Greek has compact formulas for celebrations, departures, meals, difficult periods, and shared drinks. This page is a phrasebook: it gives the expressions, their literal structure, and their register. For deciding which occasion calls for which wish—and how to return it—see wishes and congratulations.
Many formulas omit an understood σου/σας εύχομαι “I wish you.” Others are full wishes headed by standalone να, with a conjugated verb.
Birthdays, name days, and long life
Χρόνια πολλά literally means “many years” and functions as “many happy returns.” It is broad enough for birthdays, name days, and major festive days. Birthday-specific να τα εκατοστίσεις literally wishes that the person “make them one hundred,” with τα referring to the years.
Χρόνια πολλά, Μάριε· να έχεις υγεία και όμορφες στιγμές!
chrónia polá, Márie; na échis iyía ke ómorfes stighmés!
Many happy returns, Marios—may you have health and beautiful moments!
Να τα εκατοστίσεις και να σε χαιρόμαστε πάντα γελαστό!
na ta ekatostísis ke na se cherómaste pánda yelastó!
May you reach a hundred, and may we always enjoy seeing you smiling! (birthday wish)
Να ζήσεις, γιαγιά, και να χαίρεσαι την οικογένειά σου!
na zísis, yayá, ke na chérese tin ikoyéniá su!
Long life to you, Grandma, and may you enjoy your family!
The verbs έχεις, ζήσεις, χαίρεσαι agree with one familiar addressee. Polite or plural wishes use έχετε, ζήσετε, χαίρεστε. The full main-clause use of να belongs on standalone να.
Wishes built with καλός
A large group uses καλός plus a noun with ordinary gender and number agreement. The article is absent because the words form a wish rather than identify a particular journey or year.
| Formula | Literal composition | Practical English |
|---|---|---|
| καλή όρεξη | good appetite | enjoy your meal |
| καλό ταξίδι | good journey | have a good/safe trip |
| καλή επιτυχία | good success | good luck / every success |
| καλά Χριστούγεννα | good Christmas holidays | Merry Christmas |
| καλή χρονιά | good year | Happy New Year |
| καλό Πάσχα | good Easter | Happy Easter |
| καλό μήνα | good month | have a good month |
| καλή συνέχεια | good continuation | all the best for the rest of it |
| καλή δύναμη | good strength | strength / courage for what lies ahead |
Καλά Χριστούγεννα με υγεία, αγάπη και ξεκούραση!
kalá Christúyena me iyía, aghápi ke ksekúrasi!
Merry Christmas, with health, love, and rest!
Καλή χρονιά σε όλη την ομάδα και καλή αρχή στα νέα σχέδια!
kalí chroniá se óli tin omádha ke kalí archí sta néa schédhia!
Happy New Year to the whole team, and a good start on the new plans!
Καλό Πάσχα και καλή επιστροφή μετά τις γιορτές!
kaló Páscha ke kalí epistrofí metá tis yortés!
Happy Easter, and have a safe return after the holidays!
Καλό ταξίδι, κύριε Λάμπρου, και καλή διαμονή στη Ρόδο.
kaló taksídhi, kírie Lábru, ke kalí dhiamoní sti Ródho
Have a good trip, Mr Lamprou, and a pleasant stay in Rhodes. (formal)
Καλή επιτυχία στον τελικό· όλη η ομάδα είναι μαζί σου!
kalí epitichía ston telikó; óli i omádha íne mazí su!
Good luck in the final—the whole team is behind you!
Formulas English often leaves unsaid
Καλό μήνα is exchanged at the beginning of a month. Καλή συνέχεια wishes someone a good continuation of their work, day, journey, or activity; its English translation changes with context. Καλή δύναμη offers encouragement before or during something demanding rather than predicting success.
Καλό μήνα, γείτονες· μακάρι ο Οκτώβριος να είναι ήρεμος!
kaló mína, yítones; makári o Októvrios na íne íremos!
Have a good month, neighbours—may October be peaceful!
Εμείς σχολάμε τώρα· καλή συνέχεια σε όσους μένουν!
emís scholáme tóra; kalí sinéchia se ósus ménun!
We're finishing work now; all the best to those staying on!
Καλή δύναμη με τη μετακόμιση· ξέρω πόση δουλειά έχει.
kalí dhínami me ti metakómisi; kséro pósi dhuliá échi
Strength for the move—I know how much work it involves.
These formulas are conventional but not compulsory in every encounter. Their frequency varies by speaker, setting, and relationship; they should not be turned into a cultural stereotype.
