Basic words in Greek
303 words Greek words on the topic “basic words”: Ναι — yes, Όχι — no, Καλά — good, Άσχημα — bad. 303 words can be played from recordings.
303 words on the topic
- Ναιneyesoften said with a quick downward nod; in Greece an upward nod means no
- Όχιókhinostress at the front: O-khi. October 28 is a Greek public holiday named after this single word — the day the country said no in 1940
- Καλάkalágoodboth 'good' and the agreement 'alright, fine'. The adjective of the same root changes ending with gender: kalós fílos — a good friend
- Άσχημαáskhimabadthe partner of kalá, but it sounds strong; in conversation Greeks often soften it to étsi ki étsi — so-so
- Πολύ καλάpolí kalávery goodpolý means 'very' and sits before the word; it also means 'a lot': polý neró — plenty of water
- το μισόto misóhalfas an adjective — misó kiló, half a kilo. The same word hides in mesiméri, noon
- Άλλο έναálo énaone moreálo means other, another. Akóma éna is just as correct and heard more often in the north
- αρκετάarketáenoughboth 'enough' and 'rather' as a degree: arketá kalá — rather good
- συνολικάsinolikáin totalfrom síntolo, the sum, the whole. On receipts it says síntolo — total
- περισσότεροperisóteromoreabout amount. About size: pio megálo
- λιγότεροligóterolessfrom lígo, little. The partner of perisótero
- βαρύςvarísheavyabout weight and about food: varý fayitó — heavy food
- ελαφρύςelafríslightweightabout weight and about food. Light as in 'not difficult' is éfkolos
- καινούργιοςkenúryosnewthe bookish néos means both 'new' and 'young'; about things people say kenúryos
- παλιόςpaliósoldabout things. About a person it sounds rude — ilikioménos is the polite word
- σπασμένοςspazménosbrokenfrom spáo, to break. Khalasménos — spoiled — is said of food and machines
- Όλα καλάóla kaláeverything is finethe answer to ti kánis and an all-purpose all good. A very frequent pair of words
- Είμαι καλάíme kaláI'm fineliterally 'I am well'. The answer to the question about how you feel
- έντεκαéndekaelevenbuilt from éna and déka, one and ten. The same pair of roots hides in 'hendecasyllable', the eleven-syllable line of verse
- δώδεκαdódekatwelvethe root behind 'dodecahedron' and the Dodecanese — the island group 'of twelve'
- δεκατρίαdekatríathirteenfrom thirteen on, the pattern is déka plus the unit, glued into one word
- δεκατέσσεραdekatéserafourteentéssera is four. Watch the gender: with people, thirteen and fourteen take a different set of forms than with things
- δεκαπέντεdekapéndefifteenAugust 15 — the biggest summer feast — is one long word built on it: Dekapentaavgoustos
- δεκαέξιdekaéksisixteenéksi is six — don't mix it up with éxo, outside
- δεκαεπτάdekaeptáseventeenin casual speech it becomes dekaeftá, spelled with a φ. Both forms are in circulation
- δεκαοκτώdekaoktóeighteencasual speech shortens it to dekaokhtó. The same pi/phi and kt/kht flicker as with seventeen
- δεκαεννιάdekaeniánineteenthe bookish form is dekaennéa; in speech you will almost always hear dekaeniá
- είκοσιíkositwentyfrom here the count turns composite: íkosi éna — twenty one, written apart
- τριάνταtriándathirtynt inside the word reads nd: tri-AN-da. The same root as 'triad'
- σαράνταsarándafortythe forty days of mourning are called ta saránda — an important mark in the calendar of remembrance
- πενήνταpeníndafiftyfrom pénde, five. Pentikostí — Pentecost — is literally 'the fiftieth day'
- εξήνταeksíndasixtyfrom éksi, six. Sixty minutes to the hour: exínda leptá
- εβδομήνταevdomíndaseventybuilt on the bookish eptá through evdom-, the same stem as evdomáda, the week
- ογδόνταogdóndaeightyfrom októ, eight; the same root as 'octave' and 'October'
- ενενήνταeneníndaninetyfrom ennéa, nine. Every ten from thirty on ends in -nda
- εκατόekatóhundredthe root of 'hecatomb' and the metric prefix 'hecto-'. Two hundred is diakósia
- χίλιαkhíliathousandthe root of 'kilometer' and 'kilogram'. Khília efkharistó — a thousand thanks — is a warm way to say it
