Language Guide
Survival Greek: 50+ Essential Phrases for Everyday Life (2025)
While English is widely spoken in Cyprus, learning a few key Greek phrases will transform your daily interactions, open doors, and show respect for the local culture. A simple "kalimera" or "efcharisto" can bring a warm smile. This CyExpats.com guide is your cheat sheet to the most useful words and phrases for navigating your new life.
A Note on Dialect: The phrases here are in Standard Modern Greek, which is understood by everyone. The Cypriot dialect has its own unique charm and vocabulary (e.g., asking "what?" is "inda?" instead of "ti?"). Start with these standard phrases, and you'll pick up the local dialect naturally!
Basic Greetings & Courtesies
| English | Greek (Ελληνικά) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal/plural) | Γειά σας | YAH-sas |
| Hello (informal) | Γειά σου | YAH-soo |
| Good morning | Καλημέρα | kah-lee-MEH-rah |
| Good afternoon/evening | Καλησπέρα | kah-lee-SPER-ah |
| Goodnight | Καληνύχτα | kah-lee-NEEKH-tah |
| How are you? (formal) | Τι κάνετε; | tee KAH-neh-teh? |
| How are you? (informal) | Τι κάνεις; | tee KAH-nis? |
| I'm fine, thank you | Καλά είμαι, ευχαριστώ | kah-LAH EE-meh, ef-kha-ree-STO |
| Yes | Ναι | neh |
| No | Όχι | OH-khee |
| Please / You're welcome | Παρακαλώ | pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώ | ef-kha-ree-STO |
| Sorry / Excuse me | Συγγνώμη | see-GHNO-mee |
| My name is... | Με λένε... | meh LEH-neh... |
At the Café or Taverna
| English | Greek (Ελληνικά) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | Ένα τραπέζι για δύο, παρακαλώ | EH-nah trah-PEH-zee yah THEE-oh, pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| Can I see the menu? | Μπορώ να δω το μενού; | boh-ROH nah thoh toh meh-NOO? |
| I would like... | Θα ήθελα... | tha EE-theh-lah... |
| A coffee, please | Έναν καφέ, παρακαλώ | EH-nan kah-FEH, pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| A beer, please | Μια μπύρα, παρακαλώ | MEE-ah BEE-rah, pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| A glass of wine | Ένα ποτήρι κρασί | EH-nah poh-TEE-ree krah-SEE |
| Water | Νερό | neh-ROH |
| Cheers! | Γειά μας! | YAH-mas! |
| The bill, please | Το λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ | toh loh-ghar-yah-ZMO, pah-rah-kah-LOH |
| It was delicious! | Ήταν πολύ νόστιμο! | EE-tan poh-LEE NOS-tee-moh! |
Shopping
| English | Greek (Ελληνικά) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Πόσο κάνει αυτό; | POH-soh KAH-nee af-TOH? |
| I'm just looking | Απλά κοιτάζω | ah-PLAH kee-TAH-zoh |
| I will take it | Θα το πάρω | tha toh PAH-roh |
| Do you accept cards? | Δέχεστε κάρτες; | THEH-khes-teh KAR-tes? |
| I would like a bag | Θα ήθελα μια σακούλα | tha EE-theh-lah mee-AH sah-KOO-lah |
| One kilo of oranges | Ένα κιλό πορτοκάλια | EH-nah kee-LOH por-toh-KAH-lyah |
| A loaf of bread | Ένα ψωμί | EH-nah pso-MEE |
| Milk | Γάλα | GHA-lah |
Getting Around & Asking for Help
| English | Greek (Ελληνικά) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where is...? | Πού είναι...; | POO EE-neh...? |
| Where is the toilet? | Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; | POO EE-neh ee too-ah-LEH-tah? |
| Left / Right | Αριστερά / Δεξιά | ah-rees-teh-RAH / thek-see-AH |
| Straight ahead | Ευθεία | ef-THEE-ah |
| I don't understand | Δεν καταλαβαίνω | then kah-tah-lah-VEH-no |
| Do you speak English? | Μιλάτε αγγλικά; | mee-LAH-teh an-glee-KAH? |
| Help! | Βοήθεια! | voh-EE-thee-ah! |
Budgeting for Your New Life
While you're mastering "the bill, please," it's also smart to know what those bills might look like. Planning your budget is key to a stress-free life in Cyprus. Here are some tools to help:
📊 Plan Your Cyprus Budget
Use our calculators to estimate your major monthly expenses and get a clear financial picture.
- Cost of Living Calculator: Estimate your total monthly budget for housing, food, and transport.
- Rental Cost Calculator: See what you can expect to pay for rent in different cities.
- Car Ownership & Costs Calculator: Understand the full cost of having a car on the island.
Numbers
| Number | Greek (Ελληνικά) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - one | Ένα | EH-nah |
| 2 - two | Δύο | THEE-oh |
| 3 - three | Τρία | TREE-ah |
| 4 - four | Τέσσερα | TES-seh-rah |
| 5 - five | Πέντε | PEN-deh |
| 6 - six | Έξι | EK-see |
| 7 - seven | Επτά | ep-TAH |
| 8 - eight | Οκτώ | ok-TOH |
| 9 - nine | Εννέα | en-NEH-ah |
| 10 - ten | Δέκα | THEH-kah |
| 20 - twenty | Είκοσι | EE-koh-see |
| 50 - fifty | Πενήντα | peh-NEEN-dah |
| 100 - one hundred | Εκατό | eh-kah-TOH |