LingoflyPeople and family in Greek
191 words in Greek on the topic “people and family”: φίλος (fílos) — friend, οικογένεια (ikoyénia) — family, μαμά (mamá) — mom, μπαμπάς (babás) — dad. 191 words can be played from recordings.
191 words on the topic
- φίλοςfílosfriendthe root behind 'philo-': philosophía is the love of wisdom. A female friend is fíli, friends are fíli
- οικογένειαikoyéniafamilythe initial oi reads ee, and gamma before e sounds almost like y: ee-ko-YE-nya. Literally 'household kin', from óikos, house
- μαμάmamámomstress at the end: ma-MA. The bookish 'mother' is mitéra — the root of 'metropolis'
- μπαμπάςbabásdadμπ at the start is b, in the middle m-b: ba-BAS. The bookish father is patéras
- παιδίpedíchildαι reads e: pe-DEE. The root of 'pedagogue' — literally the one who leads the child
- το άτομοto átomopersonin counting people: ya dío átoma — for two. The same word as atom
- ο άντραςo ándrasmanthe same word means 'husband'. The bookish form anír is the root of 'andro-'
- η γυναίκαi yinékawomanthe same word means 'wife'. The root of 'gynecology'
- ο νέοςo néosyoung manliterally 'young'. In the plural, i néi — the youth
- η κοπέλαi kopélagirlconversational and very frequent; the bookish nearí sounds official
- ο ηλικιωμένοςo ilikioménosold manfrom ilikía, age. The polite form; yéros sounds harsh
- ο άγνωστοςo ágnostosstrangerthe prefix a- negates, gnostós is known: literally 'not known'
- το πλήθοςto plíthoscrowdboth a crowd and a multitude: plíthos kósmu — heaps of people
- ο γιοςo yossonone syllable. A daughter is i kóri — the same root as the name Kore
- τα μαλλιάta maliáhairalways plural. A single hair is i tríkha, another word
- ψηλόςpsilóstalldon't mix with psilós spelled with iota — thin: they sound the same, but they are different words
- κοντόςkondósshort in staturethe same kondós as short: one Greek word covers both
- νέοςnéosyoungboth young and new: néo aftokínito — a new car
- τα γένιαta yéniabeardplural in form: a beard is thought of as a multitude of hairs
- το μουστάκιto mustákimustachesingular in form: what English counts as a pair, Greek counts as one moustáki
- αδύνατοςadínatosskinnythe second meaning is impossible: íne adínaton means it cannot be
- χοντρόςkhondrósfatabout a person and about a thing: khondró vivlío — a fat book
- όμορφοςómorfosgood-lookingfrom morfí, a shape. Fits a person and a view from the window
- η εμφάνισηi emfánisiappearanceboth appearance and appearance-act: i emfánisí tu is also his entrance on stage
- καλόκαρδοςkalókardoskindliterally 'good of heart'. Plain kalós means good in general
- χαρούμενοςkharúmenoscheerfulfrom chará, joy: about a character and about the mood of this hour alike
- έξυπνοςéksipnossmartliterally 'well-slept': eks plus ípnos, sleep. A mind as wakefulness
- κακόςkakósevilboth evil and simply bad: kakós kerós — bad weather
- ήρεμοςíremospeacefulabout a person and about the sea: íremi thálassa — a calm sea
- ευγενικόςevyenikóspoliteliterally 'well-born': ev plus yénos, of good stock
- τεμπέληςtembélislazyfrom Turkish tembel. The feminine form is tembéla
- θαρραλέοςtharaléosbravefrom tháros, courage. In everyday speech yennéos is more common
- τίμιοςtímioshonestfrom timí — both price and honor: the honest one is a person whose word carries weight
- ο χαρακτήραςo kharaktírascharacteroriginally 'a stamped mark' on a coin: the thing a thing is told apart by
- η νύφηi nífibrideThe same word means daughter-in-law: a nyfi stays the family's bride long after the wedding