- το εκατομμύριοto ekatomíriomillionfrom ekató, hundred, and mýrioi, ten thousand: a hundred times ten thousand
- μηδένmidénzerofrom midé — 'and not': literally not one. In a score too: dío midén — two nil
- πρώτοςprótosfirstthe root of 'prototype' and 'proton'. It changes with gender: prótos, próti, próto
- δεύτεροςdéfterossecondMonday is Deftéra — the second day of the week
- τρίτοςtrítosthirdTuesday is Tríti. Ordinals differ from cardinals by their endings
- τελευταίοςteleftéoslastfrom télos, an end. As an adverb, teleftéa means 'lately'
- πόσαpósahow muchfor countable things pósa; for an amount of stuff póso
- το ζευγάριto zevgáripaira pair of objects and a pair of people alike. From zygós, a yoke — the beam that pairs the oxen
- το τεμάχιοto temákhiopieceon price tags it shrinks to tem. In speech komáti is more common
- τοις εκατόtis ekatópercentliterally 'per hundred' — an old case form frozen into the phrase
- κάθεkátheeachnever changes for gender or number — a rarity in Greek
- ποιοςpioswhochanges with gender: pios, pia, pio. It means both who and which
- γιατίyatíwhyone word asks 'why' and answers 'because'
- για ποιο λόγοya pio lógowhat forliterally 'for what reason'. In speech people more often just say yatí
- τι είδουςti íduswhat kind ofeídos is a kind, a sort. The simple pios also means which
- τίνοςtínoswhosethe genitive of pios. In speech you will hear pianoú more often
- κανείςkanísnobodyit demands double negation: den írthe kanís — literally 'nobody came', said as 'did not come nobody'
- κάτιkátisomethingdon't mix it with káto, downstairs — the difference is one letter and the stress
- και οι δύοke i díobothliterally 'and the two'. The bookish amfóteroi never shows up in speech
- Δεν ξέρωden kséroI don't knowkséro is knowing a fact; gnorízo is being acquainted with a person
- βλέπωvléposeeit also 'watches' TV and 'sees' people: ta léme — see you; vlepómaste — we'll be seeing each other
- ακούωakúohearboth hear and listen. The root of acoustics
- κοιμάμαιkimámeto sleepmiddle voice: it conjugates on -me, like érkhome. The root of coma
- κουβαλάωkuvaláocarryabout heavy loads and effort. Simply carrying along is férno
- βάζωvázoplacesetting, putting and putting on at once: vázo to paltó — I put on the coat
- σπάωspáobreakthe root of spasménos, broken. About machines khaláo is more common
- χτίζωkhtízobuildthe bookish spelling ktízo. To ktírio, the building, shares the root
- πολύpolía lotthe root of 'poly-'. Before a noun it changes: pollá vivlía — many books
- λίγοlígolittleboth 'little' and 'a little': lígo akóma — a little more
- μαλακόςmalakóssoftonly about objects. About a person, in another form, the word is an insult
- σκληρόςskliróshardhard, tough and stern about a person. The root of 'sclerosis'
- βρεγμένοςvregménoswetfrom vrécho, to wet — the same verb as 'it is raining'
- στεγνόςstegnósdryabout laundry and hair. Dry wine and dry climate are xirós
- λεπτόςleptósthinthe same word means 'minute' — to leptó, neuter
- βαθύςvathísdeepthe root of 'bathyscaphe'. About water and about sleep: vathís ípnos
- στρογγυλόςstrongilósroundgg reads ng. Rectangular is orthogónios
- πούpuwhere toone word for 'where' and 'where to': the verb carries the direction
- παντούpandúeverywherefrom pas, all. The root of 'pantheon' and 'pandemic'
- πουθενάputhenánowherelike kanís, it demands double negation: den íne puthená
- ο κίνδυνοςo kíndinosriskRisk and danger in one: the signs just say KINDINOS
- το εφεδρικό σχέδιοto efedrikó skhédiobackup planEfedrikós is reserve; the same idea as the rezérva in the trunk — in sense, not in sound
- η αναποδιάi anapodiámishapFrom anápoda, 'upside down': things turned the wrong way round
- η αιτίαi etíacauseAi reads 'e' in 'met': e-tí-a. The accusative case is the 'cause-case', efitatikí, in Greek grammar
- το αποτέλεσμαto apotélezmaresultFrom télos, end and goal: what came out in the end
