How to Say Thank You in Greek: Formal, Informal, Useful Phrases

When I watch my favorite bands perform live, one of the things I always look forward to is the part where the vocalist says, “Thank you, Athens.” But it’s not so much an expression of gratitude as it is the opportunity to hear them say the word “Efkaristo.” It’s always fascinating to me as a linguist to hear how people from all over the world say thank you in Greek.

In general, expressing thanks is an essential element of everyday conversation. Knowing how to say “thank you” in Greek is a vital aspect of the Greek culture, as gratitude is expressed in almost all formal and casual interactions.

We are already familiar with the difficult-to-pronounce word “Ευχαριστώ”, so we will now look at the numerous methods to express thank you in Greek, depending on the occasion and situation.

How to Pronounce Thank You in Greek

The word “ευχαριστώ”, while common, poses some difficulties in its pronunciation. We have all heard it mispronounced, with the /x/ pronounced as /k/ (I know, it’s a difficult sound to pronounce, but I promise you’ll get there) and the word accentuated in the wrong syllable – like /ef.xa’ri.sto/ instead of /ef.xa.ri’sto/.

The Greek /x/ (chi) sound is difficult to learn and duplicate if your native language is French or English – unless you are Scottish. Still, it is a sound found in multiple languages around the world. The sound should come from the back of your throat, without any obstacles. You can try to pronounce chi by yourself. Just remember that the sound is similar to that of the letter “h” in the word “how” – just a little more intensely.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the /o/ at the end of the word is simply a /o/ and should not be pronounced as /ou/. With that in mind, and in an attempt to provide a simpler method than the Greek IPA, we have:

• Ευχαριστώ – ef-cha-ree-‘sto (thank you)
• Ευχαριστώ πολύ – ef-cha-ree-‘sto po-‘lee (thank you very much)

Now that you know how to pronounce the verb that may be employed in any situation, let’s take it up a notch with the details.

Informal Ways to Say Thank You in Greek

There are quite a few ways to say thank you in Greek. These include the verb “ευχαριστώ”, in a variety of phrases and forms. The following are the most “casual” phrases used to convey appreciation in Greek:

• Σε ευχαριστώ | /se ef.x.ari’sto/ | Thank you (singular)
• Χίλια ευχαριστώ | / ˈçi.ʎa ef.xa.ri’sto/ | Thank you a million times
• Σε χιλιοευχαριστώ | / se çi.ʎo.ef.xa.ri’sto/ | Thank you a million times
• Υπερευχαριστώ | / i.per.ef.xa.ri’sto/ | Thank you very, very much
• Ευχαριστώ μέσα από την καρδιά μου | / ef.xa.ri’sto ‘me.sa a’po tin kaɾˈðʝa mu / | Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Of course, this does not preclude the usage of simpler variants of similar expressions in more formal circumstances. Despite the fact that Greek utilizes the plural of politeness (as French does), it lacks the tight structure of traditional politeness that Japanese has, for instance. That is, if it is not slang, it can probably be used in any situation.

Formal Ways to Say Thank You in Greek

The basic rule for formal contexts is to use the plural of politeness. For example, instead of saying “σε ευχαριστώ” (second person, singular), you can just say “σας ευχαριστώ” (second person, plural).

Although “ευχαριστώ” can be used in any setting, there are a few expressions that are more appropriate in more formal situations. Such phrases are:

• Σας ευχαριστώ | /sas ef.xa.ri’sto/ | Thank you (plural)
• Το εκτιμώ | /to ek’ti.mo/ | I appreciate that
• Είμαι ευγνώμων |/’i.me evˈɣno.mon | I am grateful
• Θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω για … |/θa ‘i.θe.la na sas ef.xa.ri’sti.so ja/| I would like to thank you for…
• Ευχαριστώ εκ των προτέρων | /ef.xa.ri’sto ek ton pro’te.ron/| Thank you in advance (used in emails)
• Ευχαριστώ από καρδίας | /ef.xa.ri’sto a’po kar’ði.as/| Thank you from the bottom of my heart (more formal than the one in the previous section).

These are some phrases that can be used in more formal circumstances. However, as previously stated, you can always say “thank you.”

Conjugation of “Ευχαριστώ”

Here, let’s quickly pause to view the verb conjugation for “ευχαριστώ”. If you already know how to conjugate in Greek, then you don’t need a lot more information. If you are also familiar with the tenses of the Greek language, that’s even better!

