Social phrases are essential for polite and casual interactions in Greek. This lesson introduces you to expressions commonly used in greetings, farewells, and everyday conversations to help you connect with others in both formal and informal contexts.
1. Essential Social Phrases
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | Πώς είσαι; (Informal) | Pós íse? |
| Πώς είστε; (Formal) | Pós íste? | |
| Fine, thank you. | Καλά, ευχαριστώ. | Kalá, efcharistó. |
| And you? | Εσύ; (Informal) | Esý? |
| Εσείς; (Formal) | Esís? | |
| Nice to meet you. | Χάρηκα! (Informal) | Chárika! |
| Χάρηκα πολύ! (Formal) | Chárika polí! | |
| Have a nice day! | Καλή μέρα! | Kalí méra! |
| See you later! | Τα λέμε! | Ta léme! |
| Welcome! | Καλώς ήρθες! (Informal) | Kalós írthes! |
| Καλώς ήρθατε! (Formal) | Kalós írthate! | |
| Take care! | Να προσέχεις! (Informal) | Na proséhis! |
| Να προσέχετε! (Formal) | Na proséhete! | |
| Good luck! | Καλή τύχη! | Kalí týhi! |
2. Phrases for Everyday Use
Greetings:
- Καλημέρα! (Kaliméra! – Good morning!)
- Καλησπέρα! (Kalispéra! – Good evening!)
- Καληνύχτα! (Kaliníhta! – Good night!)
Small Talk:
- Τι κάνεις; (Ti kánis? – What are you doing? [Informal])
- Τι κάνετε; (Ti kánete? – What are you doing? [Formal])
- Πού πας; (Pou pas? – Where are you going? [Informal])
Politeness:
- Με συγχωρείς! (Me sinchorís! – Excuse me! [Informal])
- Με συγχωρείτε! (Me sinchoríte! – Excuse me! [Formal])
3. Sample Conversations
Informal:
A: Γεια σου, Μαρία! Τι κάνεις;
(Yiá sou, María! Ti kánis? – Hi, Maria! How are you?)
B: Καλά, ευχαριστώ! Εσύ;
(Kalá, efcharistó! Esý? – Fine, thank you! And you?)
A: Καλά κι εγώ. Να προσέχεις!
(Kalá ki egó. Na proséhis! – I’m fine too. Take care!)
Formal:
A: Καλησπέρα σας, κύριε Παπαδόπουλε. Πώς είστε;
(Kalispéra sas, kírie Papadópoule. Pós íste? – Good evening, Mr. Papadopoulos. How are you?)
B: Καλά, ευχαριστώ πολύ. Εσείς;
(Kalá, efcharistó polí. Esís? – Fine, thank you very much. And you?)
A: Πολύ καλά, χάρηκα πολύ! Καλή τύχη με τη συνάντηση!
(Polý kalá, chárika polí! Kalí týhi me ti sinántisi! – Very well, nice to meet you! Good luck with the meeting!)
4. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Match the Phrases
Match the Greek phrases with their English meanings:
- Τα λέμε!
- Καλή μέρα!
- Να προσέχεις!
- a. Have a nice day!
- b. See you later!
- c. Take care!
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct words:
- ______ είστε; (How are you? [formal])
- Καλή ______! (Good luck!)
Exercise 3: Translate to Greek
Translate the following phrases into Greek:
- Take care!
- Have a nice day!
- Nice to meet you!
5. Cultural Note
In Greek culture, phrases like Καλή τύχη (Good luck!) and Να προσέχεις (Take care!) are often used to show care and respect for others, especially when parting ways.