new human to life has always been a major event in Greece. Friends and family are really happy and tend to send gifts to the happy couple. However, unlike in other countries, Greeks do not organize baby showers.

Greek: Να σας ζήσει!
Romanization: Na sas zísi!
Meaning: “(May your baby) live long!”

Greek: Γερό και καλότυχο να είναι!
Romanization: Yeró ke kalótiho na íne!
Meaning: “(May the baby) be healthy and fortunate!”

Οther popular wishes usually said to pregnant women are shown below.

Greek: Με έναν πόνο!
Romanization: Me énan póno!
Meaning: “(May the baby come out) with one pain!”

Greek: Με το καλό!
Romanization: Me to kaló!
Meaning: “(God willing) everything will be fine!”
Additional Note: This can be used in many social situations since it’s a very generic way to wish for a positive outcome.

Greek: Καλή λευτεριά!
Romanization: Kalí lefteriá!
Meaning: “(I wish you) good freedom!”
Additional Note: This is a way of wishing a woman relief after her pregnancy.

3. Graduation

Greece has one of the highest percentages of university graduates in Europe. Therefore, it’s common to celebrate one’s graduation from a university, usually with a big dinner with friends and family.

If you happen to have a friend who’s graduating, feel free to pick and use one of the following congratulations in Greek.

Greek: Συγχαρητήρια!
Romanization: Sinharitíria!
Meaning: “Congratulations!”

Greek: Και εις ανώτερα!
Romanization: Ke is anótera!
Meaning: “May you achieve greater things!”

Greek: Καλή πρόοδο!
Romanization: Kalí próodo!
Meaning: “(I wish you) good progress!”

All of the above phrases can be either formal or informal, and can be said or written in a card. In Greece, when a friend or a family member is graduating, it’s common to offer a present. It would be a nice surprise for your Greek friend to find some Greek wishes in the accompanying card!

4. New Job or Promotion

Getting a promotion is something that many people pursue, usually for many years. They deserve a happy wish, don’t they? You can choose and use one of the following.

Greek: Συγχαρητήρια για την προαγωγή σου!
Romanization: Sinharitíria ya tin proagoyí su!
Meaning: “Congratulations on your promotion!”

Greek: Σου εύχομαι καλή επιτυχία στη νέα σου θέση!
Romanization: Su éfhome kalí epitihía sti néa su thési!
Meaning: “I wish you good luck (lit. great success) on your new position!”

5. Retirement

Retirement for some is the ultimate dream. Getting old isn’t pleasant. You get tired easier, and after so many years of work, retirement seems awesome.

Here’s an appropriate wish you can use when someone you know is retiring.

Greek: Τις καλύτερες ευχές μου για το νέο κεφάλαιο της ζωής σου!
Romanization: Tis kalíteres efhés mu ya to néo kefáleo tis zoís su!
Meaning: “Best wishes on your new chapter in life!”

6. Wedding

Well, marriage is a big party, isn’t it? This is exactly what happens in Greece. The newlyweds normally organize a big feast after their marriage to celebrate their happiness with friends and family.

But what do you say at a Greek wedding? Below, you can find a wide variety of Greek wedding congratulations you can say to the happy couple!

Greek: Να ζήσετε!
Romanization: Na zísete!
Meaning: “(May you) live long!”

Greek: Βίον ανθόσπαρτον!
Romanization: Víon anthósparton!
Meaning: “(May your) life be full of flowers!”

Greek: Καλούς απογόνους!
Romanization: Kalús apogónus!
Meaning: “(May you have) good offspring!”

Greek: Η ώρα η καλή!
Romanization: I óra i kalí!
Meaning: “May the time of your marriage be good!”
Additional Note: This is said to the couple before getting married.

Greek: Και στα δικά σου!
Romanization: Ke sta diká su!
Meaning: “May you get married as well!”
Additional Note: This is said to the single people attending a wedding.

When the wedding party is over (or any other social gathering, really), the following expression is a very common thing for a host to say to his guests when they’re leaving:

Greek: Να πας (informal) / πάτε (formal, plural) στο καλό!
Romanization: Na pas / páte sto kaló!
Meaning: “Farewell!”
Additional Note: This is said to wish someone well when parting.

7. Death or Funeral

A funeral in Greece comes with great grievance and it’s considered to be a major social event. Normally, funerals are organized in churches, since most Greeks are Orthodox Christians. If you need to express your condolences, you can select one of the following Greek funeral condolences.

Greek: Θεός ‘σχωρέστον! (masculine) / Θεός ‘σχωρέστην! (feminine)
Romanization: Theós ‘schoréston! / Theós ‘schoréstin!
Meaning: “May God forgive him / her!”

Greek: Ζωή σε εσάς! / Ζωή σε λόγου σας!
Romanization: Zoí se esás! / Zoí se lógu sas!
Meaning: “(May you) live long!”
Additional Note: This refers to the family of the deceased.

Greek: Να ζήσετε να τον / τη θυμάστε!
Romanization: Na zísete na ton / ti thimáste!
Meaning: “(May you) live long in order to remember him / her!”
Additional Note: This also refers to the family of the deceased.

Greek: (Τα) συλλυπητήριά (μου)!
Romanization: (Ta) silipitíriá (mu)!
Meaning: “(My) condolences!”

