Word lists › Greek
The most common Greek words, in frequency order
This is a frequency-based Greek word list: words ranked by how often they actually occur in everyday text, with translations and pronunciation. Frequency-based learning means studying words in this order, so every hour goes to the words you will meet most. Learn the first 500 and you will recognise about 58% of the words in everyday Greek. That is Zipf's law, and it is why this list is in this order. The first 250 are below; Zipf teaches all 5,000.
58%of everyday Greek text is the first 500 words
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The 250 most common Greek words
| # | Word | IPA | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ο | /o̞/ | article | the definite masculine singular article. the |
| 2 | και | /ce/ | conjunction | and; also |
| 3 | να | particle | to/should (subjunctive particle) | |
| 4 | με | /me/ | preposition | with; by |
| 5 | εγώ | /eˈɣo/ | pronoun | I |
| 6 | για | [ʝa] | preposition | for; for, by |
| 7 | είμαι | /ˈi.me/ | verb | to be; there is, there are, to exist |
| 8 | που | pronoun | that, who, whom, which; where | |
| 9 | από | preposition | from; from, at, by, since | |
| 10 | ένας | /ˈenas/ | article | a, an |
| 11 | σε | [se] | preposition | to, at, by, in, on, unto, upon; for time, duration |
| 12 | δεν | /ˈðen/ | particle | not; not even, only just, hardly (with stress on the negative aspect of a statement in an expression with verb repetition expressing doubt) |
| 13 | θα | /θa/ | particle | will (future particle) |
| 14 | έχω | /ˈexo/ | verb | to have/hold, in the sense of holding (in one's possession) (a [legal/personal/possibly 'undesired']) property; to be (have/hold a property, characteristic) |
| 15 | αυτός | /aˈftos/ | pronoun | he (3rd person masculine singular, nominative); this |
| 16 | ότι | /oti/ | conjunction | that; because, for |
| 17 | τι | pronoun | what?; how, what | |
| 18 | σου | pronoun | you; your | |
| 19 | αν | conjunction | if; whether | |
| 20 | όλος | /ˈolos/ | adjective | whole, entire; all |
| 21 | κάνω | /ˈkano/ | verb | to do; to make |
| 22 | μπορώ | /boˈɾo/ | verb | I can, be able; I may |
| 23 | μην | /min/ | particle | alternative form of μη (mi) |
| 24 | αλλά | /aˈla/ | conjunction | but |
| 25 | άλλος | /ˈa.los/ | pronoun | other; else |
| 26 | οποίος | pronoun | who, which, that; what, such | |
| 27 | πολύ | /poˈli/ | adverb | very |
| 28 | γίνομαι | /ˈʝi.no.me/ | verb | to become; to become, turn into |
| 29 | όταν | /ˈotan/ | conjunction | when, while, during, whenever, if |
| 30 | πως | /pos/ | conjunction | that (introducing a clause) |
| 31 | θέλω | /ˈθelo/ | verb | to want, desire, will; to need, require |
| 32 | χρόνος | /ˈxɾo.nos/ | noun · masculine | time (with no plural); year |
| 33 | υπάρχω | /iˈpar.xo/ | verb | to exist, be, live |
| 34 | μεγάλος | /meˈɣa.los/ | adjective | big, large, great (of greater than average size); tall, high (of greater than average height) |
| 35 | πολύς | /poˈlis/ | adjective | much, many, a lot of; too much |
| 36 | γιατί | /ʝaˈti/ | adverb | why |
| 37 | νέος | /ˈne.os/ | adjective | young, youthful; modern, new |
| 38 | δε | /ˈðe/ | particle | not |
| 39 | πρέπει | /ˈpɾe.pi/ | verb | to be fit for, to be worthy of, deserve; must, have to, ought |
