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How to Learn 100 Greek Words You Can Use Instantly

Posted in: Travelling in Greece 0
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Last updated on July 16th, 2025 at 02:55 am

Greek, also known as Hellenic, is the spoken logos characterized as the symbol of Western Civilization.

Some theorize it as the commonย point between Eastern logic and Western science.

It belongs to the Indo-European genealogy of languages, forming its own furcate within it.

Greek is spoken today by 15 to 25 million people around Cosmos. Itโ€™s bureaucratic in Greece, Cyprus, the EU, and at a topical level in Communities in Albania, Italy, and Turkey.

Greek was first documented in the Mycenaean epoch on Linear B tablets from the 14th Century BC.

Itโ€™s the oldest known language that still survives. Its liberal arts have existed and progressed for more than 3,000 years!

As you noticed, we used some unusual words in parts.

Yes, you guessed well, bold underlined words are of Greek origin. Text is exaggerated of course, but consider that we did it on a non-scientific text but on a simple one.

Learn some basic Greek words

Certainly, our aim here is only to teach you some very common Greek words that can be useful during your trip to Greece.

It’s good to know the history behind the language if you intend to travel to Greece, but in the end, being able to communicate with some basic words with the Greeks is the only useful.

And believe us, Although almost every Greek can speak or understand some basic English, You’ll be most welcomed if you try to communicate with the locals using some basic Greek words.

Probably the first people you will meet and talk to are the hotel or other accommodation employees.

Also, people in tourist shops in all tourist areas, restaurant owners, and waiters, bar employees.

But also employees of local tourist offices where you can book boat or bus trips to local attractions or distant beautiful beaches.

It’s not difficult! Let’s start.

And here are the simple words you may be interested in learning.

Who knows; Maybe they intrigue your interest in a more extensive study of the Greek language.

General words

  • ฮบฮฑฮปฯŽฯ‚ ฮฎฯฮธฮฑฯ„ฮต(kalos eerthate, th as in throne) = Welcome
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฮฎ ฮดฮนฮฑฮผฮฟฮฝฮฎ(kali thiamonee, th as in this) = Enjoy your stay
  • ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฯŽ(parakalo) = Please or you welcome
  • ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฯŽ(efharisto) = Thank you
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฮทฮผฮญฯฮฑ(kalimera) = Good morning
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฮทฯƒฯ€ฮญฯฮฑ(kalispera) = Good afternoon
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฮทฮฝฯฯ‡ฯ„ฮฑ(kalinihta) = goodnight
  • ฮณฮตฮนฮฌ(yeia, y as in yellow) = hi, hello
  • ฯ‡ฮฑฮฏฯฮตฯ„ฮต(herete) = Hello (more polite)
  • ฯ€ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮตฮฏฯƒฮฑฮน;(pos eese?) = how are you?
  • ฯ„ฮน ฮบฮฌฮฝฮตฮนฯ‚;(ti kaneis?) = how do you do?
  • ฮธฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮดฯ‰ ฮฑฯฮณฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ(tha sas do argotera, th as in throne) = I’ll see you later
  • ฯƒฮฎฮผฮตฯฮฑ(sรญmera) = today
  • ฮฑฯฯฮนฮฟ(avrio) = tomorrow
  • ฯ‡ฮธฮญฯ‚(hthes, th as in throne) = yesterday
  • ฮทฮผฮตฯฮฟฮปฯŒฮณฮนฮฟ(imeroloyio, y as in yellow) = diary
  • ฮทฮผฮญฯฮฑ(imera) = day
  • ฯŽฯฮฑ(ora) = hour
  • ฮปฮตฯ€ฯ„ฮฌ(lepta) = minutes
  • ฯ‡ฯฮฎฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฑ(hrimata) = money
  • ฮบฮฌฮฝฯ‰(kano) = I do
  • ฮญฯฯ‡ฮฟฮผฮฑฮน(erhome) = I am coming
  • ฯ€ฮทฮณฮฑฮฏฮฝฯ‰(piyeno, y as in yellow) = I go
  • ฮณฮตฮปฮฌฯ‰(yelao, y as in yellow) = I am laughing
  • ฮดฮนฮฑฯƒฮบฮตฮดฮฌฮถฯ‰(thiaskedazo, th as in this) = I enjoy my self
  • ฮฒฮปฮญฯ€ฯ‰(vlepo) = I see
  • ฮผฮนฮบฯฯŒ(mikro) = small
  • ฮผฮตฮณฮฌฮปฮฟ(meyalo, y as in yellow) = large
  • ฯŒฮผฮฟฯฯ†ฮฟ(omorfo) = beautiful
  • ฮฑฯƒฯ‡ฮทฮผฮฟ(ashimo) = ugly
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฯŒ(kalo) = good
  • ฮบฮฑฮบฯŒ(kako) = bad
  • ฯ‡ฮฑฮฏฯฯ‰ ฯ€ฮฟฮปฯ(hero poli) = I am glad to meet you
  • ฯŒฯ‡ฮน(ohi) = no
  • ฮฝฮฑฮน(nee) = yes
  • ฮฟฮฝฮฟฮผฮฌฮถฮฟฮผฮฑฮน(onomazome) = my name is
  • ฮผฮต ฮปฮญฮฝฮต(me lene) = my name is
  • ฮบฮฑฮปฯŒ ฯ„ฮฑฮพฮฏฮดฮน(kalo taksidi) = have a good trip