- ο γαμπρόςo gambrósgroomAlso a son-in-law: the pair to nyfi on both counts. One word, two family roles
- παντρεύομαιpandrévometo get marriedWorks for both: the man and the woman are both 'pantrévete'
- το διαζύγιοto diazíyiodivorceDia plus zygós, a yoke: an un-yoking. The two were harnessed to one yoke, and dia- takes it apart
- οι γονείςi gonísparentsThe same root as gennáo, to give birth. The singular o gonéas hides in official papers
- ο αδελφόςo adelfósbrotherAlso written aderfós with a plain rho: both spellings are correct
- η αδελφήi adelfísisterThe feminine twin of adelfós; aderfí with rho is just as common
- η γιαγιάi yayiágrandmaThe double gamma softens into a 'y': ya-YA — a warm-sounding word, like English 'grandma'
- ο παππούςo papúsgrandpaOne letter away from papás, the priest — mind the double p and the stress: pappoÚS
- ο θείοςo thíosuncleAs an adjective the same word means divine — a godly uncle, etymologically speaking
- η θείαi thíaauntThe feminine twin of theíos. Elderly neighbors get called theia too, as a courtesy
- ο εγγονόςo engonósgrandsonThe granddaughter is i egoní. Gamma-gamma reads 'ng': e-Ngo-nos
- ο συγγενήςo singenísrelativeSyn plus génos: 'of the same kind'. Gamma-gamma reads 'ng'
- ο ξάδελφοςo ksádelfosmale cousinLiterally an 'outside brother': xénos plus adelfós. The girl version is xadélfi
- τα παιδιάta pediáchildrenAlso how you hail a crowd of friends of any age: 'pediá!' — folks, guys, kids
- το αγόριto agóriboyNeuter, though it names a boy — korítsi, girl, is neuter too
- το κορίτσιto korítsilittle girlNeuter, even for a girl: grammatical gender and a person's sex go separate ways here
- η κόρηi kóridaughterThe same word means the pupil of the eye: i kori tu matiú — Latin 'pupilla' grew from the same image
- πόσων χρονών είσαι;póson khronón ísehow old are youLiterally 'of how many years are you': age takes the "of what" form, not the object form
- ο ενήλικαςo enílikasadultFrom ilikía, age: literally 'of age' — the grown-up ticket at the booth
- ο έφηβοςo éfivosteenagerFrom ívi, youth — the root of efivía, adolescence
- το μωρόto moróbabyAlso a pet name for someone you love: calling a grown man moró is affection, not pediatrics
- η ηλικίαi ilikíaageForms and questionnaires ask exactly this: ilikía with a number in the box
- είμαι τριάντα χρονώνíme triánda khronónI am thirty years oldGreek says 'I am', not 'to me': age is a property you have, not a gift you're given
- σγουρόςzguróscurlyThe feminine is sgourí. Straight hair is 'ísia maliá'
- φαλακρόςfalakrósbaldIt gives falákra, the bald patch: an everyday word, not a rude one
- ασπρομάλληςaspromálisgray-hairedÁspra plus maliá: 'white-haired'. The feminine is aspromála
- το ύψοςto ípsosheightThe same word as the height of a mountain and the pitch of a sound
- λεπτόςleptósslimSlim, thin and delicate: 'leptó théma' is a delicate subject
- μεσαίου αναστήματοςmeséu anastímatosof medium heightThe "of what" form without a preposition: that's how people get described on forms
- αδυνατίζωadinatízoto lose weightFrom adýnatos, weak: the same word means feeble
- παχαίνωpakhénoto gain weightAlso 'to fatten': 'aftó to fórema pachéni' — this dress is fattening
- γενναιόδωροςyeneódorosgenerousGennéos plus dóro: 'brave with gifts'
- υπομονετικόςipomonetikóspatientFrom ipomoní, patience: ypó plus méno — 'I hold out under'
- εργατικόςergatikóshardworkingFrom ergátis, a worker: the same word means working-class
- αξιόπιστοςaksiópistosreliableÁxios plus písti: 'worthy of trust'
- μετριόφρωνmetriófronmodestMétrios plus frén: 'of moderate mind'. In speech semnós is more common