- γι’ αυτόyi aftóthat's whyShort for 'ya aftó' — 'because of this': the apostrophe swallows the 'a'
- επειδήepidísinceSentences open with 'epidí'; mid-sentence people prefer 'yatí'
- εξαιτίας αυτούeksetías aftúbecause of thisFrom aitía, the cause. Usually about an unpleasant cause
- εξαρτώμαι απόeksartóme apóto depend onImpersonally, 'exártete' means 'it depends' — on circumstances
- εξηγώ την αιτίαeksigó tin etíato explain the causeThe same verb as 'explain it again' from the first lessons
- ο στόχοςo stókhostargetOriginally the target you shoot at. The purpose of a trip is another word: skopós
- το νόημαto nóimameaningFrom noús, the mind. 'Den vgázi nóima' — it makes no sense
- το συμπέρασμαto simbérazmaconclusionSyn plus péras, 'a bringing to an end together'
- η δυνατότηταi dinatótitapossibilityFrom dinatós, strong and possible: power and possibility share the word
- πιθανόνpithanónpossiblyIn conversation 'borí' or 'ísos' do the job; this one is the more formal
- αδύνατονadínatonnot possibleAs an adjective the same word means skinny: a plus dýnami — no strength in it
- η ανάγκηi anánginecessityNeed and dire need in one: 'se períptosi anángis' — in case of need
- οπωσδήποτεopozdípotedefinitelyLiterally 'in whatever way': three words grown into one
- θα χρειαστείtha khriastíI will have toImpersonal 'it will be needed': Greek doesn't name whom
- επιτρέπεταιepitrépeteallowedThe impersonal of epitrépo. This is exactly how the signs read
- απαγορεύεταιapagoréveteforbiddenGreece's most frequent sign: APAGOREVETE I ISODOS — no entry
- η επιλογήi epiloyíchoiceFrom légo in its old sense 'to gather': to choose is to pick out
- η εκδοχήi ekdokhíoptionA version of a story and a variant of a solution: literally 'what's taken out'
- η αμφιβολίαi amfivolíadoubtAmfí plus vállo: 'I throw to both sides' — the root of 'amphitheater'
- αμφιβάλλωamfiváloto doubtThe pair to amfivolía: the word and its action
- σίγουροςsígurossureFrom Italian sicuro. The bookish twin is véveos
- δύσκολαdískolahardlyLiterally 'with difficulty': Greek's 'hardly' is 'difficult that...'
- μάλλονmálonprobablyOriginally 'rather': a comparative degree that became a guess
- σίγουραsígurafor sureThe adverb from sígouros. As an answer it means 'of course, yes'
- μου φαίνεταιmu féneteit seems to meFrom fénome, to appear: the same root as fainómeno, a phenomenon
- στην πραγματικότηταstin pragmatikótitain factFrom prógma, a thing: reality as the world of things
- υποθέτωipothétoto supposeYpó plus títhimi, 'I place under': a hypothesis as a foundation laid beneath
- δεν είμαι σίγουροςden íme sígurosI'm not sureA woman says 'sígouri': the adjective agrees with the speaker
- η εμπειρίαi embiríaexperienceLife experience and an impression: 'ti empeiría!' — what an experience!
- η περίπτωσηi períptosicasePerí plus pípto, 'fallen around': 'se káthe períptosi' — in any case
- το παράδειγμαto parádigmaexampleLiterally 'shown beside': science took it as 'paradigm'
- για παράδειγμαya parádigmafor exampleIn writing it shortens to 'p.ch.' — 'for the sake of the example'
- η διαφοράi diaforádifferenceDia plus féro, 'to carry apart': the same root as diafonó, to disagree
- η σύγκρισηi síngrisicomparisonIn grammar the comparative degree is the 'judged-together degree'
- διαφέρωdiaféroto differIt differs with 'apó': 'diaférei apó ta álla' — it differs from the others
- παρόμοιοςparómiossimilarIn speech the verb does the work: 'miázi me' — resembles
- η ομοιότηταi omiótitasimilarityFrom ómoios, alike — the root of 'homeopathy', treating like with like
- η αλλαγήi alayía changeFrom allázo, to change: the same word for a transfer and for your change at the till
- πρώτονprótonfirstlyThe neuter of prótos turned into an adverb
- δεύτερονdéfteronsecondlyThe pair to próton; next come tríton, téfarton
- πρώτα απ’ όλαpróta ap ólafirst of allLiterally 'first of everything': the apostrophe eats the 'ó' of apó
- επιπλέονepipléonmoreoverEpí plus pléon, 'on top of that'. As an adjective it means additional
