Everyday Greek relies on short formulas whose job cannot be calculated word by word. Δεν πειράζει literally contains a verb meaning “bother,” but as a response it often releases someone from a minor problem: “never mind; it’s all right.” These phrases are best learned as complete conversational units, together with their register and the situations in which they sound warm, impatient, reassuring, or ironic.
εντάξει: agreement, acknowledgment, or “all right”
Εντάξει is neutral and extremely common. It can accept a proposal, acknowledge an instruction, or say that a person or situation is fine. A single English “OK” covers similar territory, but tone matters: a brisk Εντάξει. may close a topic, while a lengthened or rising form can check whether agreement has really been reached.
Εντάξει, θα σε περιμένω έξω από τον σταθμό.
endáksi, tha se periméno ékso apó ton stathmó
All right, I'll wait for you outside the station.
Το χέρι σου είναι εντάξει τώρα;
to chéri su íne endáksi tóra;
Is your hand all right now?
δεν πειράζει: releasing a minor problem
Use δεν πειράζει when a delay, mistake, or inconvenience can be let go. It commonly answers an apology, but it does not automatically mean that every action is permitted. In a serious dispute, it may sound dismissive unless the speaker genuinely has the right to waive the problem.
—Συγγνώμη που άργησα. —Δεν πειράζει, μόλις ήρθα κι εγώ.
—sighnómi pu áryisa. —dhen pirázi, mólis írtha ki eghó
—Sorry I'm late. —No problem, I only just arrived too.
Δεν πειράζει αν δεν προλάβεις σήμερα· στείλ’ το μου αύριο.
dhen pirázi an dhen prolávis símera; stíl’ to mu ávrio
It doesn't matter if you don't manage it today; send it to me tomorrow.
τι να κάνουμε: accepting what cannot now be changed
As a fixed reaction, τι να κάνουμε means “what can we do?” or “that’s how it is.” The subjunctive frame να κάνουμε presents a possible course of action, but the formula often implies that no useful one remains. With a genuinely questioning tone, however, it can still ask for a plan. Context distinguishes resignation from a real request for suggestions.
Χάσαμε το τελευταίο λεωφορείο· τι να κάνουμε, θα πάρουμε ταξί.
chásame to teleftéo leoforío; ti na kánume, tha párume taksí
We missed the last bus; what can you do, we'll take a taxi.
Η κράτηση ακυρώθηκε· τι να κάνουμε τώρα;
i krátisi akiróthike; ti na kánume tóra;
The reservation was cancelled; what should we do now?
σιγά: slowly, gently, or “easy”
The basic adverb σιγά means “slowly, softly, gently.” As a conversational response, it can mean “easy,” “calm down,” or—when dismissive—“big deal.” These readings are related: the speaker asks for less speed, force, excitement, or importance. They are (informal) when directed sharply at another person.
Κλείσε σιγά την πόρτα για να μην ξυπνήσει το μωρό.
klíse sighá tin pórta ya na min ksipnísi to moró
Close the door gently so the baby doesn't wake up.
Σιγά, δεν έγινε και τίποτα· θα το διορθώσουμε.
sighá, dhen éyine ke típota; tha to dhiorthósume
Easy, it's nothing serious; we'll fix it.
Σιγά το κατόρθωμα, ήρθε στην ώρα του μία φορά!
sighá to katórthoma, írthe stin óra tu mía forá!
Big achievement—he arrived on time once! (ironic)
The productive sarcastic pattern σιγά μη(ν) + verb has its own grammar and belongs on intensifying exclamations.
έλα ντε: shared puzzlement or emphatic agreement
Έλα ντε is (informal) and does not literally tell anyone to come. It reacts to a question or observation with “exactly,” “you tell me,” or “that’s the question.” It often signals that both speakers see the same puzzle and neither has an easy answer.
—Γιατί δεν μας τηλεφώνησε; —Έλα ντε, κι εγώ αυτό αναρωτιέμαι.
—yatí dhen mas tilefónise; —éla de, ki eghó aftó anarotíeme
—Why didn't she call us? —Exactly; I'm wondering the same thing.
άσ’ το and κάτσε: managing the conversation
Άσ’ το, from άφησέ το, literally means “leave it,” but commonly means “forget it,” “drop it,” or “don’t bother.” Κάτσε literally means “sit,” yet (informal) conversational κάτσε means “wait / hold on.” Neither phrase is automatically rude; relationship, urgency, and intonation determine its force.
Άσ’ το, θα πλύνω εγώ τα πιάτα αργότερα.
ás’ to, tha plíno eghó ta piáta arghótera
Leave it; I'll wash the dishes later.