For the hotel

  • ฮ”ฯ‰ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฟ(thomatio, th as in this) = room
  • ฮบฯฮตฮฒฮฌฯ„ฮน(krevati) = bed
  • ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮปฮบฯŒฮฝฮน(mpalkoni) = balcony
  • ฮผฯ€ฮฌฮฝฮนฮฟ(mpanio) = bath

In the restaurant

  • ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฌฮปฮฟฮณฮฟฯ‚(kataloyos, y as in yellow) = menu
  • ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮปฮฟฮณฮฑฯฮนฮฑฯƒฮผฯŒ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฯŽ(parakalo) = the bill, please
  • ฮทฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯ€ฮฟฮปฯ ฯ‰ฯฮฑฮฏฮฑ(itan poli orea) = it was very nice
  • ฮ ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮบฮฟฯƒฯ„ฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒ;(poso kostizi afto?) = how much this cost?
  • ฮ ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮบฮฌฮฝฮตฮน;(poso kani?) = how much?
  • ฯ†ฯฮญฯƒฮบฮฟ ฯˆฮฌฯฮน(fresko psari) = fresh fish
  • ฮ•ฮปฮปฮทฮฝฮนฮบฮฎ ฮบฮฟฯ…ฮถฮนฮฝฮฑ(elliniki kouzina) = Greek cuisine
  • ฯ€ฮนฯ„ฯƒฮฑฯฮฏฮฑ(pitsaria) = Pizza house
  • ฮบฮฑฯ†ฮญฯ‚(kafes) = coffee
  • ฮผฯ€ฯฯฮฑ(bira) = beer
  • ฯ„ฯƒฮฌฯŠ(tsai) = tea
  • ฮบฯฮฑฯƒฮฏ(krasi) = wine
  • ฮฝฮตฯฯŒ(nero) = water
  • ฯ€ฮฟฯฯ„ฮฟฮบฮฑฮปฮฌฮดฮฑ(portokalatha, th as in this) = orangeade
  • ฮปฮตฮผฮฟฮฝฮฌฮดฮฑ(lemonatha, th as in this) = lemonade
  • ฮบฯฮญฮฑฯ‚(kreas) = meat
  • ฮบฮฟฯ„ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ…ฮปฮฟ(kotopoulo) = chicken
  • ฮฑฯฮฝฮฏ(arni) = lamb
  • ฯˆฮฌฯฮน(psari) = fish
  • ฮผฮฌฮณฮตฮนฯฮฑฯ‚(mayeiras, y as in yellow) = chef, cook
  • ฯ†ฯฮฟฯฯ„ฮฑ(frouta) = fruits
  • ฮตฯ€ฮนฮดฯŒฯฯ€ฮนฮฟ(epithorpio, th as in this) = dessert
  • ฯ€ฮฑฮณฯ‰ฯ„ฯŒ(payoto, y as in yellow) = ice cream
  • ฯ„ฯฮฑฯ€ฮญฮถฮน(trapezi) = table