- παρεμπιπτόντωςparembiptóndosby the wayA long bookish word; in conversation people say 'na su po' — let me tell you
- γενικάyenikágenerallyFrom génos, a kind: the general as what belongs to the whole kind
- με λίγα λόγιαme líga lóyain shortLiterally 'with few words': lógia is the plural of lógos
- με άλλα λόγιαme ála lóyain other wordsThe same scheme as 'with few words': only the adjective changes
- το κυριότεροto kirióterothe main thingThe superlative of kýrios — chief, and also 'sir'
- τελικάtelikáin the endFrom télos, an end. Often means 'it turned out in the end'
- αν καιan kealthoughLiterally 'if even'. The bookish variant is molonóti
- όμωςómosthoughGreek doesn't split 'though' from 'however': the written ostosó is stricter
- αντιθέτωςandithétoson the contraryFrom antithétos, opposite. In speech shorter: 'to antítheto'
- παράparádespiteThe same preposition counts minutes: 'ochtó pará déka' — ten to eight
- ωστόσοostósohoweverThe written brother of omós: in speech it sounds bookish
- από τη μία πλευράapó ti mía plevráon the one handPlevrá is a side — and a rib on the body
- από την άλλη πλευράapó tin áli plevráon the other handIn speech it shortens to 'apó tin áli': the second word is dropped
- παρ’ όλα αυτάpar óla aftáneverthelessLiterally 'despite all this': the apostrophe eats the 'á' of pará
- αντί γι’ αυτόandí yi aftóinsteadAntí is 'instead of'; the 'yi aftó' part is the same as in 'therefore'
- έτσι κι αλλιώςétsi ki aliósanywayLiterally 'so and otherwise': the outcome is the same either way
- τυχαίαtikhéaby chanceFrom týchi, fate and chance: the same word as in epitychía, success
- επίτηδεςepítideson purposeThe pair to tychéa: one by chance, the other on purpose
- η αποτυχίαi apotikhíafailureThe direct twin of epitychía, success: only the prefix changes
- βήμα βήμαvíma vímastep by stepDoubling instead of a preposition: 'sigÁ sigÁ' is built the same way
- η σειρά των βημάτωνi sirá ton vimátonorder of stepsThe same serÁ as the queue and the series: anything that goes in order
- αναλυτικάanalitikáin detailFrom anÁlisi, an analysis: in detail means taken apart
- με δικά μου λόγιαme diká mu lóyain my own wordsDikÓs mu is 'my very own': stronger than the plain possessive 'mu'
- πιο απλάpio aplásimply putLiterally 'more simply': Greek manages without 'put'
- φέρε ένα παράδειγμαfére éna parádigmagive an exampleLiterally 'bring an example': in Greek an example is brought, not cited
- δείξε μου πώς γίνεταιdíkse mu pos yíneteshow me how it's done'GÍnete' is an impersonal 'it is done': no doer named
- κατάλαβες;katálavesunderstood?Polite plural: 'katalÁvate?'. A softer option is 'vgÁzi nÓima?'
- τώρα κατάλαβαtóra katálavanow I get itPast tense: Greek says 'now I understood'
- μπερδεύτηκαberdéftikaI got confusedFrom berdévo, to tangle: about threads and about thoughts
- θυμάμαιthimámeto rememberTo remember and to recall: Greek doesn't split them
- ξεχνάωksekhnáoto forgetThe prefix 'xe-' takes away, as in xekourÁzome, to rest
- η πρόθεσηi próthesiintentionIn grammar the same word means a preposition: both 'set before'
- αλλάζω γνώμηalázo gnómito change one's mindLiterally 'I change my opinion': the same allázo as swapping a part
- όλα βάσει σχεδίουóla vási skhedíueverything is on scheduleVÁsi is the bookish 'on the basis of': from vÁsi, the foundation
- αν τα καταφέρωan ta kataféroif it works outFrom the same 'ta katafÉrno' as 'I managed it'
- δεν έχω αποφασίσει ακόμαden ékho apofasísi akómaI haven't decided yetFrom apÓfasi, a decision; 'akÓma' goes to the end of the phrase
- όλα άλλαξανóla álaksaneverything changedAllÁzo here takes no object: things change by themselves
- προς το καλύτεροpros to kalíterofor the betterThe preposition 'pros' sets a direction: literally 'toward the better'
- προς το χειρότεροpros to khiróterofor the worseCheírotos is the irregular superlative of kakÓs, bad
- ανήκωaníkoto belongThe owner goes into the dative: 'aníki se ména' — it belongs to me