- κοινωνικόςkinonikóssociableThe same word means social: 'koinonikó díktio' is the social network
- στοργικόςstoryikóscaringFrom storýí, tender affection — the parental kind above all
- σοβαρόςsovarósseriousAbout people and about illnesses: 'sovarí arrostía' is a serious illness
- καλοαναθρεμμένοςkaloanathreménoswell-manneredLiterally 'well-raised': from anatréfo, to bring up
- η αίσθηση του χιούμορi ésthisi tu khiúmorsense of humorThe 'chioumor' is borrowed from English and stays undeclined; aísthisi is the sense
- τσιγκούνηςtsingúnisgreedyOnly about money. Greedy for food is laímargos — 'throat-gluttonous'
- πεισματάρηςpizmatárisstubbornFrom písma, stubbornness: the same root as péitho, to persuade
- αγενήςayenísrudeThe direct twin of evyenikós, polite: alpha instead of ev flips the meaning
- θρασύςthrasísbrazenStronger than ageníS: not merely impolite but boldly insolent
- πονηρόςponirósslyIn church language it means evil: 'deliver us from the ponirós'
- φλύαροςflíaroschattyIt gives flyaró, to chatter idly
- αφηρημένοςafiriménosabsent-mindedThe same word means abstract: 'afiriméni téchni' is abstract art
- ευέξαπτοςevéksaptoshot-temperedLiterally 'easily set on fire': ev plus exápto
- αδιάφοροςadiáforosindifferentA plus diaforá: 'for whom there is no difference'
- η συνήθειαi siníthiahabitIt gives the adverb siníthos — usually
- η φίληi fílifemale friendThe feminine of fílos: only the ending and the article change
- ο γνωστόςo gnostósacquaintanceAs an adjective the same word means well-known
- το ταλέντοto taléndotalentOriginally a weight and a coin: talent became a gift through a parable
- γεννιέμαιyeniémeto be bornFrom gennáo, to give birth — the same root as gonÍs, the parents
- η παιδική ηλικίαi pedikí ilikíachildhoodLiterally 'child age': there is no separate word for childhood
- η νεότηταi neótitayouthFrom néos, young and new. The youth as a crowd is i neolÉa
- η ενήλικη ζωήi eníliki zoíadult lifeFrom enílikas, adult — literally 'of age'
- η γενιάi yeniágenerationFrom gÉnos, a kind — the same root as synyenís, a relative
- η γενέτειραi yenétirahometownOne word, no 'city' in it. In speech people say 'i pÓli mu'
- ζω πέντε χρόνια στη χώραzo pénde khrónia sti khórato have lived in the country for five yearsPresent tense for the ongoing: Greek doesn't put a past here
- η ανάμνησηi anámnisimemoryFrom mními, memory, with 'ana-' on top: memory lifted back up
- η παλιά φωτογραφίαi paliá fotografíaold photographPaliÓs is about things; about a person, 'old' is ilikiomÉnos, aged
- η μοίραi mírafateOriginally 'a share': the Fates dealt out the lot of life. It gives moirÁzome, to share
- ξεκινάω νέα ζωήksekináo néa zoíto start a new lifeFrom kinÓ, to move, with 'xe-': to shift oneself off the spot
- κάνω οικογένειαkáno ikoyéniato start a familyLiterally 'I make a family': the same kÁno as taking a bath
- πλούσιοςplúsiosrichFrom ploútos, wealth: the root of the name Pluto, god of the depths
- φτωχόςftokhóspoorAlso written ptOchós through pi: both forms are in use
- ο συγκάτοικοςo singátikosroommateSyn plus kátoikos: 'a co-dweller', literally living-with
- ο παιδικός φίλοςo pedikós fíloschildhood friendFrom pedí, a child: the same adjective as in 'pedikí ilikía', childhood
- ο μακρινός συγγενήςo makrinós singenísdistant relativeFrom makriá, far: the same word about distance and about kinship
- μεγαλώνω παιδιάmegalóno pediáto raise childrenLiterally 'I grow children': the same verb means to grow oneself
