Greek Travel Phrases — The Core Sentences You Need

Why a phrasebook approach works for travel

Learning a language properly for daily life and preparing for a two-week trip are genuinely different projects, and it's worth being honest about that distinction from the start. If your goal is fluency, the structured path through Learn Greek — alphabet, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, conversation, all building on each other — is the right approach. If your goal is a comfortable, respectful, functional trip, you don't need Greek grammar theory nearly as much as you need a set of complete, memorised phrases you can produce instantly, without constructing them from scratch in your head under pressure at a train station counter.

This guide and the four that follow it (Airport Greek, Hotel Greek, Restaurant Greek, and Emergency Greek) are built for that second goal. Every phrase is given as a complete, ready-to-use sentence, with a rough pronunciation guide, so you can start using it immediately rather than needing to understand the underlying grammar first.

Greetings and basic courtesy

These are the phrases you'll use more than any others, in almost every interaction, regardless of the specific situation.

Γεια σας. (ya sas) — Hello. (safe default with strangers and staff)
Καλημέρα. (kaliméra) — Good morning.
Καλησπέρα. (kalispéra) — Good evening.
Ευχαριστώ. (efcharistó) — Thank you.
Ευχαριστώ πολύ. (efcharistó polí) — Thank you very much.
Παρακαλώ. (parakaló) — Please / You're welcome.
Συγγνώμη. (signómi) — Sorry / Excuse me.
Παρακαλώ, μιλάτε αγγλικά; (parakaló, miláte angliká?) — Excuse me, do you speak English?
Δεν μιλάω καλά ελληνικά. (den miláo kalá eliniká) — I don't speak Greek well.
Καταλαβαίνετε; (katalavénete?) — Do you understand?

That phrase for "do you speak English" is worth using before launching into English directly — even a short attempt in Greek, followed by a polite switch to English if needed, is noticeably better received than assuming English from the outset.

Yes, no, and basic responses

Ναι. (ne) — Yes.
Όχι. (óchi) — No.
Ίσως. (ísos) — Maybe.
Δεν ξέρω. (den kséro) — I don't know.
Εντάξει. (endáksi) — Okay / Fine.
Καλά. (kalá) — Good / Fine.

One easy trap for English speakers: Greek "yes" (ναι) is often accompanied by a slight downward nod, similar to English, but the head gesture for "no" in Greek — a single upward tilt of the head, sometimes with the eyebrows raised — can look surprisingly like a nod to someone expecting the Western head-shake for "no". If a Greek speaker's head movement for "no" looks ambiguous to you, rely on the spoken όχι rather than the gesture alone until you're used to reading it.

Asking for directions

Direction phrases are some of the highest-value sentences you can memorise, since you'll use them constantly and the answers, while sometimes fast, usually come with pointing that helps you follow along even if you don't catch every word.

Πού είναι...; (pu íne...?) — Where is...?
Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; (pu íne i tualéta?) — Where is the bathroom?
Πού είναι ο σταθμός; (pu íne o stathmós?) — Where is the station?
Είναι μακριά; (íne makriá?) — Is it far?
Είναι κοντά; (íne kondá?) — Is it close?
Ευθεία. (efthía) — Straight ahead.
Δεξιά. (deksiá) — Right.
Αριστερά. (aristerá) — Left.
Πόσο μακριά είναι με τα πόδια; (póso makriá íne me ta pódia?) — How far is it on foot?
Μπορείτε να μου δείξετε στο χάρτη; (borite na mu díksete sto chárti?) — Can you show me on the map?

That last phrase is genuinely one of the most useful in this entire guide — asking someone to point on a map (physical or on your phone) sidesteps the problem of understanding fast spoken directions entirely, and almost everyone is happy to do it.

Numbers and prices

Numbers come up constantly — prices, room numbers, bus numbers, times — and are worth being genuinely fluent in rather than half-remembered, since a wrong number can cause real confusion or cost you money.