- ξένοςksénossomeone else'sThe same word as 'foreigner' and 'guest': for Greeks the stranger and the guest are close
- κοινόςkinóssharedThe root of koinonía, society, and 'kini gnómi', public opinion
- σπρώχνωsprókhnoto pushDoors say OTHÍSATE — from the bookish othó, to push
- τραβάωtraváoto pullTo pull and to take photos: 'traváo fotografia'
- χτυπάωkhtipáoto hitThe same verb as knocking on a door and beating eggs
- το μέτροto métrometreThe same word as measure in general and the metre in verse: 'métra asfalías' — safety measures
- το εκατοστόto ekatostócentimeterLiterally 'the hundredth': from ekató, a hundred. In speech also póndos
- το χιλιόμετροto khiliómetrokilometerChília plus métro: 'a thousand metres'. Stress on the 'ó'
- το λίτροto lítroliterAt the pump they say 'saránda evró': gasoline is measured in money, not liters
- το γραμμάριοto gramáriogramFrom gramma, a written mark: originally the weight of a coin
- το βάροςto városweightFrom varýs, heavy: the root of varákia, the dumbbells
- το μήκοςto míkoslengthFrom makrýs, long: the same root as 'katá míkos', along
- το πλάτοςto plátoswidthFrom platýs, wide: the root of plateía, the square
- το ύψοςto ípsosaltitudeThe same word as a person's height: Greek has one height for everything
- το βάθοςto váthosdepthFrom vathýs, deep. Figuratively 'se váthos' — thoroughly, in depth
- περίπουperípuapproximatelyPerí plus pu, 'around somewhere': it goes before the number
- σχεδόνskhedónalmostWith negation it gives 'hardly': 'schedón kathólou' — almost not at all
- ακριβώςakrivósexactlyFrom akrivós, precious: for Greeks, exactness comes dear
- κατά μέσο όροkatá méso óroon averageÓros here is 'a limit, a value', not 'a term'
- δύο φορές περισσότεροdío forés perisóterotwice as muchThe same forá as 'every time': multiples are counted in times
- το ψηφίοto psifíodigitFrom psífos, the pebble used for counting and for voting
- το τέταρτοto tétartoquarterIn time: 'ochtó ke tétarto' — quarter past eight
- ζυγίζωziyízoto weighFrom zygaría, the scales: the same root as zygós, the yoke
- περιττόςperitósspareIn mathematics the same word means 'odd', as in odd numbers
- άδειοςádiosemptyDon't confuse with ádeia — the permit and the leave: different words
- αποφεύγωapofévgoto avoidApó plus févgo: 'I run away from'
- το γεγονόςto yegonósfactThe same word as the event: the Greek fact is what has happened
- η ερώτησηi erótisiquestionFrom rotáo, to ask. A problem-question is théma or zítima
- σημαντικόςsimandikósimportantFrom siméno, to mean: the important is what means much
- θετικόςthetikóspositiveFrom théto, to place. In medicine it's the positive test result
- αρνητικόςarnitikósnegativeFrom Árnisi, a refusal, a negation: the pair to thetikós
- σε σύγκριση μεse síngrisi mecompared toThe same sýgkrisi as the comparison: from kríno, to judge
- ίδιος μεídios methe sameFrom ídios, 'the very same': the root of 'identical' and 'idiom'
- το πλεονέκτημαto pleonéktimaadvantagePléon plus écho: 'I have more'
- το μειονέκτημαto mionéktimadrawbackThe direct twin of pleonéktima: méon instead of pléon
- οι συνέπειεςi sinépiesconsequencesSyn plus épome: 'what follows together'. Always plural
- λαμβάνω υπόψηlamváno ipópsito take into accountLiterally 'I take under the gaze': ypó plus ópsi
- το πιθανότεροto pithanóteromost likelyThe superlative of 'pithanón', possibly
- σίγουρα θαsígura thasurelyThe same sígoura as 'for sure', with the future 'tha' in front of the verb
- η πιθανότηταi pithanótitaprobabilityFrom péitho, to persuade: the probable is what persuades
- η υπόθεσηi ipóthesiassumptionThe same word as a court case and a film plot: literally 'what's placed under'
- φαίνεται ότιfénete ótiit looks likeFrom fénome, to appear: the same word as in 'it seems to me'
- πρέπει ναprépi nait must beThe same prépi as 'have to': only the phrase's sense tells a guess from a debt
- δεν γίνεταιden yíneteit can't beLiterally 'it isn't done': the same yínete as 'how is it done?'