8. Bad News

Show your Greek friends that you care by using the following ready-to-use Greek condolences messages.

Greek: Λυπάμαι πολύ!
Romanization: Lipáme polí!
Meaning: “I am deeply sorry!”

Greek: Λυπάμαι πολύ για αυτό που συνέβη!
Romanization: Lipáme polí ya aftó pu sinévi!
Meaning: “I am deeply sorry for what happened!”

9. Illness or Injury

In the unfortunate event of an injury or an illness, it’s considered kind to express your sympathy. You can easily do so with the following Greek phrases.

Greek: Περαστικά!
Romanization: Perastiká!
Meaning: “Get well soon!”

Greek: Καλή ανάρρωση!
Romanization: Kalí anárosi!
Meaning: “Have a good recovery!”

Greek: Σιδερένιος! (masculine) / Σιδερένια! (feminine)
Romanization: Siderénios! / Siderénia!
Meaning: “(Be) tough as iron (from now on)!”
Additional Note: This is usually said after a surgery or serious injury.

Greek: Να προσέχεις!
Romanization: Na proséhis!
Meaning: “Take care!”

10. Holidays

Holidays are all about kindness and gratitude. What do you write in a Greek Christmas card? How do you express good wishes for the holidays?

Here you can find the most popular holiday wishes, such as Merry Christmas in Greek or Happy New Year in Greek.

Greek: Καλά Χριστούγεννα!
Romanization: Kalá Hristúyena!
Meaning: “Merry Christmas!”

Greek: Καλή χρονιά!
Romanization: Kalí hroniá!
Meaning: “Happy New Year!”

Greek: Ευτυχισμένο το 2020!
Romanization: Eftihizméno to dío hiliádes íkosi!
Meaning: “Happy 2020!”

Greek: Καλή Πρωταπριλιά!
Romanization: Kalí Protapriliá!
Meaning: “Happy April Fool’s Day!”

Greek: Καλό Πάσχα!
Romanization: Kaló Páscha!
Meaning: “Happy Easter!”

11. New Beginnings within the Year

Interestingly, Greeks tend to exchange wishes, even for minor events, like the beginning of a new month, or even the beginning of a new week. Have a look at the relevant phrases below.

Greek: Καλό μήνα!
Romanization: Kaló mína!
Meaning: “Have a good month!”

Greek: Καλή εβδομάδα!
Romanization: Kalí evdomáda!
Meaning: “Have a good week!”

Greek: Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!
Romanization: Kaló Savatokíriako!
Meaning: “Have a good weekend!”

12. Acquiring Something New

When a friend opens a new shop, or when they acquire something new, such as clothes, shoes, or even when they get a haircut, you might want to wish them the best. Here are some useful phrases for these situations.

Greek: Καλές δουλειές!
Romanization: Kalés duliés!
Meaning: “(May you have) good business!”
Additional Note: This can be said when attending the opening of a shop.

Greek: Με γεια!
Romanization: Me ya!
Meaning: “With health!”
Additional Note: This refers to a new acquisition, and is a wish for it to last. It’s a common expression for a new haircut or object.

Greek: Καλορίζικο!
Romanization: Kaloríziko!
Meaning: “I wish you to enjoy your new acquisition with good luck!”
Additional Note: This is often said when buying a house or opening up a store.

Greek: Καλοτάξιδο!
Romanization: Kalotáxido!
Meaning: “May it travel well!”
Additional Note: This is often said when getting a new car, boat, motorcycle, etc.).

13. Meals

One of the most common occasions is having dinner with some friends. Ever wondered how to say “cheers” in Greek? Read below to find out.

Greek: Γεια μας!
Romanization: Ya mas!
Meaning: “Cheers!”

Greek: Άσπρο πάτο!
Romanization: Áspro páto!
Meaning: “Bottoms up!”

Greek: Γούρι!
Romanization: Gúri!
Meaning: “(That’s) good luck!”
Additional Note: This is usually said when someone spills some of their drink.

Greek: Θα καλοπαντρευτείς!
Romanization: Tha kalopandreftís!
Meaning: “You will have a fortunate marriage!”
Additional Note: This is usually said to someone when pouring the last drops of wine from a bottle or carafe into his or her glass.

Greek: Καλή όρεξη!
Romanization: Kalí óreksi!
Meaning: “Enjoy your meal!” (Literally: Bon appétit!)

14. Conclusion

Interested in getting to know more useful Greek phrases? Join us at GreekPod101.com!

It’s important to know most wishes in Greek language learning, as they’re an integral part of the Greek language. Many people use them when both speaking and writing.

As demonstrated in this article, most of these phrases are closely related to various historical or cultural aspects of the Greek lifestyle. By learning them, you’re more likely to avoid any potential misunderstandings, and you’ll sound like a native Greek speaker.

At GreekPod101.com, we can help you learn the Greek language beyond the basics in an interesting, motivating, and fun way. Articles like this one, word lists, grammar tips, and even YouTube videos, are waiting for you to discover them!

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In the meantime, reader, let us know which of these life event messages you plan on trying out first! Good wishes for a relative’s wedding? Telling your Greek friend happy birthday in Greek? Let us know in the comments!