- γνωστόςgnostósfamousAs a noun the same word means 'an acquaintance': the known and the famous share one root
- δυνατόςdinatóspowerfulStrong, possible and loud: 'dinatí musikí' is loud music
- ο αρραβώναςo aravónasengagementFrom Semitic through Greek: the same word as the ancient pledge
- η βέραi vérawedding ringA word apart from dachtilídi: the wedding band is only the véra
- το νυφικόto nifikówedding dressFrom nýfi, the bride: an adjective grown into a noun
- ο πολιτικός γάμοςo politikós gámoscivil marriageLiterally a 'civic wedding': at the town hall, not in church
- οι νεόνυμφοιi neónimfinewlywedsNéos plus nýmfi, 'the new brides': always plural
- ο μήνας του μέλιτοςo mínas tu mélitoshoneymoonA word-for-word calque: méli, honey, in an old case form
- τα εγκαίνια του σπιτιούta engénia tu spitiúhousewarmingFrom kainós, new: the same word as the opening of a bridge or an exhibition
- το πένθοςto pénthosmourningIn Greece black is worn long: the word still lives in villages
- η οικογενειακή γιορτήi ikoyeniakí yortífamily celebrationThe same yortí as the holiday and the name day
- λογικόςloyikóssensibleFrom lógos, reason and word. Said of people and of prices: 'logikí timí'
- η καλοσύνηi kalosínikindnessFrom kalós, good: the same root as 'good-hearted'
- η αυτοσυγκράτησηi aftosingrátisiself-controlAftós plus kratáo, to hold: literally 'holding oneself'
- η υπομονήi ipomonípatienceYpó plus méno, 'holding out under': the root of 'patient' too
- ο εγωισμόςo egoizmósegoismIn Greek it often means not selfishness but pride, self-regard
- η τεμπελιάi tembeliálazinessFrom tembélis, lazy, from Turkish tembel
- το πείσμαto pízmastubbornnessFrom péitho, to persuade: stubbornness as refusal to be persuaded
- η περιέργειαi periéryacuriosityPerí plus érgo, 'business around': the root of 'strange and curious' alike
- η εντιμότηταi endimótitadecencyFrom timí, honor: the same root as tímios, honest
- η ευστροφίαi efstrofíaresourcefulnessEv plus strofí, 'a good turn' of the mind
- η απροσεξίαi aproseksíacarelessnessA plus prosochí, 'without attention': the same word about inattention
- αποφασιστικόςapofasistikósdecisiveFrom apófasi, a decision: the same root as 'to make a decision'
- ντροπαλόςdropalósbashfulFrom ndrépome, to be shy: the same stem as ndropí, shame
- εύθικτοςéfthiktoseasily hurtEv plus thígo, 'easily touched'
- βολικός στη συνεργασίαvolikós sti sinergasíaeasygoingFrom volévo, to suit: the same as 'a convenient time'
- σχολαστικόςskholastikóspedanticFrom scholí, leisure, school: a pedant as a schoolboy over the letter
- φιλότιμοςfilótimosfull of prideFílos plus timí, 'loving honor': in Greece this is rather praise
- πρόθυμοςpróthimoshelpfulPró plus thymós, 'soul ahead': literally 'ready to help'
- κλειστός χαρακτήραςklistós kharaktírasreservedThe same klistós as a closed shop: a person can be closed too
- ευθύς στα λόγιαefthís sta lóyastraightforwardFrom efthýs, straight: the same word as a straight road
- απρόβλεπτοςapróvleptosunpredictableA plus próblepsi, 'un-forecastable': the pair to 'predictable'
- υπακούωipakúoto obeyYpó plus akoúo, 'I listen from below': the image English shares
- καυχιέμαιkafkhiémeto bragA deponent verb, like 'being afraid' and 'promising'
- κουτσομπολεύωkutsombolévoto gossipFrom kutsompolió, gossip: a lively, very everyday word
- προσποιούμαιprospiúmeto feignIn speech it's simpler: 'káno óti' — to make believe
- συγκρατιέμαιsingratiémeto hold backFrom kratáo, to hold: the same stem as self-control
- κάνω πλάκαkáno plákato play a prankPláka is a slab — and a joke: 'pláka kénis?' means are you kidding?
