You will hear “Kalimera” all over Greece, from your hotel staff to the people you see on the street. “Kalimera” is used to mean “good morning” or “good morning” and is derived from kali or kalo (“beautiful” or “good”) and mere from imera (“day”).
When it comes to traditional greetings in Greece, what you say depends on when you say it. Kalimera is especially for the morning hours, while ” kalomesimeri ” is rarely used, but means “good afternoon.” Meanwhile, “kalispera” is meant to be used in the evenings, and ” kalinikta ” is meant to say “good night” just before bedtime.
You can combine kalimera (or hear it combined) with “yassas”, which is a respectful form of greeting that itself means “hello.” Yasou is the most informal form, but if you meet someone older than you or in a position of authority, use yassas as a formal greeting.
Other greetings in Greek
Familiarizing yourself with as many common sayings and phrases as possible before your trip to Greece will help you bridge the culture gap and possibly even make new Greek friends. To start a conversation on the right foot, you can use monthly, seasonal, and other greetings to impress locals.
On the first day of the month, you will sometimes hear the greeting “kalimena” or “kalo mena”, which means “have a happy month” or “happy first month.” That greeting probably dates back to ancient times, when the first day of the month was observed as a mild holiday, somewhat like Sundays in some places today.
When leaving a group for the evening, you can use one of the “good morning / evening” phrases to say goodbye or simply say “antío sas”, which means “goodbye.” Note, however, that kalinikta is only used to say “good night” before bed, while kalispera can be used throughout the night to essentially say “see you later.”
Benefits of using the language with respect
When traveling to any foreign country, it is essential to be respectful of culture, history and people, not only to leave a good impression, but also to ensure that you have a better time on your trip. In Greece, a little goes a long way in using the language.
As in American etiquette, two good phrases to remember are “parakaló” (“please”) and “efkharistó” (“thank you”). Remembering to ask nicely and thanking when someone offered you something or provided a service will help you blend in with the locals and will likely provide you with better service and treatment.
Also, even if you can’t understand much Greek, many people who live there also speak English and other European languages. Greeks will appreciate your effort if you start by saying “kalimera” (“good morning”) or if you end a question in English with “parakaló” (“please”).
If you need help, ask someone if they speak English by saying » milás angliká «. Unless the person you know is downright hostile, they will probably stop and help you.