Present Tense Conjugation of the verb ευχαριστώ (“to thank”)

Εγώ ευχαριστώ	I thank
Εσύ ευχαριστείς	You thank
Αυτός-ή-ό ευχαριστεί	He/She/It thanks
Εμείς ευχαριστούμε	We thank
Εσείς ευχαριστείτε	You thank
Αυτοί-ές-ά ευχαριστούν	They thank

Examples:

1. Η Μαρία σε ευχαριστεί για το βιβλίο που της έδωσες – Maria thanks you for the book you gave her
2. (Εμείς) σας ευχαριστούμε που ήρθατε απόψε – We thank you for attending tonight
3. Οι πελάτες μας ευχαριστούν για τον καλό καφέ – Our customers thank us for the great coffee

Is That Sarcasm?

If you find yourself wondering if someone’s “thank you” is genuine, it probably isn’t. The truth is that there is no clear linguistic distinction between sincere and caustic retorts. When someone says “Ευχαριστώ πολύ”, it is possible that they are using the word ironically.

The only way to tell whether a thank you in Greek is sarcastic or not is to look at the context. Why is it uttered, how is it said, and what is the speaker’s body language? It’s really nothing more than instinct – just like saying a sarcastic or heartfelt “thank you” in your original language. So you shouldn’t be worried about it!

Thank You for Something

You may also use the verb “ευχαριστώ” to create sentences, as to thank somebody for something in particular. There are two ways you can use “ευχαριστώ” to create sentences.

Ευχαριστώ για + noun

In this case, you may use the verb “ευχαριστώ” with the preposition “για” (/ja/) followed by a noun.

Examples:

1. Ευχαριστώ για τη βοήθεια – Thank you for the help (i.e. your help)
2. Ευχαριστώ για το δώρο – Thank you for the gift

Ευχαριστώ που + verb (clause)

In this case, you may use the verb “ευχαριστώ” with the conjunction “που” (/pu/) followed by a subordinate clause – a verbal phrase of your choice.

Examples:

1. Ευχαριστώ που ήρθες στο πάρτυ – Thanks for coming to the party
2. Ευχαριστώ που με βοήθησες χθες – Thanks for helping me yesterday

Other Ways to Say Thank You in Greek

Just like in most languages, there are multiple ways to say thank you in Greek. These ways do not necessarily involve the verb “ευχαριστώ”. Because they are generally informal, you should avoid using them in more formal settings.

• Να είσαι καλά (Be well) – Wishing someone health as a thank you phrase.
• Όλα τα καλά του κόσμου (All the good in the world) – Wishing someone all the good.
• Μου έφτιαξες τη μέρα ( You made my day) – When someone does something to turn your day around.
• Σου χρωστάω (I owe you one) – Acknowledging something by promising to return the favor.
• (Δεν ξέρω) τι θα έκανα χωρίς εσένα ([I don’t know] what I would do without you) – Something you say for an intense thank you in Greek, when someone has gone above and beyond.
• Δεν ξέρω τι να πω (I don’t know what to say) – Usually said when someone says something unexpected.
• Έχω μείνει άφωνος-η-ο ( I am speechless) – Same as above.
• Κι εγώ στο γάμο σου… (And when you get married, I will… ) A funny statement typically used by older people that indicates they will repay the favor by doing something outstanding on your wedding day. Not to be used in ordinary conversation, but to be recognized if you hear it.

How to Say You’re Welcome in Greek

Saying “thank you” is the foundation of politeness. However, knowing how to respond to someone who expresses their gratitude is important as well. On many occasions, failing to respond to a “thank you” may be deemed impolite.

There are multiple options here as well, depending on the formality of the occasion. They are as follows:

• Παρακαλώ (/pa.ra’ka.lo/) – You’re welcome
• Τίποτα ( /’ti.po.ta/) – Nothing
• Να είσαι καλά (/na ‘i.se ka’la/) – Be well
• Μην το συζητάς (/min to si.zi’tas/) – Don’t mention it
• Ευχαρίστησή μου (/ef.xa’ri.sti’si mu/) – My pleasure
• Χαρά μου (/xa’ra mu/) – My pleasure
• Κανένα πρόβλημα (/ka’ne.na ‘pro.vli.ma/) – No problem

If the situation calls for something formal, you are better off with “παρακαλώ”. In informal situations, you can easily choose whichever phrase seems best, since most of them can be interchangeable.

Conclusion

You should be prepared for any conversation, now that you have learnt all of the crucial words and phrases for saying thank you in Greek as well as responding to it. If you feel like you need a little more practice, don’t forget to use Clozemaster, the greatest tool for helping you become fluent in Greek through cloze exercises.