- λέω ένα ψέμαléo éna psémato tell a fibThe singular turns the habit into a single case
- κρυφακούωkrifakúoto eavesdropFrom krifá, secretly, plus akoúo: to peek is 'krifokitázo'
- επιβάλλομαιepiválometo impose oneselfEpí plus váno, 'I throw myself on top'
- κρατάω τον λόγο μουkratáo ton lógo muto keep one's wordThe same kratáo as holding a booking: a word is held too
- αξίζωaksízoto deserveTo be worth and to deserve: 'axízi ton kópo' — it's worth the trouble
- μέμφομαιmémfometo reproachThe bookish word; in speech 'tu ta ípe' or 'ton málose'
- επαινώ τον άλλονepenó ton álonto complimentThe same epenó as praising work: 'ton álon' marks the addressee
- κατακρίνωkatakrínoto censureFrom kríno, to judge. The court verdict is katadikázo
- απογοητεύωapogoitévoto let downFrom goitía, charm: to let down is to disenchant
- επίτηδες, με πρόθεσηepítides, me próthesideliberatelyThe same epítides as 'on purpose': 'me próthesi' strengthens the intent
- από ανοησίαapó anoisíaout of foolishnessA plus noús, 'without mind': the same noús as in 'meaning'
- με καλές προθέσειςme kalés prothésiswith the best intentionsThe same próthesi as the intention and the grammar preposition
- αυτό δεν είναι ωραίοaftó den íne oréoit's not niceOréos is both beautiful and good: 'oréa!' means 'great!'
- δεν το κάνει από κακίαden to káni apó kakíahe means no harmFrom kakós, bad: the preposition 'apó' sets the cause
- η εμπιστοσύνηi embistosínitrustFrom písti, faith: the same root as 'to trust'
- ο φθόνοςo fthónosenvyMore bookish than zília, which covers envy and jealousy alike
- ο οίκτοςo íktospityBookish and coolish; the warm compassion is simponía
- η επιρροήi epiroíinfluenceFrom roí, a flow: the same root as 'to influence'
- το κύροςto kírosauthorityOriginally 'force, validity': hence 'akyróno', to void
- αμοιβαίαamivéamutualFrom amoiví, a reward, a recompense: mutuality as exchange
- επί ίσοις όροιςepí ísis órison equal termsA bookish turn in an old case form: 'on equal conditions'
- τα πάω καλάta páo kaláto get alongLiterally 'I take them well': a set phrase, always with 'ta'
- κρατιέμαι μακριάkratiéme makriáto stay out of itLiterally 'I hold myself far': the middle form of kratáo
- ο σύζυγοςo sízigoshusbandsyn + zygós — 'in the same yoke'. In speech people more often say o ándras mu — my man
- η σύζυγοςi sízigoswifethe same word as husband — only the article switches. In speech: i yinéka mu
- οι άνθρωποιi ánthropipeopleabout a crowd a Greek will more often say o kósmos — literally 'the world'
- η πεθεράi petherámother-in-lawOne petherá covers both sides: the mother of the husband and of the wife. Stress at the end: petherÁ
- η μητέρα της γυναίκαςi mitéra tis yinékaswife's motherThere is no separate word: petherá serves for both mothers-in-law; when the side matters, Greek spells it out
- ο πεθερόςo petherósfather-in-lawThe male twin of petherá, just as blind to which side he is on
- ο άντρας της κόρηςo ándras tis kórisson-in-lawEveryday speech says gambros, but that word also means 'groom'; for clarity: the daughter's husband
- η γυναίκα του γιουi yinéka tu yudaughter-in-lawNyfi was taken by 'bride', so the son's wife is named straight out: 'the son's woman'. Yi sounds like 'y'
- ο ανιψιόςo anipsiósnephewPsi reads 'ps' in one go. The bookish spelling anepsios turns up in documents
- η ανιψιάi anipsiánieceThe feminine twin, stressed on the last syllable: anipsiA