| 40 | όπως | /ˈo.pos/ | adverb | as, like, however |
| 41 | μόνο | /ˈmono/ | adverb | only; just |
| 42 | πιο | [ˈpço] | adverb | more |
| 43 | καλός | /kaˈlos/ | adjective | good |
| 44 | μετά | /meˈta/ | preposition | after; with (accompanying) |
| 45 | λέγω | /ˈle.ɣo/ | verb | alternative form of λέω (léo, “to say”) |
| 46 | ως | preposition | until | |
| 47 | κάποιος | /ˈka.pços/ | pronoun | someone, somebody (substantivally; as a pronoun); some (adjectivally; as a determiner) |
| 48 | κατά | /kaˈta/ | preposition | versus, against; towards |
| 49 | όχι | [ˈo̞çi] | adverb | no; not (negation); not (in elliptical clauses) |
| 50 | πρώτος | /ˈpɾotos/ | adjective | first |
| 51 | δύο | /ˈði.o/ | numeral | two |
| 52 | ακόμα | /aˈkoma/ | adverb | yet, still; more, remaining, other |
| 53 | μέσα | /ˈme.sa/ | adverb | in, inside (something); in, through (a situation) |
| 54 | παιδί | /peˈði/ | noun · neuter | child; kid |
| 55 | άνθρωπος | /ˈan.θɾo.pos/ | noun · masculine | a human; person; the species man; people |
| 56 | τώρα | /ˈtoɾa/ | adverb | now |
| 57 | ζωή | /zoˈi/ | noun · feminine | life; lifetime |
| 58 | ελληνικός | /e.li.niˈkos/ | adjective | Greek, Hellenic (related to the country, people or language of Greece) |
| 59 | καλά | /kaˈla/ | adverb | well |
| 60 | ίδιος | /ˈiðʝos/ | adjective | own; myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, themselves |
| 61 | φορά | noun · feminine | time (instance or occurrence); times | |
| 62 | σαν | /ˈsan/ | preposition | like |
| 63 | κανένας | /kaˈne.nas/ | pronoun | nobody, no one (not any person; the logical negation of somebody); anyone, anybody |
| 64 | α | /a/ | interjection | ah |
| 65 | μέχρι | /ˈmexɾi/ | preposition | introduces a limit; until; up to; as far as (introduces an extent or duration) |
| 66 | ποιος | /ˈpços/ | pronoun | who; which |
| 67 | εδώ | /eˈðo/ | adverb | here |
| 68 | κάτι | /ˈkati/ | pronoun | something |
| 69 | χωρίς | /xoˈɾis/ | preposition | without, -less, -free |
| 70 | ώρα | /ˈo.ra/ | noun · feminine | hour (¹⁄₂₄ of a day); time (A quantity of availability in time, time of day as indicated by a clock, some specific time, right time, time for something) |
| 71 | έτσι | /ˈetsi/ | adverb | thus; like this; like that; for no reason or for no money |
| 72 | κάθε | /ˈka.θe/ | pronoun | every, each; any |
| 73 | μέρα | /ˈmera/ | noun · feminine | alternative form of ημέρα (iméra) |
| 74 | όμως | /ˈo.mos/ | conjunction | however, but, although, though, still, yet; but still, but yet, but also, but then, but...though |
| 75 | χώρα | /ˈxoɾa/ | noun · feminine | main town or village; country, (especially) homeland, country of birth |
| 76 | σήμερα | /ˈsi.me.ra/ | adverb | today |
| 77 | ενώ | /eˈno/ | conjunction | while, as long as, as; although, though, whereas, while |
| 78 | ναι | [ne̞] | interjection | yes |
| 79 | πριν | /pɾin/ | adverb | before |
| 80 | λίγο | /ˈli.ɣo/ | adverb | a little |
| 81 | προς | preposition | towards, toward, to; towards | |
| 82 | είσαι | /ˈise/ | verb | second-person singular present of είμαι (eímai): "you are" |
| 83 | μαζί | /maˈzi/ | adverb | together, with (takes the genitive case); together, along with, at the same time |
| 84 | ομάδα | /oˈma.ða/ | noun · feminine | group, bunch, gang (of people or friends); panel (interview panel, panel of judges) |