Κάτσε ένα λεπτό, δεν έχω βρει ακόμη τα κλειδιά μου.
kátse éna leptó, dhen écho vri akómi ta klidhiá mu
Hold on a minute; I still haven't found my keys.
με το μαλακό: reduce the pressure
Με το μαλακό is an idiom meaning “easy does it / take it gently.” It can concern physical effort, spending, criticism, food, or drink. The meaning is moderation, not literally contact with something soft.
Με το μαλακό στην προπόνηση· ο αστράγαλός σου δεν έχει γίνει καλά ακόμη.
me to malakó stin propónisi; o astrághalós su dhen échi yíni kalá akómi
Take it easy in training; your ankle hasn't healed yet.
όπως-όπως and στο περίπου
Όπως-όπως means “any old way / hastily somehow.” It usually evaluates a result as makeshift or inadequate, although necessity can make the expedient solution understandable. The hyphen is conventional in this reduplicated expression.
Μάζεψε όπως-όπως τα πράγματά του και έφυγε πριν αρχίσει η βροχή.
mázepse ópos-ópos ta prághmatá tu ke éfiye prin archísi i vrochí
He gathered his things any old way and left before the rain began.
Στο περίπου means “roughly / approximately” in (informal) speech. It can modify a number or describe an imprecise way of doing something. For a neutral written approximation, περίπου alone is generally less conversational.
Πες μου στο περίπου πόσα άτομα θα έρθουν στο τραπέζι.
pes mu sto perípu pósa átoma tha érthun sto trapézi
Tell me roughly how many people will come to dinner.
Το σχεδίασα στο περίπου για να δεις πού θα μπει το παράθυρο.
to schedhíasa sto perípu ya na dhis pu tha bi to paráthiro
I sketched it roughly so you could see where the window will go.
Tone can reverse the surface message
Fixed phrases leave much of their interpretation to prosody. Warm εντάξει can reassure; clipped εντάξει can end an argument. Σιγά! can calm someone or mock the importance of what was said. Greek yes–no checks normally use a low–rise–fall rather than simply climbing to a high endpoint, while deliberately flat or exaggerated delivery can signal impatience or irony.
Εντάξει, εντάξει, το κατάλαβα· μην το λες συνέχεια.
endáksi, endáksi, to katálava; min to les sinéchia
All right, all right, I got it; don't keep saying it.
Related fillers and hedges organize turns, while emotional interjections supply shorter reaction sounds and words.
Common Mistakes
Reading every phrase literally
Conversational κάτσε can suspend the next action without asking anyone to take a seat.
✅ Κάτσε, αυτός δεν είναι ο δρόμος για το αεροδρόμιο.
kátse, aftós dhen íne o dhrómos ya to aerodhrómio
Wait, this isn't the road to the airport.
Using δεν πειράζει to dismiss someone else’s serious concern
Use it when you can genuinely waive a minor inconvenience; acknowledge a real problem directly.
✅ Καταλαβαίνω ότι σε ενόχλησε· θέλεις να το συζητήσουμε;
katalavéno óti se enóchlise; thélis na to sizitísume;
I understand that it bothered you; do you want to discuss it?
Assuming σιγά always means “slowly”
The surrounding clause reveals whether it is an adverb, a calming cue, or ironic downplaying.
✅ Σιγά, βρε Νίκο, ένα απλό λάθος ήταν.
sighá, vre Níko, éna apló láthos ítan
Easy, Niko, it was just a simple mistake.
Using στο περίπου in a precise formal statement
The phrase announces approximation; exact figures need direct wording.
✅ Η προθεσμία λήγει στις δεκαπέντε Μαΐου, στις δύο το μεσημέρι.
i prothesmía líyi stis dhekapénde Maíu, stis dhío to mesiméri
The deadline expires on 15 May at two in the afternoon. (formal and exact)
Key Takeaways
- Learn these phrases as complete units, not as word-for-word equations.
- Εντάξει acknowledges or accepts; δεν πειράζει releases a minor problem; τι να κάνουμε often conveys resignation.
- Σιγά, άσ’ το, κάτσε, and έλα ντε are highly sensitive to context and intonation.
- Με το μαλακό asks for moderation, όπως-όπως marks a makeshift manner, and στο περίπου marks approximation.
Related Topics
- Colloquial Everyday ExpressionsB2 — Understand current casual Greek expressions for refusal, praise, reassurance, dismissal, greetings, and interruption while tracking slang strength and social risk.
- Fillers and HedgesA2 — Use common Greek hesitation markers and hedges to gain thinking time, soften claims, and show how firmly you stand behind what you say.
- Emotional InterjectionsA2 — Recognize and use common Greek interjections for surprise, pain, relief, praise, doubt, impatience, and sympathy, with spellings and force shaped by context and intonation.