ένα, δύο, τρία, τέσσερα, πέντε (éna, dío, tría, tésera, pénde) — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
έξι, εφτά, οκτώ, εννέα, δέκα (éksi, eftá, októ, ennéa, déka) — 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
είκοσι, τριάντα, σαράντα, πενήντα (íkosi, triánda, saránda, penínda) — 20, 30, 40, 50
εκατό (ekató) — 100
Πόσο κάνει; (póso káni?) — How much is it?
Είναι πολύ ακριβό. (íne polí akrivó) — That's very expensive.
Έχετε ρέστα; (échete résta?) — Do you have change?
Δέχεστε κάρτα; (déchestai kárta?) — Do you accept card?
Μόνο μετρητά; (móno metritá?) — Cash only?

Time and scheduling

Τι ώρα είναι; (ti óra íne?) — What time is it?
Τι ώρα ανοίγει; (ti óra aníyi?) — What time does it open?
Τι ώρα κλείνει; (ti óra klíni?) — What time does it close?
Σήμερα. (símera) — Today.
Αύριο. (ávrio) — Tomorrow.
Τώρα. (tóra) — Now.
Αργότερα. (argótera) — Later.

Shopping and markets

Απλά κοιτάω. (aplá kitáo) — I'm just looking.
Μπορώ να το δοκιμάσω; (boró na to dokimáso?) — Can I try it on?
Έχετε άλλο μέγεθος; (échete álo méyethos?) — Do you have another size?
Θα το πάρω. (tha to páro) — I'll take it.
Μπορείτε να κάνετε καλύτερη τιμή; (borite na kánete kalíteri timí?) — Can you do a better price?
Έχετε τσάντα; (échete tsánda?) — Do you have a bag?

Bargaining is not standard practice in most fixed-price shops in Greece the way it might be in some other Mediterranean or Middle Eastern markets, but it's still normal and expected in some open-air markets, with independent craft sellers, or for larger purchases — the phrase above is polite and non-confrontational, and worth having ready in those specific contexts rather than in a supermarket or chain store.

Public transport

Ένα εισιτήριο, παρακαλώ. (éna isitírio, parakaló) — One ticket, please.
Πού είναι η στάση του λεωφορείου; (pu íne i stási tu leoforíu?) — Where is the bus stop?
Αυτό το λεωφορείο πάει στο...; (aftó to leoforío pái sto...?) — Does this bus go to...?
Πότε φεύγει το επόμενο; (póte févyi to epómeno?) — When does the next one leave?
Σε ποια στάση πρέπει να κατέβω; (se pia stási prépi na katévo?) — Which stop should I get off at?
Μπορείτε να με ειδοποιήσετε όταν φτάσουμε; (borite na me idopiísete ótan ftásume?) — Can you let me know when we arrive?

Weather and small talk

Κάνει ζέστη σήμερα. (káni zésti símera) — It's hot today.
Κάνει κρύο. (káni krío) — It's cold.
Είναι όμορφη μέρα. (íne ómorfi méra) — It's a beautiful day.
Από πού είστε; (apó pu íste?) — Where are you from?
Είμαι από... (íme apó...) — I'm from...
Είναι η πρώτη μου φορά στην Ελλάδα. (íne i próti mu forá stin Eláda) — This is my first time in Greece.

That last phrase does real social work — announcing you're a first-time visitor tends to make locals noticeably warmer and more willing to help, offer recommendations, or slow down their Greek for you.

Polite phrases for common friction points

Με συγχωρείτε, μπορείτε να με βοηθήσετε; (me sinchoríte, borite na me voithísete?) — Excuse me, can you help me?
Μπορείτε να μιλήσετε πιο αργά, παρακαλώ; (borite na milísete pio argá, parakaló?) — Can you speak more slowly, please?
Μπορείτε να το επαναλάβετε; (borite na to epanalávete?) — Can you repeat that?
Δεν πειράζει. (den pirázi) — No problem / It doesn't matter.
Χρειάζομαι βοήθεια. (chriázome voíthia) — I need help.

