How to Say Hello in Greek

Saying Hello

Say "Yassou". Pronounce it "YAH-soo". This phrase is best suited for informally saying hello to one person. Smile as you say it – be friendly! Bear in mind that "Yassou" is only a rough English rendition of the Greek pronunciation. The word is sometimes spelled "giasou" or "ya su". You can also shorten the phrase to "ya" in an informal setting. Say "Yassas" (pronounced "YAH-sas") in formal situations, or when you're informally greeting two or more people at the same time. Use this formal version if you're addressing a stranger or an older person. Technically, the somewhat more informal "yassou" is best suited to use with people you know and people much younger than you. However, you will hear both used interchangeably, so you don't need to worry much about getting it "right".

Use "Herete". Pronounce it "HE-reh-teh"; say the e's like you would in the word "egg". You can use "herete" in both formal and informal situations. It is typically used between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm.

Use temporal greetings. As with many cultures, Greeks use certain time-specific greetings in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. You can use "yassou" or "yassas" during most of these times, but you may find the following phrases more appropriate. Kalimera (καλημέρα): "good morning". Use this when reaching or leaving a location or event. Pronounce it "kah-lee-MEH-rah". Kalispera (καλησπέρα): "good afternoon" or "good evening". Use this only when coming to a place or meeting someone in the evening or at night. Pronounce it "kah-lee-SPARE-a". Kalinihta (καληνύχτα): "good night". Use this phrase only as a goodbye greeting in the evening or at night. Pronounce it "kah-lee-NEE-hta".

Understand how the Greeks greet each other. Greek people tend to be open and casual in their greetings. As such, there are few strict differences between formal and informal greetings. Be open and casual with your body language. Try to make eye contact and smile at strangers and friends alike. Do not bow or attempt to kiss the cheek. The former is too formal, and the latter may be considered too forward. Do not attempt to shake hands unless a hand is offered to you. Shaking hands is not a common custom in Greece – certainly not among friends or locals.

Practicing Other Phrases

Learn how to say Greek farewell phrases. Focus on ones that are appropriate at the end of a conversation or at the end of a day. Say "antio". Be sure to stress the "i" syllable. This is a standard, informal farewell. Say "geia" (pronounced "gee-ah") or "ya". This can mean both "hello" and "goodbye".

Ask whether the locals speak your language. "Mila'te...?" means "do you speak...?" Add it to the Greek word for your language to make a phrase. In some cases, you might find it easier to converse in your native tongue – or to another European language that is common to both you and this particular Greek person. English: "Mila'te Agglika'?" French: "Mila'te Gallika'?" German: "Mila'te Germanika'?" Spanish: "Mila'te Ispanika'?" Chinese: "Mila'te Kine'zika?"

Ask questions. You may find it useful to know certain common question phrases. This can take your interactions below the surface "hello" level. Be aware, however, that you may find it hard to understand the responses that you get! Say "Pos Ise?" to ask "How are you?" Pronounce it with the short "s" – like the "ose" in the word "dose," not the word "nose". "Pos ee-say". Say "ti kaneis" (tee kah-nis) to ask "What's going on?" Use "Umidl pos ise vrexima?" to say "Where are you going?" Pronounce it "Um-id pos ise vere-MA". Say "esi?" (pronounced "eh-see") to reflect a question with "And you?"

Talk about yourself. If someone asks you how you're doing, it can be useful to respond with basic qualifiers like "good," "bad," and "okay." "I" in Greek is "egO". "You" is "esi". Good: kalA I'm not okay: "den eimai kala". Not good: Oxi (O-hi) kalA, Yes: "neh" No: "OH-hee"