…
Questions & Answers about Καλημέρα, πώς είστε;
What does each word mean literally?
- Καλημέρα = good morning (literally good day: καλός
- ημέρα). Used as a morning greeting.
- πώς = how.
- είστε = you are (2nd person plural of είμαι; also used for polite singular).
How do you pronounce it?
- IPA: [kaliˈmera, pos ˈiste]
- Simple guide: kah-lee-ME-ra, pos EES-teh Stress falls on -μέ- in Καλημέρα and on the first syllable in είστε.
Why does the question end with a semicolon?
In Greek, the question mark is the semicolon-shaped symbol ;. The Greek semicolon is a different mark, the raised dot ·. Don’t add a space before the Greek question mark.
What’s the difference between είστε and είσαι?
- είστε = you are (plural or polite singular)
- είσαι = you are (informal singular) Use είστε with strangers, elders, or groups; είσαι with friends, kids, or peers.
Do Greeks really use the plural for politeness?
Yes. The 2nd person plural (verbs and pronouns) serves as the polite singular: εσείς, σας, είστε.
Can I say είσαστε instead of είστε?
Yes. είσαστε is a longer variant of είστε. Both are correct; είστε is more common in modern speech.
Is the comma after Καλημέρα necessary?
It’s standard to separate a greeting from what follows with a comma: Καλημέρα, πώς είστε; It’s also used before a name in direct address: Καλημέρα, Γιάννη!
Why does πώς have an accent? Isn’t πως also a word?
- πώς (with accent) = how (question/exclamation)
- πως (no accent) = that (conjunction, like ότι) Example: Ξέρω πως θα έρθει = I know that he’ll come. / Πώς είστε; = How are you?
What are natural replies to this greeting?
- Καλά, εσείς; = Fine, and you?
- Μια χαρά, εσείς; = Very well, and you?
- Όλα καλά. = All good.
- Very formal: Πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώ. Εσείς; = Very well, thank you. And you?
When do I use Καλημέρα vs other greetings?
- Καλημέρα: morning until around noon (sometimes up to early afternoon).
- Καλησπέρα: afternoon/evening greeting.
- Καληνύχτα: good night (when leaving for the night).
- Γεια σου / Γεια σας: hello/hi, any time of day (informal/formal or plural).
Can I add σας to the greeting?
Yes. Καλημέρα σας is a polite/plural version of Καλημέρα. You can combine: Καλημέρα σας, πώς είστε;
Do I need to include the pronoun εσείς?
No. Greek usually drops subject pronouns because the verb shows the person. Πώς είστε; is natural; Πώς εσείς είστε; is only for special emphasis.
Is the word order fixed? Could I say Είστε πώς;?
Wh-words normally come first, so Πώς είστε; is the natural order. Είστε πώς; is ungrammatical. Alternatives include Είστε καλά; (Are you well?) or colloquial Πώς πάει; (How’s it going?).
How do I type the accent marks?
Modern Greek uses a single accent mark (τόνος) on the stressed vowel (e.g., Καλημέρα, πώς). On a Greek keyboard, press the tonos key (often the semicolon key) then the vowel; on phones, long-press the vowel to select the accented form.
Why does πώς end with ς and not σ?
Greek has two forms of sigma: σ inside a word and ς at the end of a word. Since πώς ends the word, it takes ς.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Greek grammar?”
Greek grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning GreekMaster Greek — from Καλημέρα, πώς είστε; to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions