Modern Greek phrasebook

Greeks really appreciate visitors who try a few words of their language, mistakes and all. In tourist areas almost everyone speaks English, but in villages a few Greek phrases open every door. In the pronunciation column the stressed vowel carries an accent; to read the letters see the Greek alphabet.

Greetings and courtesy

Understanding

Getting around

Eating and shopping

At the hotel

Emergencies

Numbers

Gestures and customs

• Watch out for "yes": in Greek it is ne, which sounds like "no"; "no" is ochi.
• To say "no" Greeks often tilt the chin up and raise the eyebrows, sometimes with a click of the tongue.
• Avoid showing someone your open palm with fingers spread: the gesture, called moutza, is an insult.
• Yia sas means both "hello" and "goodbye", used with strangers or several people; Yia su with friends and children.
• For a toast say Yia mas!, "to our health".

See also the history of the Greek language and the Greece glossary.