; is a question mark
Greek writes questions with ; and uses a raised dot (·) where English has a semicolon. Τι κάνετε; means how are you?
Greek course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Greek by speaking it
You already know some Greek: telephone, music and idea all come from it. Talvo teaches Modern Greek with a transliteration for every phrase, so you can order at a taverna in your first week and read the menu not long after.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Greek · First phrasesΚαλημέρα!
kah-lee-MEH-rah
Good morning!
ServerΚαλησπέρα! Τι θα πάρετε;Good evening! What will you have?
Your first Greek phrases
Twelve phrases for tavernas, shops and meeting people, with a guide to where the stress falls.
| Greek | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Γεια σας! / Γεια σου! | YAH sahs / YAH soo | Hello!Polite / to a friend |
| Καλημέρα! | kah-lee-MEH-rah | Good morning! |
| Τι κάνετε; | tee KAH-neh-teh? | How are you?Polite |
| Καλά, ευχαριστώ. | kah-LAH, ef-khah-ree-STOH | Fine, thank you. |
| Με λένε Σαμ. | meh LEH-neh sam | My name is Sam. |
| Χάρηκα! | KHAH-ree-kah | Nice to meet you! |
| Έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ. | EH-nahn kah-FEH, pah-rah-kah-LOH | A coffee, please. |
| Πόσο κάνει; | POH-soh KAH-nee? | How much is it? |
| Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ. | tohn loh-ghah-ryahz-MOH, pah-rah-kah-LOH | The check, please. |
| Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; | POO EE-neh ee too-ah-LEH-tah? | Where's the restroom? |
| Δεν καταλαβαίνω. | dhen kah-tah-lah-VEH-noh | I don't understand. |
| Ευχαριστώ πολύ! | ef-khah-ree-STOH poh-LEE | Thank you very much! |
dh is the th in this, and gh is a soft, breathy g. The accent mark on every Greek word of two or more syllables shows where the stress goes.
A conversation you'll practice
Dinner at a taverna in Athens. The tutor plays the server, and you order out loud.
ServerΚαλησπέρα! Τι θα πάρετε;kalispéra! ti tha párete?Good evening! What will you have?
YouΜια χωριάτικη σαλάτα και ένα σουβλάκι, παρακαλώ.mia khoriátiki saláta ke éna souvláki, parakaló.A Greek salad and a souvlaki, please.
ServerΚάτι να πιείτε;káti na piíte?Something to drink?
YouΈνα νερό, ευχαριστώ.éna neró, efkharistó.A water, thanks.
ServerΑμέσως!amésos!Right away!
Mistakes Talvo helps you fix
The accent moves meaning
ποτέ (poh-TEH) means never and πότε (POH-teh) means when. The accent mark always tells you which syllable to stress.
Εσείς or εσύ
Use the plural εσείς (and γεια σας) with strangers and older people, and εσύ (and γεια σου) with friends.
Letters that look familiar
Some Greek letters look Latin but sound different: Ρ is r, Η is ee, Χ is kh, Β is v, and lowercase ν is n.
How Talvo teaches Greek
- Every phrase in the Greek alphabet with a readable transliteration, and transliterated answers are accepted while you learn the letters
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Greek
Is it Modern or Ancient Greek?
Modern Greek, the language spoken in Greece and Cyprus today.
Do I need to learn the Greek alphabet first?
No. Every phrase has a transliteration, so you can start speaking right away and learn the 24 letters as you go.
Can I learn Greek with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Greek sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.