| 85 | μέρος | /ˈmeɾos/ | noun · neuter | part (a fraction of a whole); place (an area; somewhere within an area) |
| 86 | βλέπω | /ˈvle.po/ | verb | to see, watch, look at; to consider, think of, see (give an assessment or opinion) |
| 87 | τόσο | /ˈtoso/ | adverb | so much |
| 88 | θέση | /ˈθe.si/ | noun · feminine | position (a place, location); job, post |
| 89 | γυναίκα | /ʝiˈne.ka/ | noun · feminine | woman; wife |
| 90 | πάντα | /ˈpan.da/ | adverb | always |
| 91 | ξέρω | /ˈkse.ɾo/ | verb | to know of, be familiar with (a fact, a person or a language); know someone as, know someone to be |
| 92 | απ | /ˈap/ | interjection | ouch |
| 93 | καθώς | /kaˈθos/ | conjunction | as, while; since, seeing as, because |
| 94 | τότε | /ˈtote/ | adverb | then; therefore |
| 95 | μικρός | /miˈkros/ | adjective | small, little; short (in length) |
| 96 | δίνω | /ˈði.no/ | verb | to give (pass something; transfer ownership); to give, hold (an event) |
| 97 | ούτε | /ˈu.te/ | conjunction | neither, nor; neither … nor |
| 98 | τελευταίος | /teleˈfteos/ | adjective | last; recent, latest |
| 99 | δικός | /ðiˈkos/ | pronoun | my own |
| 100 | λόγος | [ˈlo.ɣos] | noun · masculine | word (word of honour); speech, language |
| 101 | βρίσκω | /ˈvɾi.sko/ | verb | to find, discover, locate; see: βρίσκομαι (vrískomai) |
| 102 | επίσης | adverb | also, too, likewise | |
| 103 | κόσμος | /ˈko.zmos/ | noun · masculine | Universe, cosmos; world; planet Earth |
| 104 | έχεις | /ˈe.çis/ | verb | second-person singular present of έχω (écho): "you have" |
| 105 | πάνω | adverb | above, on, up, upstairs | |
| 106 | όσο | adverb | as much as | |
| 107 | ας | /as/ | particle | let (hortative particle) |
| 108 | ποτέ | /poˈte/ | adverb | ever; at any time; not ever; never |
| 109 | κυβέρνηση | noun · feminine | government, cabinet | |
| 110 | πόλη | /ˈpoli/ | noun · feminine | town; city; townspeople |
| 111 | σπίτι | /ˈspiti/ | noun · neuter | house, home (structure built or serving as an abode of human beings); household, house (all the persons who live in a given house) |
| 112 | όπου | adverb | where, wherever; that | |
| 113 | τρεις | /ˈtɾis/ | numeral | three, 3 |
| 114 | περιοχή | /pe.ɾi.oˈçi/ | noun · feminine | region, district, area; domain |
| 115 | εκείνος | /eˈci.nos/ | pronoun | that; those |
| 116 | όνομα | /ˈo.no.ma/ | noun · neuter | name; name, reputation |
| 117 | εκεί | [e̞ˈci] | adverb | there |
| 118 | στιγμή | /stiɣˈmi/ | noun · feminine | moment, instant, jiffy; point (unit) |
| 119 | τέλος | /ˈte.los/ | noun · neuter | end, finish; tax, dues paid to the government for specific public service, or product |
| 120 | τρόπος | noun · masculine | method, manner, behaviour, conduct; manners | |
| 121 | μέσω | /ˈme.so/ | preposition | via (by way of); via, through (by means of) |
| 122 | ιστορία | [i.stoˈɾi.a] | noun · feminine | history; story |
| 123 | λέει | /ˈle.i/ | verb | third-person singular present of λέω (léo): "he, she or it says" |
| 124 | όσος | pronoun | as many as, as much as | |
| 125 | εθνικός | /e.θniˈkos/ | adjective | national |
| 126 | μεταξύ | preposition | between | |
| 127 | σύμφωνα | adverb | accordingly, in accordance with, according to | |
| 128 | απλά | /aˈpla/ | adverb | simply |
| 129 | εσύ | /eˈsi/ | pronoun | you, thou |