A practical tip on pronunciation while travelling

You don't need studio-quality pronunciation to be understood on a trip — clear effort, correct stress on the accented syllable, and a slow, deliberate pace will get you through the vast majority of everyday interactions. If you have time before your trip, even a light read through Greek Pronunciation — particularly the sections on stress placement and the sounds for gamma (γ) and chi (χ) — will noticeably improve how well you're understood, since these are the two things that most affect comprehension even when your vocabulary is limited.

How to actually memorise these before your trip

Cramming a phrasebook the night before a flight rarely produces phrases you can retrieve under pressure at an actual counter or platform. A more effective approach, even with only a week or two of lead time:

Pick 15–20 phrases you're certain you'll need based on your actual itinerary (an airport hub means Airport Greek phrases matter more; a food-focused trip means Restaurant Greek matters more) rather than trying to learn everything on this page equally.
Say them out loud, not just silently read them. The physical act of producing the sounds builds retrieval speed that silent reading doesn't — you want these phrases to come out of your mouth without a translation step happening consciously in between.
Practise them in the actual situation, mentally. Before a trip, imagine yourself at the check-in counter or the restaurant table and rehearse the phrase as if you were really there — this kind of situational rehearsal makes the phrase far easier to retrieve when the real situation arrives.
Carry a printed or offline copy. Don't rely entirely on memory or on having mobile data — a printed card or a downloaded page of your most-used phrases is a reliable backup for the moment your memory or your signal fails you.

Understanding the replies you'll get back

One of the most underrated skills in phrasebook-level travel Greek isn't producing phrases yourself — it's recognising the handful of common replies you'll get back, so a fast response doesn't leave you stranded. Greek speakers responding to a tourist's question will often speak faster and more naturally than the careful, deliberate pace of a phrasebook recording, and it helps enormously to have already met the shape of common answers in advance.

Δεν καταλαβαίνω τι λέτε. (den katalavéno ti léte) — "I don't understand what you're saying" — sometimes said back to you if your pronunciation was unclear; don't take this personally, simply try slowing down or pointing.
Μια στιγμή. (mia stigmí) — "One moment" — extremely common while someone looks something up or fetches a colleague.
Δεν ξέρω, ρωτήστε εκεί. (den kséro, rotíste ekí) — "I don't know, ask over there" — often accompanied by pointing; a normal, unremarkable redirect rather than a brush-off.
Φυσικά! (fisiká!) — "Of course!" — a common enthusiastic yes to a simple request.
Δυστυχώς όχι. (distichós óchi) — "Unfortunately not" — a polite way of saying no that's worth recognising so you don't miss a "no" wrapped in extra politeness.

Handling misunderstandings gracefully

Misunderstandings are a certainty, not a possibility, when travelling with limited language ability, and how you handle them matters more than avoiding them entirely. A calm, good-humoured response to confusion — rather than visible frustration — nearly always produces a better outcome, since it invites the other person to help solve the problem alongside you rather than simply waiting for you to give up.

Νομίζω ότι υπάρχει παρεξήγηση. (nomízo óti ipárchi pareksígisi) — I think there's a misunderstanding.
Ας ξεκινήσουμε από την αρχή. (as ksekinísume apó tin archí) — Let's start from the beginning.
Μπορείτε να μου το γράψετε; (borite na mu to grápsete?) — Can you write it down for me?
Θα σας δείξω στο κινητό μου. (tha sas díkso sto kinitó mu) — I'll show you on my phone. (useful for translation apps or maps as a backup)

Writing something down, or showing it on a phone screen, sidesteps a huge amount of listening-comprehension pressure and is a completely normal, expected fallback — nobody considers it a failure to communicate this way when spoken language hits its limit.

