Saying Hello to Greece - in Greek

Quick words and phrases for the traveler

"Don't worry," travel agents say reassuringly. "In Greece, almost everyone in the tourist industry speaks a little English."

That is certainly true. But in most cases, Greeks will speak English more warmly -and sometimes, even more fluently- if you try greeting them in the Hellenic tongue. It can enhance your trip in many areas - and may save you money, time, and frustration along the way.

Here are a few helpful phrases to master, written phonetically. Accent the syllable in CAPITAL letters:

KaleeMEra - Good morning
KaleeSPERa - Good evening
YahSU - Hello
EfcareeSTO - Thank you
ParakaLOH - Please, also heard as "you're welcome"
KAthika - I am lost

You may also want to Learn to Count to Ten in Greek

The problem with Yes and No:
In Greek, the word for "No" can sound like "Okay" - OH-kee, as in "Okey-dokey". Others pronounce it "Oh-shee". Remember, if it sounds like "Okay" it means "No way!" And the word for "Yes" sounds like "No" - NEH! It may help to think it sounds like "Now", as in "Let's do it right now."

I wonder how many travel problems are the result of this misunderstanding?

While the phrases above are fun to use, I don't recommend trying to make travel arrangements in Greek unless you are truly comfortable in the language, or there is no other alternative available, which, for the casual tourist, almost never happens in Greece.

Otherwise, you may end up with a situation like this: "Yes, honey, the taxi driver just said it's okay, he'll drive us all the way to Acropolis, he said "Nah. Funny guy." Even if you know OHkee means "No" in Greek, and "Neh" means yes, your brain may still tell you the opposite.

Travel does do strange things to the mind; I once chose to go on foot to an appointment on Mykonos, thinking it was an easy walk away. Unfortunately, at that moment my brain inexplicably chose to convert kilometers to miles as if they were Chinese li, a much shorter unit of measure left swirling in my synapses from a journey to Asia. Oops. I arrived at my appointment much more tired and sweatier than I had intended, but fortunately, since this was laid-back Greece, I still arrived ahead of my host!

Here are some other resources to help you learn traveler's Greek:

Learn the Greek Alphabet in Eight Three-Minute Lessons

Go through these fun lessons, or sign up for my daily e-course on learning the Greek alphabet.

Practice The Greek Alphabet with Greek Roadsigns
Already know the Greek alphabet? See how you do on these roadsigns.

Plan Your Own Trip to Greece

Find & Compare Discount Flights to Athens

Find & Compare Discount Rental Cars in Athens

Find & Compare Rates on Hotels in Athens and throughout Greece and the Greek Islands

Book your Own Day Trips Around Athens

Book your Own Short Trips Around Greece

Some of The Best Greek Islands

Temple-crowned Aegina - Natural Alonissos - Traditional Carpathos - Chewy Chios - Cos, The Doctors' Island - Queenly Crete - Dignified Delos - Do it all on Donoussa - Hydra, Artist's Island - Odysseus' Ithaca - Kalokairi "Mamma Mia" Island - Spongy Kalymnos - Aphrodite's Kythira - Lesvos, More than Sappho - Lovely Leros - Mighty Mykonos - Paros Paradise - Pirate Islands - Pastoral Patmos - Volcanic Santorini - Sexy Skopelos - The Dreamy Small Cyclades - Easy Spetses - Symi Summers - Very Greek Syros - Honeyed Thassos - Tilos, Island of Elephants