| 130 | πώς | /ˈpos/ | adverb | how (in what way or manner; in what state; to what extent) |
| 131 | έργο | /ˈeɾɣo/ | noun · neuter | work, project; film, stage play, etc |
| 132 | τίποτα | /ˈti.po.ta/ | pronoun | nothing; something, anything, any |
| 133 | θέμα | /ˈθema/ | noun · neuter | subject, main topic (of conversation, etc); affair |
| 134 | σχέση | noun · feminine | relationship (personal); relation, connection | |
| 135 | χρησιμοποιώ | /xɾi.si.mo.piˈo/ | verb | to use, employ, put to use, utilise; to employ (someone) |
| 136 | φίλος | /ˈfi.los/ | noun · masculine | friend |
| 137 | έτος | /ˈetos/ | noun · neuter | year; volume (issues of a periodical over a period of one year) |
| 138 | εκτός | /eˈktos/ | adverb | except; out, outside |
| 139 | αγώνας | noun · masculine | fight, efforts, struggle; the Greek War of Independence | |
| 140 | πράγμα | /ˈpɾaɣma/ | noun · neuter | thing, entity, object; stuff |
| 141 | κάτω | /ˈka.to/ | adverb | down; below, beneath |
| 142 | χρειάζομαι | /xɾiˈa.zo.me/ | verb | I need, I require; χρειάζεται (chreiázetai) it is needed |
| 143 | σημαντικός | /si.man.diˈkos/ | adjective | important, significant, considerable, outstanding, notable |
| 144 | μήνας | /ˈmi.nas/ | noun · masculine | month |
| 145 | στοιχείο | /stiˈçi.o/ | noun · neuter | unit, element, cell (a portion of a whole); element |
| 146 | δυο | [ðʝo] | numeral | two |
| 147 | πόσο | adverb | how much | |
| 148 | αρχή | /arˈçi/ | noun · feminine | origin, beginning; principle |
| 149 | τέτοιος | pronoun | such, like, like that | |
| 150 | πρόβλημα | /ˈpɾo.vli.ma/ | noun · neuter | problem, complicated question or subject; problem, sum |
| 151 | πρόεδρος | /ˈpɾo.e.ðɾos/ | noun · masculine | chairman; president |
| 152 | αποτελώ | /a.po.teˈlo/ | verb | to constitute, to make up; to consist of, to be composed of, to be made up of, to comprise |
| 153 | επόμενος | /eˈpomenos/ | adjective | next, following |
| 154 | πολιτική | noun · feminine | politics, policy | |
| 155 | πάλι | [ˈpali] | adverb | again; on the other hand |
| 156 | ημέρα | /iˈme.ɾa/ | noun · feminine | day; hours of daylight |
| 157 | τύπος | /ˈti.pos/ | noun · masculine | sort, type, mould, stamp (of a person character); model, type (of car, etc) |
| 158 | δύναμη | /ˈði.na.mi/ | noun · feminine | power, force, strength, brawn; force |
| 159 | μέτρο | noun · neuter | measure, measurement; rule, ruler | |
| 160 | μόλις | /ˈmo.lis/ | adverb | barely; just |
| 161 | αποτέλεσμα | /apoˈtelezma/ | noun · neuter | result, outcome (sport, election, etc); effect |
| 162 | αρχίζω | /arˈçizo/ | verb | to start, begin |
| 163 | μέλος | /ˈme.los/ | noun · neuter | member (of organisation, group, etc); limb, body member |
| 164 | αφού | conjunction | after (having done something); since | |
| 165 | επειδή | /e.piˈði/ | conjunction | for, because |
| 166 | λόγω | /ˈloɣo/ | preposition | because of, due to, owing to, on account of (as a consequence of) |
| 167 | οχι | adverb | no | |
| 168 | πολιτικός | adjective | political, civic, civilian | |
| 169 | άτομο | /ˈa.to.mo/ | noun · neuter | person, individual; atom (smallest particle of an element) |
| 170 | κύριος | /ˈci.ɾi.os/ | noun · masculine | mister |
| 171 | οικογένεια | /i.koˈʝe.ni.a/ | noun · feminine | family; household |
