LingoflyBasic words in Greek
303 words in Greek on the topic “basic words”: Ναι (ne) — yes, Όχι (ókhi) — no, Καλά (kalá) — good, Άσχημα (áskhima) — 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 digit, 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 "of whom" form 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 just that one letter, both are stressed on the first syllable
- 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. Greek grammar names the object form after it: etiatikí, the 'cause form'
- 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 in 'explain it again'
- 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 worseCheiróteros, worse, is the irregular comparative of kakós, bad; with the article it also means the worst
- ανήκωaníkoto belongThe owner comes in with se: '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 wereImagine being in someone else’s place. An ímun means "if I were"
- 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 pattern as se káthe períptosi, '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 toIn the sense 'in order to', the verb after 'ya na' takes the wish form, 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 — it is the same ordinal in the neuter
- 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 in 'I want', 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
- ανanifa common set phrase 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 it is andí na — instead of doing; andí y' aftó — instead of this. Before a noun it comes as andí ya
- ενάντια σεenándia seagainstíme enántitos is to be against. In a match score the short katá does the job: Elláda katá Italías
- χωρίςkhoríswithoutcommon set phrases: khorís záchari, without sugar; khorís randevú, without an appointment. What follows stands in the object form. 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 ya on its own means 'for'
- 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 "of what" form: tou mathímatos
- εξαιτίαςeksetíasbecause offrom aitía, a cause. What follows goes into the "of what" form: 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 "of what" form: 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; álla, stressed on the first syllable, 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 is 'I need' with a thing: chriázome giatró
Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet
The CSV contains spelling, reading guides, translations and links to word pages. Use the browser menu to save the printable sheet as a PDF.
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.
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.
- Study spread over days wins 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» (ne), 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?
The whole set on this page is 303 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.
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.