- τουλάχιστονtulákhistonat leastFrom eláchistos, smallest: literally 'the least'
- σε κάθε περίπτωσηse káthe períptosiin any caseThe same períptosi as 'case': literally 'in every case'
- για κάθε ενδεχόμενοya káthe endekhómenojust in caseEndéchomeno is a possible turn: literally 'for every possibility'
- αν ήμουνan ímunif I wereAn unreal condition: 'an' plus the past, with 'tha' in the main clause
- με την προϋπόθεσηme tin proipóthesion conditionPró plus ypóthesi, 'assumed ahead': mind the two dots over the y
- ακόμα κι ανakóma ki aneven if'Ki' is the shortened 'ke' before a vowel
- σε αυτή την περίπτωσηse aftí tin períptosiin that caseThe same scheme as 'in any case', only with the demonstrative
- αλλιώςaliósotherwise'In another way' and 'or else': 'fýye, aliós tha argísis'
- τότεtótethen'At that moment' and 'in that case': 'tóte páme'
- για ναya nain order toAfter 'ya na' the verb is always subjunctive, without 'tha'
- σαν ναsan naas if'San' alone means 'like', a comparison: 'san adelfós'
- αντί ναandí narather thanThe same antí as in 'instead of this'
- κυρίωςkiríosmainlyFrom kýrios, chief: the same word as in the main course
- κατά κανόναkatá kanónaas a ruleFrom kanónas, a rule: the same word as in the safety rules
- σχεδόν όλοιskhedón ólialmost everyoneThe same schedón as 'almost': before a pronoun it behaves the same
- η εξαίρεσηi ekséresiexceptionFrom aíro, to lift, to take away: literally 'what's taken out'
- και ούτω καθεξήςke úto katheksísand so onA bookish turn; in writing it shortens to k.o.k. In speech: 'ke lipá'
- σε αντίθεση μεse andíthesi meunlikeFrom antithétos, opposite: the same as 'on the contrary'
- εκτός απόektós apóexcept forFrom ektós, outside: it means both 'besides' and 'with the exception of'
- όχι ακριβώςókhi akrivósnot exactlyThe same akrivós as 'exactly': a soft objection
- πάνω κάτωpáno kátomore or lessLiterally 'up-down': doubling instead of 'approximately'
- με δυσκολίαme diskolíawith some difficultyFrom dýskolos, hard: dys plus kólon, 'hard to digest'
- αξίζει να δοκιμάσειςaksízi na dokimásisworth a tryFrom axízo, to be worth: the same as áxios, worthy
- έπρεπε ναéprepe nashould haveThe past of prépi: a reproach or a belated regret
- το καλύτερο είναιto kalítero ínethe best thing isThe comparative of kalós doing the work of a superlative
- το χειρότερο είναιto khirótero ínethe worst thing isThe pair to 'the best thing is': cheírotos is the irregular superlative of kakós
- όσο πιο γρήγορα γίνεταιóso pio grígora yíneteas soon as possibleThe scheme 'óso pio... yínete' works with any adverb
- άδικαádikain vainFrom díkeos, just: 'in vain' means 'spent unjustly'
- τα βγάζω πέραta vgázo pérato copeLiterally 'I take them out past the edge': a set phrase, always with 'ta'
- η προσπάθειαi prospáthiaattemptFrom prospathó, to try: an attempt and an effort at once
- δηλαδήdiladíthat isFrom dílon plus dí — 'it is clear, mind you': the most frequent linker in speech
- αποδείχτηκε ότιapodíkhtike ótiit turned out thatFrom apodeiknýo, to prove: literally 'it proved that'
- ως αποτέλεσμαos apotélezmaas a resultThe same apotélesma as 'result': 'os' here means 'as'
- οδηγεί σεodiyí seleads toThe same odigó as driving a car: roads and conclusions lead alike
- χάρη σεkhári sethanks toFrom chári, grace: the same word as charízo, to give as a gift
- με την πρώτηme tin prótion the first tryThe word forá drops out: 'me tin próti' already means on the first try
- διακόσιαdiakósiatwo hundredchanges with gender: diakósii men, diakósies women, diakósia euros
- τριακόσιαtriakósiathree hundredfrom tría, three. Every hundred is built the same way: the number plus -kósia
- τετρακόσιαtetrakósiafour hundredfrom téssera, four, with the stem shortened to tetra- in the hundreds
- πεντακόσιαpendakósiafive hundredfrom pénde, five. You will rarely meet a five-hundred-euro note in daily life
- εξακόσιαeksakósiasix hundredfrom éksi, six, with a ξ appearing at the joint: ek-sa-KO-sia
- εφτακόσιαeftakósiaseven hundredalso written eptakósia in the learned style; everyday speech prefers eftakósia
- οχτακόσιαokhtakósiaeight hundredthe bookish twin oktakósia spells it with kt. The learned/everyday pair mirrors seven hundred
- εννιακόσιαeniakósianine hundredfrom enniá, nine. The formal enneakósia exists on paper but not in speech
- τέταρτοςtétartosfourththe neuter téssero also means a quarter — of an hour or of anything
- πέμπτοςpémptosfifthThursday is Pémpti — the fifth day, counting from Sunday
- έκτοςéktossixthdon't mix it with ektós, except — the accent alone tells them apart
- έβδομοςévdomosseventhfrom the same root as evdomáda, the week — a seven of days
- όγδοοςógdooseighththe two o letters are read apart: O-gdho-os
- ένατοςénatosninthfrom enniá but with a single ν, and the stress jumps to the first syllable
- δέκατοςdékatostenthbeyond this, ordinals are built by addition: dékatos trítos — thirteenth
- εκατοστόςekatostóshundredthdon't confuse with ekatostó — a hundredth as a unit — the stress sits elsewhere
- ήiorone letter with an accent. Without the accent η is the feminine article — a tiny stroke separates 'or' from 'the'
- επίσηςepísistooin reply to a good wish it means 'same to you'
- μόνοmónoonlyfrom mónos, alone — the root of 'monopoly' and 'monotone'. Móno pou... means 'it's just that...'