A note on formality while travelling

As covered in Greek for Beginners, Greek distinguishes an informal and formal way of addressing someone. As a traveller, the safe default is the formal form (εσείς-based phrasing, like Γεια σας rather than Γεια σου) with anyone you don't already know personally — shop staff, waiters, hotel receptionists, strangers you're asking directions from. This is rarely a point of real social friction even if you occasionally get it wrong, since native speakers generally extend considerable patience to visitors on this front, but leaning formal by default is the lower-risk choice, and switching to informal once a local uses it with you first is a natural, easy transition.

Common social phrases beyond transactions

Beyond pure transactions (buying, ordering, asking directions), a handful of social phrases go a long way toward warmer interactions during a trip, particularly if you're spending time with hosts, tour guides, or people you meet along the way.

Χαίρομαι που σας γνωρίζω. (chérome pu sas gnorízo) — Nice to meet you.
Πολύ ευγενικό εκ μέρους σας. (polí evyenikó ek mérus sas) — That's very kind of you.
Σας ευχαριστώ για τη φιλοξενία. (sas efcharistó ya ti filoksenía) — Thank you for your hospitality.
Θα το θυμάμαι για πάντα. (tha to thimáme ya pánda) — I'll remember this forever.
Ελπίζω να ξανάρθω. (elpízo na ksanártho) — I hope to come back.

Greek hospitality culture places real weight on this kind of warmth and gratitude being expressed openly rather than left implicit, and these phrases are consistently well received, particularly with hosts who've gone out of their way for you.

Building a personal phrase card before you fly

Rather than trying to hold this entire guide in memory, a more realistic approach is building a short, personalised card of perhaps 25–30 phrases pulled from across all five Travel Greek guides, weighted toward your specific itinerary. Someone flying into a small island airport with a pre-booked villa and self-catering plans needs a very different phrase mix than someone doing a multi-city trip with hotels and restaurants each night. Reviewing this personalised list two or three times in the week before departure, ideally saying each phrase aloud rather than only reading it silently, gives you a genuinely usable working vocabulary by the time you land — far more effective than trying to absorb every phrase across every guide equally.

Why memorising complete phrases beats memorising words

There's a meaningful difference between learning individual Greek words and learning complete, ready-made phrases, and for travel purposes specifically, phrases win decisively. If you learn only the individual words for "where", "is", and "bathroom", you still have to correctly assemble them into a grammatically sound sentence in real time, under mild social pressure, drawing on grammar rules you may not have studied at all if your goal is purely a short trip. If instead you learn Πού είναι η τουαλέτα; as a single memorised unit, you can produce it instantly and correctly, without needing to understand why the words are in that particular order or what case the noun is in. This is precisely why this guide, and the four others in Travel Greek, are built around complete sentences rather than vocabulary lists — for a traveller's timeline, phrase-level fluency delivers far more usable capability per hour of study than grammar-first learning does, even though grammar-first learning is unquestionably the better long-term investment if you go on to pursue Learn Greek more seriously afterward.

What to do when nothing on this list quite fits

No phrasebook, however thorough, covers every situation you might actually encounter, and it's worth having a small toolkit of fallback strategies for the inevitable moment when you need something that isn't on any list you've studied. Pointing, combined with a simple Αυτό, παρακαλώ. (aftó, parakaló — "this, please") covers an enormous range of situations without requiring any specific vocabulary at all. Simple hand gestures for quantities ("two", "a little") paired with the numbers you already know cover most quantity-related confusion. And, as mentioned earlier, showing something on your phone — a photo, a translation app, a map pin — remains one of the most reliable universal fallbacks available to any traveller, in any country, regardless of language ability. Treating these fallback strategies as a normal, expected part of travelling with limited language skills, rather than as a failure to "really" speak Greek, keeps the whole experience considerably less stressful.

Where to go next

This page covers the general-purpose phrases that apply across almost any travel situation. For the specific vocabulary of a particular stage of your trip, move on to Airport Greek for arrival and departure, Hotel Greek for your accommodation, Restaurant Greek for eating out, and Emergency Greek for the situations you hope not to need but should prepare for regardless.