Building on greetings, introductions, and polite expressions, this lesson focuses on creating simple, practical dialogues for everyday situations. Learning these short conversations will help you feel more comfortable engaging in basic interactions in Greek.
1. Basic Dialogue Structures
| English | Greek | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello! | Γεια σου! (Informal) | Yiá sou! |
| Γεια σας! (Formal) | Yiá sas! | |
| How are you? | Πώς είσαι; (Informal) | Pós íse? |
| Πώς είστε; (Formal) | Pós íste? | |
| I’m fine, thank you. | Είμαι καλά, ευχαριστώ. | Íme kalá, efcharistó. |
| And you? | Εσύ; (Informal) | Esý? |
| Εσείς; (Formal) | Esís? | |
| Nice to meet you. | Χάρηκα! (Informal) | Chárika! |
| Χάρηκα πολύ! (Formal) | Chárika polí! |
2. Sample Conversations
Informal: Meeting a Friend
A: Γεια σου, Μαρία! Τι κάνεις;
(Yiá sou, María! Ti kánis? – Hi, Maria! How are you?)
B: Καλά, ευχαριστώ. Εσύ;
(Kalá, efcharistó. Esý? – I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
A: Πολύ καλά. Πού πας;
(Polý kalá. Pou pas? – Very well. Where are you going?)
B: Στο σπίτι μου. Τα λέμε αργότερα!
(Sto spíti mou. Ta léme argótera! – To my house. See you later!)
Formal: Asking for Directions
A: Συγγνώμη, κύριε. Πού είναι η στάση του λεωφορείου;
(Signómi, kírie. Pou íne i stási tou leoforíou? – Excuse me, sir. Where is the bus stop?)
B: Η στάση είναι εκεί, δίπλα στο πάρκο.
(I stási íne ekí, dípla sto párko. – The stop is there, next to the park.)
A: Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
(Efcharistó polí! – Thank you very much!)
B: Παρακαλώ!
(Parakaló! – You’re welcome!)
Informal: Ordering at a Café
A: Γεια σου! Θέλω έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ.
(Yiá sou! Thélo énan kafé, parakaló. – Hi! I’d like a coffee, please.)
B: Σκέτο, μέτριο, ή γλυκό;
(Skéto, métrio, í glikó? – Black, medium, or sweet?)
A: Μέτριο. Ευχαριστώ!
(Métrio. Efcharistó! – Medium. Thank you!)
B: Παρακαλώ!
(Parakaló! – You’re welcome!)
Formal: Small Talk in a Professional Setting
A: Καλημέρα σας, κύριε Παπαδόπουλε. Πώς είστε;
(Kaliméra sas, kírie Papadópoule. Pós íste? – Good morning, Mr. Papadopoulos. How are you?)
B: Καλημέρα σας! Είμαι καλά, ευχαριστώ. Εσείς;
(Kaliméra sas! Íme kalá, efcharistó. Esís? – Good morning! I’m fine, thank you. And you?)
A: Είμαι πολύ καλά. Σας ευχαριστώ.
(Íme polý kalá. Sas efcharistó. – I’m very well. Thank you.)
3. Useful Expressions for Conversations
- Excuse me: Συγγνώμη (Signómi)
- Please: Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)
- Thank you: Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó)
- You’re welcome: Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)
- Where is…? Πού είναι…; (Pou íne…?)
- How much is it? Πόσο κάνει; (Póso káni?)
4. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the dialogues:
- A: ______ σου! Τι κάνεις;
B: Καλά, ______. Εσύ; - A: Συγγνώμη, πού είναι το ______;
B: Είναι δίπλα στην τράπεζα.
Exercise 2: Translate to Greek
- Good morning! Where are you going?
- Excuse me, how much is the coffee?
- Thank you very much!
Exercise 3: Role Play
Practice the sample conversations with a partner, alternating between informal and formal scenarios.
5. Cultural Note
In Greece, small talk often includes asking about one’s family or general well-being. It’s common to exchange pleasantries before discussing business or other topics.