- ήδηídialreadyin everyday speech kiólas often steps in with exactly the same meaning
- ακόμαakómastill (yet)with the negation it gives 'not yet': den írthe akóma — he hasn't come yet
- πάρα πολύpára polítoo muchliterally 'beyond much'. A single polí means just 'very'; pára polí tips into 'excessively'
- μαζίmazítogetherwith someone — mazí me: mazí me ton adelfó mu — together with my brother
- δεν επιτρέπεταιden epitrépetenot allowedon official signs you will see the sterner apagorévetai — prohibited
- πρέπειprépihave toimpersonal and always followed by na: prépi na fígo — I have to leave
- η ζωήi zoílifethe same root marks the living: zóo, animal, and zográfos, painter — literally one who draws living things
- θέλωthélowantthe same verb as 'I want' in the first lessons, here in its dictionary form. From it: ethelondís — a volunteer, one who wants
- μπορώborócanalways followed by na before the second verb: boró na értho — I can come
- η λέξηi léksiwordthe root of lexikó, the dictionary. Lógos is the word as speech and reason
- η υπόθεσηi ipóthesimatterthe same word is an assumption and a court case: ipóthesi is wide
- ο τρόποςo tróposwayfrom trépo, to turn. Me káthe trópo — in every possible way
- εύκολαéfkolaeasilyev plus kólon — literally 'easy to digest'. The partner of déskola
- δύσκολα με κόποdískola me kópowith difficultythe same déskola as in 'hardly'; me kópo separates the effort from the doubt
- ναnaso thatthe busiest little word in the language: it sits before the verb where English uses 'to' or a purpose clause. ya na — in order to — flags a purpose
- ανanifthe course already has set phrases with it: an den káno láthos — if I'm not mistaken. After an the verb stays in its dependent form, without tha
- όσοósowhileit pins two actions to the same stretch of time. Enó covers 'whereas', and méchri na is 'until'
- μιας καιmias kenow thata conversational link: a reason that is already on the table. The fuller afóu — since — serves the same job
- αρκεί ναarkí naas long asliterally 'it suffices that': arkí plus na. It sets the one condition everything else depends on
- οπότεopótesoit stands between the two halves: first the cause, then the conclusion. The ω is a plain o sound
- ανάμεσα σεanámesa sebetweenit takes se, and the two fuse before an article: anámesa sta dío spítia — between the two houses. The bookish metaxý says the same
- κοντά σεkondá senearit also takes se and glues onto the article: kondá sto scholío — near the school. 'About' as in roughly a number is a different word, perípou
- αντί γιαandí yainstead ofbefore a verb the course knows andí na — instead of doing; andí y' aftó — instead of this. Before a noun it comes as andí ya
- ενάντια σεenándia seagainstthe course knows íme enántitos — to be against. In a match score the short katá does the job: Elláda katá Italías
- χωρίςkhoríswithoutyou have met it in set phrases — khorís záchri, without sugar; khorís randevú, without an appointment. What follows stands in the accusative. The chi is a throaty kh
- γιαyaforthe gamma before i sounds like a y — the word itself is said ya. With na it builds 'in order to', and on its own it also answers 'what about?'