| 172 | πάει | verb | third-person singular present of πάω (páo); third-person singular imperfective future of πάω (páo) | |
| 173 | πίσω | /ˈpiso/ | adverb | behind, back |
| 174 | αναφέρω | /a.naˈfe.ɾo/ | verb | to mention, present, announce; to cite, refer |
| 175 | σύστημα | /ˈsis.ti.ma/ | noun · neuter | system |
| 176 | δουλειά | /ðuˈʎa/ | noun · feminine | employment, work, job; task, job |
| 177 | μόνος | /ˈmonos/ | adjective | solitary, alone; unmarried |
| 178 | είστε | /ˈiste/ | verb | second-person plural present of είμαι (eímai): "you are" |
| 179 | κάνεις | verb | second-person singular present of κάνω (káno); θα κάνεις: second-person singular perfective future of κάνω (káno) | |
| 180 | έρχομαι | /ˈeɾxome/ | verb | to come; to cost |
| 181 | λένε | verb | third-person plural present of λέω (léo): "they say" | |
| 182 | όλο | /ˈo.lo/ | adverb | always, constantly, nonstop; nothing but, full of, filled with (only) |
| 183 | μουσικός | /mu.siˈkos/ | adjective | musical, pertaining to music |
| 184 | κέντρο | noun · neuter | centre (UK), center (US): the middle of something or somewhere; centre (building, institution, club, etc) | |
| 185 | χέρι | /ˈçe.ɾi/ | noun · neuter | arm (portion of the upper human appendage from the shoulder to the wrist); hand (part of the fore limb below the forearm or wrist) |
| 186 | δρόμος | /ˈðɾo.mos/ | noun · masculine | roadway, road, street, way; journey |
| 187 | εκ | preposition | suggesting source or origin, of, by | |
| 188 | χώρος | noun · masculine | area, space, room; field | |
| 189 | τμήμα | noun · neuter | part, section; department, division, section, branch | |
| 190 | ώστε | /ˈo.ste/ | conjunction | so that, in order that, in order for (with the intended result that); so, therefore (with the result that) |
| 191 | πρόγραμμα | /ˈpro.ɣra.ma/ | noun · neuter | schedule (timed plan of events); program (of events) |
| 192 | αγάπη | /aˈɣa.pi/ | noun · feminine | love (affection, liking, attraction); love (the object of affection) |
| 193 | φτάνω | /ˈfta.no/ | verb | to arrive; to come, be imminent, draw near, near |
| 194 | ήδη | /ˈi.ði/ | adverb | already (prior to some time); by now, by this time |
| 195 | εν | /en/ | preposition | in, into, at, within |
| 196 | κοντά | /konˈda/ | adverb | near, nearby; nearly |
| 197 | τελικά | adverb | finally, at last, after all, all things considered, in the end; eventually, at last | |
| 198 | εταιρεία | /eteˈɾi.a/ | noun · feminine | association, society; company |
| 199 | συνέχεια | /siˈneçia/ | noun · feminine | continuation, continuity, continuance (the quality of being continuous without interruption); continuation, rest (that which extends, increases, supplements, or carries on) |
| 200 | νερό | /neˈɾo/ | noun · neuter | water (liquid H₂O); glass or bottle of water |
| 201 | γιος | /ˈʝos/ | noun · masculine | son, male child |
| 202 | είδος | /ˈi.ðos/ | noun · neuter | kind, form, type; species |
| 203 | γι | preposition | misspelling of γι’ (gi’), contraction of για (gia) | |
| 204 | δηλαδή | /ði.laˈði/ | conjunction | that is |
| 205 | δεύτερος | /ˈðefteɾos/ | adjective | second |
| 206 | κράτος | noun · neuter | state, sovereign country | |
| 207 | ξεκινώ | /kse.ciˈno/ | verb | a more formal variant of ξεκινάω (xekináo) |
