13 million people in the world speak Greek.Greek is the official language of Greece and Cyprus.There are minority populations of native-Greek speakers in Italy.Basic Greek is a good place to start if you want to learn more about this ancient language.
Step 1: It's a good idea to use yassass as a formal greeting.
"hello" is what Yassass means.It's better to use the formal version when greeting someone you don't know.If the person is older than you, this is even more true.You can say yassou for younger people.You can say yah, which means "hi" in English.The form of "hello" is also called Yassass.If you are greeting a group of people, use it.
Step 2: Try different greetings at different times of day.
Greek has time-specific greetings for morning, afternoon, and night.The phrases come and go from a place."Good morning" or "good day" is what Kali mera means.It is only used before noon."Good afternoon" is what Kali spera means.It can be used after noon and before nightfall."Good night" is what Kali nikta means.It is not usually used as a greeting.When you were going home for the night, you would use it as a good bye.
Step 3: Say herete in formal settings.
This is not a common way of saying "hello" among Greeks or within Greece.It may be appropriate if you are in a formal setting.If greeting someone who is a government official, teacher, military member, or member of the clergy, start with this greeting.They will let you know if they are comfortable with you addressing them in a less formal way.
Step 4: Be aware of polite responses to greetings.
kalo sorisateh means "welcome" in Greek.kalo vrathi means "wishing you a pleasant evening" in the afternoon.The shop-owner might reply kalo sorisateh if you said yassass.You can hear the response kalo ximeroma, which means "wishing you a good day", if you say kali nikta.
Step 5: Do you want to ask Ti Kanete?
Tikanete is a way to ask after someone's wellbeing.If you're talking to someone who is younger than you, use the informal Ti Kanis."Fine, thank you" is what you might say in response.If the other person asked you first, add esis.
Step 6: Say "hello" and "goodbye" using the same words and phrases.
Both "hello" and "goodbye" are used."Good morning" and "good afternoon" can be used when first greeting someone and when taking your leave.Adio is a way to say goodbye in Greek.
Step 7: To introduce yourself, say na sas.
Let me introduce myself.This formality is important in Greek culture.Before you tell someone your name, use this sentence.Wait for them to acknowledge that you may continue.If you want to tell the person your name, you can either say onoma mou or I am called.The phrases are not the same."pleased to meet you" is what the person says when they tell you their name.
Step 8: To show respect, use polite words.
If you can't speak a language, knowing how to say "please" and "thank you" will help you a lot.Being polite to native speakers can help avoidmisunderstandings.The formal way to say "excuse me" is me synhorite.If you're talking to someone younger than you, you might say me sinhoris, which is the informal version of the phrase."I'm sorry" is what sygnomi means."Thank you" is what Efharisto means."please" is what Parakalo means.When someone thanks you, this is used as a reply.
Step 9: Explain your knowledge of the Greek language.
It's important to let people know that you don't speak much Greek when you're in Greece.Den melo kala ellinika means "I don't speak Greek very well."If you want the person to speak to you in Greek, you can say parakalo milate mou ellinika, which means "please speak Greek."Parakalo milate pyo arga means "please speak more slowly" if you don't understand what someone is saying.You can say mporite na epanalavete or "please say that again."
Step 10: Discuss where you're from.
If you're traveling, your home city or country will likely be an early topic of discussion.If someone asks you apo pu katageste, they want to know where you're from.The name of your home city or country should be followed by the phrase eime apo.What the person asked you depends on which one of these you use.If they asked apo pu iste, use the response.Add esis at the end of your response if they asked you first.This helps keep the conversation going.
Step 11: When asking a question, be polite.
You can add parakalo at the end of a question in Greek.It shows respect to the person you're asking and is considered an important part of Greek culture."Be your pardon" can also be used.If you don't hear what someone said, you can use it.
Step 12: Don't confuse "yes" and "no".
In Greek, neh means yes and ohee means no.It can be difficult to understand what someone is saying since neh sounds like a word for "no" in English.katalaveno means "I don't understand" if you're not sure what someone meant.
Step 13: You should be familiar with the Greek alphabet.
To speak conversationally, you don't have to learn how to read Greek.A basic understanding of the Greek alphabet will help with pronunciation.You can find a copy of the Greek alphabet online.Pick the one you like the best, there are many different images to choose from.It is possible that you already know part of the alphabet.The Latin alphabet is used in English and other Western European languages.
Step 14: Greek and Latin letters have the same pronunciations.
The Greek alphabet has the same sounds as the Latin alphabet.You'll be able to pronounce half of the Greek alphabet if you get these under your belt.The vowels a and e are similar to the vowels in English.The English word for father is Alpha.The English word "pet" has a similar sound to Epsilon.Both omicron and omega have the same sound as the English word "got."The Greek letters are similar to the Latin letters k, m, n, and t.The Latin l is pronounced the same as Lambda.It is similar to the English word "lap."The Latin p is pronounced the same as Pi.It is similar to the English word "pot."The Latin s is pronounced the same as sigma.The English word for soap is s.If it occurs at the end of a word, the lower-case letter has a different form.
Step 15: Greek letters have distinct pronunciations.
The Greek alphabet has many similarities with the Latin alphabet, but there are letters that may have a different pronunciation.It's easier to pronounce Greek words if you memorize them.The Greek alphabet has 3 i letters.The English word for meet is ee.You might be tempted to say it the way you would say an English word.The English word "vet" refers to the v sound in the Greek letter.The English word "think" has a sound similar to that of Theta.Delta has a softer sound than the English word "this."The x in the English word "fox" has a ks sound.The same letter is always pronounced the same regardless of where it appears in a word.The English word "fat" has an f sound.The Scottish word "loch" has a similar sound to Chi.It sounds similar to the German word "ich" if followed by either an e or an i.The English word "lopsided" has a ps sound.The sound of the letter is the same regardless of where it is written.
Step 16: You can practice pronouncing the letter g.
If you're new to English, you may have difficulty with the letter g.The English word "yellow" is pronounced like the y in the letter g.The Greek word "giro" is pronounced yee-roh.The letter g has a soft sound when followed by an a, o, or U.The English language does not have an equivalent sound.The sound that comes close is the ch in "Bach" or "Loch Ness Monster."The Greek word meaning "sorry" or "excuse me" has a soft g sound.
Step 17: When it occurs between vowels, pronounce r differently.
The Greek r has a different sound depending on the letters that surround it.The r is shorter and clipped between vowels, which makes it sound like a rolled r in Spanish or Italian.The r sounds similar to the tt in English or Spanish words.