Meals, health, grief, and recovery
Καλή όρεξη is the established meal formula. Περαστικά, a substantivized neuter plural meaning roughly “may these troubles pass,” is a recovery wish. Συλλυπητήρια expresses condolences and is suitable in speech or writing; τα συλλυπητήριά μου/μας is fuller and more formal.
Καλή όρεξη σε όλους· η σούπα είναι ακόμη ζεστή.
kalí óreksi se ólus; i súpa íne akómi zestí
Enjoy your meal, everyone—the soup is still hot.
Περαστικά, Άννα· εύχομαι να γυρίσεις σύντομα σπίτι.
perastiká, Ána; éfchome na yirísis síndoma spíti
Get well soon, Anna—I hope you return home soon.
Τα ειλικρινή συλλυπητήριά μας για την απώλειά σας.
ta ilikriní silipitíriá mas ya tin apóliá sas
Our sincere condolences for your loss. (formal)
Condolences do not invite cheerful reciprocity. A quiet ευχαριστώ or να είστε καλά may acknowledge them; the interactional details belong to the pragmatics owner page.
Toasts
Neutral στην υγειά μας means “to our health.” Change the genitive clitic to name whose health is celebrated: στην υγειά σου, στην υγειά σας. Short γεια μας and εβίβα are cheerful (informal) drinking formulas. Learned εις υγείαν is (formal) or ceremonially playful in contemporary use.
Στην υγειά σου, Λένα, και στη νέα σου αρχή!
stin iyiá su, Léna, ke sti néa su archí!
To your health, Lena, and to your new beginning!
Γεια μας, παιδιά· να ξαναβρεθούμε σύντομα!
ya mas, pedhiá; na ksanavrethúme síndoma!
Cheers, everyone—may we meet again soon! (informal)
Εβίβα! Αυτό το ποτήρι είναι για τους παλιούς φίλους.
evíva! aftó to potíri íne ya tus paliús fílus
Cheers! This glass is for old friends. (informal)
Εις υγείαν των νεονύμφων και κάθε ευτυχία στη ζωή τους!
is iyían ton neonímfon ke káthe eftichía sti zoí tus!
To the health of the newlyweds, and every happiness in their life! (formal, ceremonial)
Common Mistakes
Using one form of καλός everywhere
The adjective must agree with the noun inside the formula.
✅ Καλή όρεξη και καλό απόγευμα σε όλους!
kalí óreksi ke kaló apóyevma se ólus!
Enjoy your meal, and have a good afternoon, everyone!
Turning a wish into a future prediction
A blessing uses standalone να or a fixed nominal formula, not θα merely because English has a future-looking meaning.
✅ Να περάσετε όμορφα και να ξεκουραστείτε στις διακοπές!
na perásete ómorfa ke na ksekurastíte stis dhiakopés!
Have a lovely, restful holiday! (polite or plural)
Using the most learned toast as the casual default
Εις υγείαν is valid but marked; στην υγειά μας is the neutral full formula.
✅ Στην υγειά μας και σε όσα θα έρθουν!
stin iyiá mas ke se ósa tha érthun!
To our health and to whatever is to come!
Reading καλή συνέχεια word for word
It is a flexible send-off for the activity or period that continues, not a promise that a story has a good sequel.
✅ Ευχαριστώ για την εξυπηρέτηση· καλή συνέχεια!
efcharistó ya tin eksipirétisi; kalí sinéchia!
Thank you for your help; all the best for the rest of your day/work!
Key Takeaways
- Learn nominal formulas as blocks: χρόνια πολλά, καλή όρεξη, περαστικά, συλλυπητήρια.
- Να + conjugated verb produces blessings such as να ζήσεις and να τα εκατοστίσεις.
- Καλό μήνα, καλή συνέχεια, and καλή δύναμη often have no single natural English equivalent.
- Toasts form a register range: neutral στην υγειά μας, informal γεια μας/εβίβα, marked εις υγείαν.
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Start learning Greek →Related Topics
- Wishes and CongratulationsA2 — Choose the Greek wish that fits a birthday, name day, achievement, illness, journey, meal, toast, or recurring celebration—and reply naturally.
- Wishes: μακάρι, να, αςB2 — How Greek says 'I hope' and 'I wish': μακάρι να + a non-past verb for a wish you still think can come true, μακάρι να + a past verb for one you know cannot, the bare να-blessing and the wistful ας ερχόταν, and where εύχομαι, ελπίζω and the literary είθε fit around them.
- Standalone να: Wishes and Softened CommandsB1 — να can open a main clause with no verb in front of it — carrying wishes and blessings (Να ζήσεις! Να 'σαι καλά), gentle advice softer than a command (Να πας στον γιατρό), and, with an accent, the pointing Νά! (there it is).