- σχετικά μεskhetiká meaboutliterally 'concerning'. In speech Greeks just say ya — but the card for 'for' has already claimed that word
- μετά απόmetá apóafterbefore a noun the apó often drops: metá to máthima — after the lesson. Before a pronoun it stays
- κατά τη διάρκειαkatá ti diárkiaduringliterally across the duration: diárkia is a span of time. It pulls the following noun into the genitive: tou mathímatos
- εξαιτίαςeksetíasbecause offrom aitía, a cause. What follows goes into the genitive: tis vrochís — of the rain. Eksaitías aftoú — because of this
- γύρω απόyíro apóaroundo yíros is a circle and a turn — also the name of the meat shaved off a spit into pita. The gamma before u sounds like a y: YEE-ro
- μέσωmésothroughit takes the genitive: méso tis pólis — through the city. For physical passage there is mésa apó, and for time spans Greeks say se dío óres — in two hours
- από μέσαapó mésafrom the insidethe partner of apó píso, from behind: apó shows where from. Keep an eye on word order — mésa apó means through
- εδώ κοντάedó kondánearbyliterally 'here close'. Kondá alone is close; together they answer the question 'somewhere around here?'
- πολύpolíveryone word, two jobs: before an adjective it is 'very' (polí kalá), before a noun 'a lot' (polý neró)
- η βοήθειαi voíthiahelpthe noun from voitháo, to help. Boíthia! on its own is already a cry for help
- καιkeandbefore a vowel it shrinks to ki: ki egó — me too. The same word also carries 'also' and 'even': írthe ke o Níkos — even Nikos came
- αλλάalábutit opens the second half of the sentence. Stressed at the end — allá — it is but; the unstressed álla means 'others', a different word entirely
- είμαιímebeit is never dropped: íme kalá, 'I am fine' — Greek has no way to say 'I fine'. The row is learned whole: íme, íse, íne, ímaste, íste, íne. Third person serves both 'he is' and 'they are'
- καλόςkalósgood, finethe plain adjective: kalós fílos, 'a good friend'. It takes the gender of the noun along: kalí méra, kaló psomí. Kalá — the word you answer 'how are you' with — is the adverb 'well', not this word
- χρειάζεταιkhriázeteit is necessaryimpersonal, with na: chriázete na páo — 'it is necessary that I go', I need to go. Chriázome, which the course knows, is 'I need' with a thing: chriázome giatró
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- Ναι, μιλάω ελληνικάne, miláo elinikáYes, I speak Greek
- Όχι, ευχαριστώókhi, efkharistóNo, thank you
- Ευχαριστώ, καλάefkharistó, kaláThank you, I'm doing well
- Σήμερα νιώθω άσχημαsímera niótho áskhimaToday I feel bad
- Πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώpolí kalá, efkharistóVery good, thank you
- Θέλω μισό κιλόthélo misó kilóI want half a kilo
What is worth knowing about these words
Ναι (ne) — yes. said as ne — the classic false friend, it means yes, while no is ókhi. The αι pair reads as a short e
Όχι (ókhi) — no. stress at the front: O-khi. October 28 is a Greek public holiday named after this single word — the day the country said no in 1940
Καλά (kalá) — good. both 'good' and the agreement 'alright, fine'. The adjective of the same root changes ending with gender: kalós fílos — a good friend
Άσχημα (áskhima) — bad. the partner of kalá, but it sounds strong; in conversation Greeks often soften it to étsi ki étsi — so-so
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is Ναι (ne) — yes.
- What is this word?
It is αρκετά (arketá) — enough.
- What is this word?
It is παλιός (paliós) — old.
- What is this word?
It is δεκατέσσερα (dekatésera) — fourteen.
- What is this word?
It is τριάντα (triánda) — thirty.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “yes” in Greek?
said as ne — the classic false friend, it means yes, while no is ókhi. The αι pair reads as a short e
- How do you say “enough” in Greek?
both 'enough' and 'rather' as a degree: arketá kalá — rather good
- How do you say “old” in Greek?
about things. About a person it sounds rude — ilikioménos is the polite word
- How do you say “fourteen” in Greek?
téssera is four. Watch the gender: with people, thirteen and fourteen take a different set of forms than with things
- How do you say “thirty” in Greek?
nt inside the word reads nd: tri-AN-da. The same root as 'triad'
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Yes, no, good, bad, very. The small change of a language — and no sentence assembles without it.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “yes” in Greek?
«Ναι», read “ne”. often said with a quick downward nod; in Greece an upward nod means no. It is one of 303 words in the set “basic words” — the rest are in the table above.
How many basic words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 303 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 303 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.