How to use GREEK NAMES like a PRO
If you are traveling to Greece, it’s very useful to know how to address Greeks with their names. If you’re a beginner Greek learner, then this is one of the first steps you need to take – use Greek names. Greek learner, then this is one of the first steps you need to take – use Greek names.
In this article we’ll study how to use Greek names.
Where Greek names come from?
Names in Greek come from a specific list.
They can either be Christian names, like Γιώργος, Νίκος, Πέτρος
or ancient Greek names, like Σωκράτης, Ασπασία, Οδυσσέας, Λεωνίδας.
The 5 most popular Greek male names are:
– Νίκος
– Γιάννης
– Κώστας
– Γιώργος
– Χρήστος
The 5 most popular Greek female names
– Κατερίνα
– Δήμητρα
– Ελένη
– Μαρία
– Άννα
All male names in Greek end in -s and all female names end in -α or -η.
Saying your name in Greek
If you want to ask someone’s name, use the expression
Πώς σε λένε; (pos se lene)
meaning “What’s your name?”
and the response would be
Με λένε (Me lene)
“My name is”.
For example
- Πώς σε λένε; What’s your name?
- Με λένε Κώστα. My name is Kostas.
Notice that if someone is called Kostas he will say
My name is Kosta. Με λένε Κώστα.
Or if someone’s name is Vasilis, he will say
My name is Vasili. Με λένε Βασίλη.
The rule says that after the phrase Με λένε we need to drop the last -s from the name. Only male names have an -s in the end, so we’ll drop the -s from the male names.
Με λένε ____________ (drop the -s)
The female names don’t end in an -s, so we don’t drop anything!
Με λένε Άννα. Με λένε Μαρία.
Fow now, the only thing you need to remember is that if someone tells you Με λένε Κώστα, his name is not Kosta but Kostas. He just dropped the -s!
This rule Με λένε ____________ (drop the -s) applies only to Greek names.If your name is Peter, you say
Με λένε Πίτερ.
But if you want to turn your name into the Greek version then you need to say
Με λένε Πέτρο (no s)
How to address a Greek using his / her name
If you want to say hello to someone, or good morning or generally address someone using his name, then you need to do the same thing like with Με λένε.
To drop the last -s from his name.
For example
- Γεια σου, Κώστα. Hello Kostas.
- Καλημέρα, Γιώργο. Good morning, Yiorgos.
- Γεια σου, Μαρία. Hello, Maria.
- Τι κάνεις, Βασίλη; How are you, Vasilis?
In Grammar this is called Vocative case and it’s used when we address someone in 2nd person.
In short we will drop the -s from male names in these two situations
- After Με λένε
- When we address someone using his name
Another thing we need to mention is that in Greek it’s ok to use the article with names. In English, saying “the Maria” or “the Bill” would sound strange, but that’s totally fine in Greek!
Let’s compare these two sentences.
- Ο Κώστας είναι Έλληνας. Kostas is Greek.
- Κώστα, τι κάνεις; Kosta, how are you?
- Η Μαρία είναι Ελληνίδα. Maria is Greek.
- Μαρία, τι κάνεις; Maria, how are you?
If you use the article with names, that’s 3rd person, you talk about him/her.
If you don’t use the article with names, that’s 2nd person, you talk to him/her.
That’s all for today!
Now you know how to use names in Greek!
Next step?
Go ahead and sign up for an online Greek class so you can practice everything you’ve learned!
Want to learn Greek, fast?
Download my free e-book, Speak Greek at the Restaurant and the Cafe in Under a Day, or join one of our Greek courses !
Until next time, keep exploring, keep learning.
Τα λέμε!
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