On the beach

  • ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฟฮบฮฏฮฝฮทฯ„ฮฟ(aftokinito) = car
  • ฮดฯฯŒฮผฮฟฯ‚(thromos, th as in this) = road
  • ฮ’ฮฟฯ…ฮฝฯŒ(vouno) = mountain
  • ฯ€ฮตฯฮฏฯ€ฮฑฯ„ฮฟฯ‚(peripatos) = walk
  • ฮธฮฌฮปฮฑฯƒฯƒฮฑ(thalassa, th as in throne) = sea
  • ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮปฮฏฮฑ(paralia) = beach
  • ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน;(pou ine?) = where is it?
  • ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮฒฯฮฏฯƒฮบฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน;(pou vriskete?) = where is it?
  • ฮฑฮผฮผฮฟฯ…ฮดฮนฮฌ(amouthia, th as in this) = sandy beach
  • ฮฎฮปฮนฮฟฯ‚(ilios) = sun
  • ฯ†ฮตฮณฮณฮฌฯฮน(feggari) = moon
  • ฮทฮปฮนฮฟฮธฮตฯฮฑฯ€ฮตฮฏฮฑ(iliotherapia, th as in throne) = sunbathing
  • ฮพฮฑฯ€ฮปฯŽฯƒฯ„ฯฮฑ(ksaplostra) = sunbed
  • ฮฟฮผฯ€ฯฮญฮปฮปฮฑ(omprella) = umbrella

Months and days

  • ฮœฮฌฯŠฮฟฯ‚(Maios) = May
  • ฮ™ฮฟฯฮฝฮนฮฟฯ‚(Iounios) = June
  • ฮ™ฮฟฯฮปฮนฮฟฯ‚(Ioulios) = July
  • ฮ‘ฯฮณฮฟฯ…ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯ‚(Avyoustos) = August
  • ฮฃฮตฯ€ฯ„ฮญฮผฮฒฯฮนฮฟฯ‚(Septemvrios) = September
  • ฮŸฮบฯ„ฯŽฮฒฯฮนฮฟฯ‚(Oktovrios) = October
  • ฮšฯ…ฯฮนฮฑฮบฮฎ(Kiriaki) = Sunday
  • ฮ”ฮตฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯฮฑ(Theftera, th as in this) = Monday
  • ฮคฯฮฏฯ„ฮท(Triti) = Tuesday
  • ฮคฮตฯ„ฮฌฯฯ„ฮท(Tetarti) = Wednesday
  • ฮ ฮญฮผฯ€ฯ„ฮท(Pempti) = Thursday
  • ฮ ฮฑฯฮฑฯƒฮบฮตฯ…ฮฎ(Paraskevi) = Friday
  • ฮฃฮฌฮฒฮฒฮฑฯ„ฮฟ(Savvato) = Saturday
  • ฮตฮฒฮดฮฟฮผฮฌฮดฮฑ(evdomรกda) = week
  • ฮผฮฎฮฝฮฑฯ‚(minas) = month
  • ฮญฯ„ฮฟฯ‚(etos) = year
  • ฯฮฟฮปฯŒฯŠ(roloi) = clock

First aid

  • ฮณฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฯŒฯ‚(yatros, y as in yellow) = doctor
  • ฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฮตฮฏฮฟ(iatrio) = doctor’s office
  • ฯ†ฮฑฯฮผฮฑฮบฮตฮฏฮฟ(farmakio) = pharmacy

See? wasn’t that difficult, wasn’t it?

You’ve learned your first 100 Greek words, if you decide to become an expert Greek speaker there are just 70 million left, if you don’t waste your time, you can catch up in 20 years from now!

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