· 7 min read
Greek Phrases for Travel: Say It and Read It
By Language Lab editorial team
Greek phrases for travel in two parts: 16 key phrases with pronunciation, and 28 written phrases for rooms, tavernas and directions. From the BBC's Greek lists.
For a trip to Greece you need two things: a few phrases you can say, and a few words you can recognise in Greek letters. To say hello, the BBC's guide gives Ya sou; thank you is Efkharisto, please is Parakalo, yes is Neh and no is Okhee. Neh, yes, can sound like a no to an English ear, so learn that pair first. Milas anglika? asks whether someone speaks English, and Then katalavaeno means I don't understand. In writing, look for Πού είναι...; where is, δεξιά, right, αριστερά, left, and Το λογαριασμό παρακαλώ, the bill please. Note that a Greek question ends with a mark that looks like an English semicolon. All phrases below come from the BBC's Greek phrase lists.
16 phrases to say
The spellings in the first column are the BBC's own guide to pronunciation, written in English letters.
| Greek | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ya sou | Hello |
| Ya / Adeeo | Goodbye |
| Parakalo | Please, and also you're welcome |
| Efkharisto | Thank you |
| Neh | Yes |
| Okhee | No |
| Tee kanis? | How are you? |
| Eeemay kala, efkharisto | I'm fine, thank you |
| Milas anglika? | Do you speak English? |
| Khaero poly | Pleased to meet you |
| To onoma mou eemay… | My name is ... |
| Then katalavaeno | I don't understand |
| Khreeazome voeetheea, parakalo | I need help, please |
| Xeetao syghnome | I'm sorry |
| Tha ta poume! | See you later |
| Phantastika | Great |
Booking a room
| Greek | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Θέλω να κλείσω ... | I want to book ... |
| ένα δωμάτιο | a room |
| ένα δίκλινο | a double room |
| μονόκλινο | a single room |
| μία νύχτα, πέντε νύχτες | one night, five nights |
| με μπάνιο / με ντους | with bathroom / with shower |
| με θέα | with a view |
| τα διαβατήριά σας | your passports |
At the taverna
| Greek | Meaning |
|---|---|
| η ταβέρνα | taverna |
| Τι θα πάρετε; | What will you have? |
| Θέλω | I want |
| Ένα μπουκάλι νερό | A bottle of water |
| Μία μπύρα | A beer |
| Ένα ελληνικό καφέ | A Greek coffee |
| κόκκινο κρασί | red wine |
| κοτόπουλο σχάρας | grilled chicken |
| μ’αρέσει | I like (it) |
| Το λογαριασμό παρακαλώ | The bill please |
One curiosity from the BBC's list: wine is ordered by weight. Ένα κιλό άσπρο κρασί is literally a kilo of white wine, which the BBC explains means a litre.
Finding your way
| Greek | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Συγνώμη / Συγνώμη; | Excuse me / Sorry? |
| Πού είναι...; | Where's ...? |
| το ξενοδοχείο | hotel |
| Θα πάτε | (You) go |
| Θα στρίψετε | (You) turn |
| δεξιά | (on the) right |
| αριστερά | (on the) left |
| ίσια | straight on |
| Είναι μακριά; | Is it far? |
| κοντά | near |
Numbers for the market
The BBC's shopping list gives the numbers from zero to twelve in Greek letters: μηδέν, ένα, δύο, τρία for 0 to 3; τέσσερα, πέντε, έξι for 4 to 6; εφτά, οχτώ, εννιά for 7 to 9; and δέκα, ένδεκα, δώδεκα for 10 to 12. With ένα κιλό, δύο κιλά, one kilo, two kilos, and Μήπως έχετε ...; would you have ...?, you can shop at a market stall.
How to use this page
- Learn the 16 spoken phrases by ear. Say them aloud until yes and no stop tripping you up.
- Learn to recognise the written ones. You do not need to write Greek to spot δεξιά on a sign or in a reply.
- Test yourself in both directions, English to Greek and Greek to English.
- Spread it over a week. A 2013 review of learning research rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility, and rereading as low.
- Greek is a longer project than Spanish or Italian if you carry on: the US State Department lists it in Category III, at about 44 weeks of classes.
Language Lab's Greek course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so you can hear these phrases and practise saying them.
Frequently asked
What are the most useful Greek phrases for travel?
Ya sou for hello, Efkharisto for thank you, Parakalo for please, Neh for yes, Okhee for no, and Milas anglika? for do you speak English, in the BBC's pronunciation spelling.
How do you say yes and no in Greek?
Yes is Neh and no is Okhee, as the BBC writes them. In Greek letters, no is όχι.
How do you say thank you in Greek?
Efkharisto. Parakalo means please and is also used for you're welcome.
How do I ask for the bill in Greek?
Το λογαριασμό παρακαλώ: the bill please.
How do I ask where something is in Greek?
Πού είναι...; means where's ...? Listen for δεξιά, right, αριστερά, left, and ίσια, straight on.
Why does a Greek question end with a semicolon?
That mark is the Greek question mark. You can see it at the end of Πού είναι...; and Είναι μακριά;
Sources: BBC Languages, A Guide to Greek: Key phrases, and Greek Quick Fix: accommodation, food and drink, shopping and getting around phrases (archived pages); US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Oia and the caldera, Santorini, Norbert Nagel / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