- η εγγονήi engonígranddaughterThe feminine twin of egonós, the grandson. Gamma-gamma reads 'ng', as in Anglía, England
- τα δίδυμαta dídimatwinsNeuter and plural only. The zodiac sign of the Twins goes by the same word
- το σόιto sóiextended familyFrom Turkish soy, lineage. Syngenís is one relative; soi is all of them together, distant ones included
- ο μεγάλος αδελφόςo megálos adelfósolder brotherNo comparative needed: a 'big brother' is the older one. Megalýteros sounds stricter
- η μικρή αδελφήi mikrí adelfíyounger sisterJust as plain: a 'little sister'. Family talk makes it about age, not height
- το μοναχοπαίδιto monakhopédionly childMonachós plus pedí, neuter. Grown-ups say it about themselves too: ime monochopedi
- η ξαδέλφηi ksadélfifemale cousinXi is one letter for two sounds: 'ks'. The male counterpart is xádelfos, a male cousin
- η μητριάi mitriástepmotherFrom mitéra with a suffix and the stress shoved to the end. In Greek tales she is just as wicked
- ο πατριόςo patriósstepfatherThe twin of mitriá, from patéras. Stress on the last syllable, as in mitriá: patriOS
- το ορφανόto orfanóorphanNeuter whether the child is a boy or a girl. Medicine took it for 'orphan diseases' — the ones nobody owns
- η χήραi khírawidowChi breathes from the throat: 'KHI-ra'. The widower is the same word in the masculine, o chíros
- ο σύντροφοςo síndrofosspouseSýzygos was taken by 'husband'. Sintrofos is 'the one at your side at meals' — in real life it names the spouse. Nt reads 'nd'
- η συντρόφισσαi sindrófisaspouse (f)The feminine twin of sintrofos. Ss is written twice but sounds as one 's'
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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
φίλος (fílos) — friend. The root behind 'philo-': philosophía is the love of wisdom. A female friend is fíli, friends are fíli.
οικογένεια (ikoyénia) — family. The initial oi reads ee, and gamma before e sounds almost like y: ee-ko-YE-nya. Literally 'household kin', from óikos, house.
μαμά (mamá) — mom. Stress at the end: ma-MA. The bookish 'mother' is mitéra — the root of 'metropolis'.
μπαμπάς (babás) — dad. Μπ at the start is b, in the middle m-b: ba-BAS. The bookish father is patéras.
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “friend” in Greek?
the root behind 'philo-': philosophía is the love of wisdom. A female friend is fíli, friends are fíli
- How do you say “woman” in Greek?
the same word means 'wife'. The root of 'gynecology'
- How do you say “hair” in Greek?
always plural. A single hair is i tríkha, another word
- How do you say “fat” in Greek?
about a person and about a thing: khondró vivlío — a fat book
- How do you say “peaceful” in Greek?
about a person and about the sea: íremi thálassa — a calm sea
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Mum, friend, child, neighbour. The first thing people ask you about, and the first thing you tell about yourself.
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 “friend” in Greek?
«φίλος» (fílos), read “fílos”. The root behind 'philo-': philosophía is the love of wisdom. A female friend is fíli, friends are fíli. It is one of 191 words in the set “people and family” — the rest are in the table above.
How many family words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 191 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, 191 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.