Greek Greetings: How to Say Hello (and What to Say Back)

There’s a concept in Greek culture called φιλοξενία (filoxenia), the love of strangers. It’s where the English word “xenophobia” comes from, pointing in the opposite direction. The cultural tradition is to actively welcome guests.

What this means for you, practically, is that when you try to greet a Greek person in their language, even a simple “Καλημέρα” (kalimera), or good morning, expect them to welcome you with open arms.

This guide covers what to say in every situation, what Greeks say back, the physical customs that catch people off guard, and a few other little known tips.

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The core greetings — and what Greeks say back

Most guides stop at the opener. Here’s the full exchange.

Γεια σου (ya sou) — hello, informal, one person. The response: Γεια σου, or just Γεια.

Greek	Romanised	When to use	Register	What they say back
Γεια σου	ya sou	Anytime	Informal, one person	Γεια σου / Γεια
Γεια σας	ya sas	Anytime	Formal, or a group	Γεια σας
Καλημέρα	kalimera	Morning	Both	Καλημέρα
Καλησπέρα	kalispera	Afternoon/evening	Both	Καλησπέρα
Καληνύχτα	kalinychta	Parting at night	Both	Καληνύχτα

None of these are hard to say. The two things that trip people up are knowing which one to use, and knowing what to say when a Greek greets you first.

What to say back when a Greek greets you first

Greek greetings work by mirroring: you return the same phrase you were given. If someone says Καλημέρα (kalimera) to you, the response is Καλημέρα. If they open with Καλησπέρα (kalispera), you reply Καλησπέρα. Γεια σου gets Γεια σου back, or just Γεια. There’s no separate reply word to memorise, the greeting and its answer are often the same.

The one thing to adjust is register. If an older person, or someone in a formal setting, greets you with the formal Γεια σας, reply with Γεια σας rather than the informal Γεια σου.

Γεια σου vs. Γεια σας: the one rule you need

Γεια σου is informal and singular. Γεια σας is formal or plural.

Use Γεια σας with:

• anyone older than you whom you don’t know well
• shop staff in more formal contexts
• teachers
• doctors
• anyone you’re addressing as part of a group

Use Γεια σου with:

• friends
• people your age
• children
• anyone who’s already been informal with you first

If you’re not sure, Γεια σας is always the safe call. Though not very many people get offended by being treated too respectfully.

When does morning end?

The cut-off for Καλημέρα is roughly noon, but Greeks use judgment rather than a clock. Walking into a café at 12:30? Either Καλημέρα or Καλησπέρα is fine. Before 12, go with Καλημέρα. After 1pm, switch to Καλησπέρα. In the fuzzy middle, don’t worry about it.

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How to say “how are you?” — and actually answer it

Τι κάνεις; (ti kanis) — how are you? (informal, to one person)

The formal version is Τι κάνετε; (ti kanete). Both work. Most situations you’ll encounter as a visitor will be informal enough for Τι κάνεις. Τι (ti) is one of the handful of Greek question words worth learning early — alongside πού (where), πότε (when), and πώς (how), they open most everyday questions.

How to reply to Τι κάνεις; (ti kanis)

Three responses that sound natural:

• Καλά, εσύ; (kala, esi) — Fine, and you? This is the default.
• Πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώ (poli kala, efcharisto) — Very well, thank you. Slightly more formal.
• Έτσι κι έτσι (etsi ki etsi) — So-so. For when things are actually so-so.

One cultural note: with close friends, Greeks often give a real answer to “how are you?” They’re not doing small talk. If a Greek friend asks how you are and you seem tired or preoccupied, they might ask again, genuinely.

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First meeting: how to introduce yourself

When someone introduces you to a person you haven’t met, the phrase is Χαίρω πολύ (chairo poli). It literally means “I rejoice greatly.” A bit grand, but that’s Modern Greek for you.

The informal version is Χάρηκα (charika). Same meaning, slightly warmer.

Greeks typically move to first names immediately. If you’ve just been introduced to someone, they will use your name within the first sentence.

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Physical greetings: who you kiss, when, and how

This is the section that saves you from standing there with your hand awkwardly extended while someone leans in for a kiss.

First meeting vs. reunion

First meeting with someone in a professional or semi-formal context: handshake, firm, eye contact. First meeting in a social context (friend of a friend, new neighbour): single cheek kiss is common, right cheek first, often with a handshake happening simultaneously or right after.

Reunion with someone you know: two kisses, right cheek first. This applies broadly — friends, relatives, neighbours you haven’t seen in a while. The greeting is warmer than a handshake and quicker than it looks from the outside.

Gender combinations

Women greeting women: two kisses, always. This is consistent across the country and across generations.

Women greeting men: context-dependent. Social settings where you’ve met before: two kisses are standard. First professional meeting: handshake. When in doubt, follow the Greek person’s lead, they’ll initiate.

Men greeting men: varies significantly. In business and formal contexts, handshake. Between close friends and in family settings, two kisses are completely normal. If you’re a man and a Greek male friend goes in for a kiss, don’t freeze. Just return it as it signals nothing other than warmth.

Athens vs. the islands

Island Greeks, especially on the smaller islands, often move to two kisses faster, even with people they’ve only just met. Athenians in professional contexts lean more formal. If you’re spending time outside the capital, expect warmer physical greetings earlier in the relationship.

The yes/no trap

Not a greeting, but you need to know this: ναι (ne) means yes. It sounds like the English “neh.” Όχι (ochi) means no. Sometimes accompanied by a slight upward head-tilt. This catches travellers completely off guard. You ask “Do you have this in another colour?” and hear what sounds like “nay”, is actually yes. The head movements that go with ναι and όχι trip up even careful listeners, so it’s worth reading the full guide to why Greeks tilt their head up to say “no”.

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Try it: Greek greetings in context

Here are seven situations. Choose the right greeting for each one.

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Answering the phone in Greek

Greek phone etiquette is different to what most English speakers expect.

The standard answer is Εμπρός (embros). It means “go ahead” or “forward.” You pick up and say Εμπρός as an invitation to speak, not to greet. Some people say just Ναι (ne) which is blunter but common. Λέγετε (leyete) means “speak” and is more formal; you’ll hear it from business numbers.

If you call a Greek number and the person answers Εμπρός, don’t expect a “hello, this is…” The convention is to say who you are and why you’re calling immediately after they answer. “Γεια σας, είμαι η Σάρα, μιλώ για…“. “Hello, I’m Sara, I’m calling about…”

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Greetings for special occasions

Greeks mark occasions with specific phrases. Knowing these sets you apart from tourists who only know Γεια σου.

Χρόνια Πολλά (chronia pola), “Many years.” This is the phrase for birthdays, name days, Easter, New Year, and most celebrations. If you’re not sure what’s being celebrated, Χρόνια Πολλά almost always fits.

Καλό Πάσχα (kalo pascha) — Happy Easter. Use this in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday.

Χριστός Ανέστη / Αληθώς Ανέστη (christos anesti / alithos anesti) — Christ is risen / Truly He is risen. Greeks exchange this on Easter Sunday regardless of personal religiosity. If someone says the first phrase to you, you say the second. It functions almost as a call and response. You’ll hear it in shops, on the street, in restaurants, and of course, in church.

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο (kalo savvatokyriako) — Have a good weekend. Greeks actually say this. A lot.

Καλή Χρονιά (kali chronia) — Happy New Year. Used throughout January, not just on the 1st.

One thing to know: in Greece, name days are often celebrated as much as birthdays, sometimes more. If you know that a Greek person’s name day is today, greeting them with Χρόνια Πολλά unprompted signals that you pay attention. It’s noticed.

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Texting and digital greetings

This is the layer that language guides almost never cover.

Greeks use time-of-day greetings in text messages. A WhatsApp message arriving at 8am will often start with “Καλημέρα!” followed immediately by the actual message.

In informal texts between close friends, γεια (lowercase, often without any greeting at all) gives way to just launching into the content. The greeting drops out the way “Hi” drops out of texts between people who talk constantly.

Email openers are different. A formal email starts with Αγαπητέ/Αγαπητή (agapite/agapiti) — Dear — followed by the person’s name. An informal email to someone you know starts with Γεια σου.

Voice messages are increasingly common in Greek digital communication. If you’re messaging a Greek friend or contact, don’t be surprised to receive a voice note as a greeting. Replying by voice is the norm in some circles.

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Match the greetings

Before you go, practise matching the phrases you’ve just learned to their English meanings.

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Common mistakes

Three mistakes that mark you as a tourist: saying Καλησπέρα to someone at noon, saying Γεια σου to a group, and missing the second cheek kiss because you pulled back after the first.

None of them matter much. Here’s what actually happens when you get the greeting roughly right: “Α, μιλάς ελληνικά!” — Oh, you speak Greek! This is not a question. It’s a delighted exclamation.

Getting the grammar perfectly right is far less important than getting it said at all.

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FAQ

How do you say hello in Greek?

Γεια σου (ya sou) to one person informally, or Γεια σας (ya sas) formally or to a group. Both come from the word υγεία (ygeia), health. When you say Γεια, you’re wishing someone health.

What does Καλημέρα mean?

Καλημέρα (kalimera) means “good morning.” Καλή (kali) means good, μέρα (mera) means day. Use it until around noon. After that, switch to Καλησπέρα.

How do you respond to Καλημέρα?

You mirror it: when someone says Καλημέρα (kalimera) to you, you reply Καλημέρα. Greek greetings use the same phrase for the opener and the response. Before noon, Καλημέρα; after about 1pm, switch to Καλησπέρα (kalispera) and reply with that instead.

What do you say back to Τι κάνεις; (how are you)?

The natural default is Καλά, εσύ; (kala, esi) — “Fine, and you?“. For something more formal, Πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώ (poli kala, efcharisto) — “Very well, thank you”. With close friends, a genuine answer is welcome; Greeks don’t always treat “how are you?” as small talk.

What is the most common Greek greeting?

In practice, Γεια σου is the most frequently heard but Καλημέρα dominates morning interactions. You’ll hear it constantly in shops, cafés, and on the street from when businesses open until midday.

How do Greeks greet each other physically?

Two kisses, right cheek first, between people who know each other. Handshake for a first professional meeting. In social settings, a single cheek kiss on first meeting is common. Follow the other person’s lead if you’re uncertain.

What does Opa mean?

Opa is not a greeting. It’s an exclamation used when something exciting happens, when someone breaks a plate (in the old custom, now largely at tourist events), or as a general expression of enthusiasm. Think of it as the Greek equivalent of “hey!” or “woah!” It does not mean hello.

Do people in Greece speak English?

In tourist areas, cities, and among anyone under 50, English is widespread. But that’s beside the point. Attempting Greek is received differently to speaking English, even if the Greek speaker’s English is better than your Greek.

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The next step after greetings is knowing how to introduce yourself and talk about where you’re from. If you want to move beyond the opener and into a real exchange, the Greek Alphabet is where to start — because once you can read the script, everything else clicks into place.