| 208 | σειρά | noun · feminine | class (military; persons subject to the same intake); line (of text) | |
| 209 | μάτι | /ˈma.ti/ | noun · neuter | eye; burner (element on a kitchen stove) |
| 210 | αριθμός | [ariθˈmos] | noun · masculine | numeral, number; A telephone number. |
| 211 | σχέδιο | noun · neuter | design, plan, drawing, pattern (representation of something on paper, etc); draft (early version) | |
| 212 | ευρώ | /eˈvɾo/ | noun | euro (the currency) |
| 213 | λάθος | /ˈla.θos/ | noun · neuter | error, mistake |
| 214 | καιρός | /ceˈɾos/ | noun · masculine | weather; time, events |
| 215 | προσπαθώ | /pɾo.spaˈθo/ | verb | to attempt, try |
| 216 | φωτογραφία | /fotoɣraˈfi.a/ | noun · feminine | photography; photograph, photo, snap |
| 217 | βράδυ | /ˈvraði/ | noun · neuter | evening (period between sunset and full dark); night, evening (period between sunset and sunrise) |
| 218 | δείτε | verb | second-person plural dependent of βλέπω (vlépo); second-person plural perfective imperative of βλέπω (vlépo) | |
| 219 | πιστεύω | /piˈste.vo/ | verb | to believe; to believe in, to be a believer |
| 220 | ευρωπαϊκός | /e.vɾo.pa.iˈkos/ | adjective | European (pertaining to Europe, its people or the European Union) |
| 221 | πήρε | verb | third-person singular simple past of παίρνω (paírno) | |
| 222 | περίπου | adverb | approximately, about; nearly | |
| 223 | άντρας | [ˈandras] | noun · masculine | man (adult male); husband |
| 224 | φαίνομαι | /ˈfe.no.me/ | verb | to seem, appear; to appear |
| 225 | τρίτος | /ˈtɾitos/ | adjective | third |
| 226 | σώμα | /ˈsoma/ | noun · neuter | body; body (group of people) |
| 227 | βάση | noun · feminine | base, foundation (the lowest part of something); base | |
| 228 | αργά | adverb | slowly; late | |
| 229 | διάρκεια | noun · feminine | duration, length | |
| 230 | εαυτός | /eafˈtos/ | pronoun | myself |
| 231 | θεωρώ | /θe.o.ˈro/ | verb | to consider, regard; to scrutinise |
| 232 | διεθνής | /ði̯eˈθnis/ | adjective | international |
| 233 | μένω | /ˈme.no/ | verb | to stay, reside, live (somewhere); to stay, remain (in a condition) |
| 234 | επί | preposition | on, upon; times | |
| 235 | λοιπόν | /liˈpon/ | conjunction | so, then |
| 236 | μάλιστα | adverb | especially, particularly, in particular; even | |
| 237 | κατάσταση | /kaˈta.sta.si/ | noun · feminine | state, condition; situation |
| 238 | δημόσιος | /ðiˈmo.si.os/ | adjective | public |
| 239 | συνεχίζω | /si.neˈçi.zo/ | verb | to continue, keep going, carry on |
| 240 | αλήθεια | /aˈli.θça/ | adverb | really |
| 241 | έξω | /ˈe.kso/ | adverb | out, outside |
| 242 | πρόκειται | /ˈpɾo.ci.te/ | verb | it's about, it concerns; to be going to, be to (with regard to something likely, though not certain) |
| 243 | λίγος | /ˈli.ɣos/ | adjective | a little, a few, a bit of |
| 244 | ευχαριστώ | /ef.xa.ɾiˈsto/ | verb | to thank; to please |
| 245 | ταινία | noun · feminine | film (UK), movie (US); ribbon, tape, band | |
| 246 | οικονομικός | adjective | economic, financial, fiscal; thrifty, economical | |
| 247 | χρήση | noun · feminine | use, application, usage; fiscal year, financial year | |
| 248 | περίπτωση | /peˈɾiptosi/ | noun · feminine | case (an actual event, situation, or fact); case (a person being treated for illness or a customer being served in a shop etc) |
| 249 | πλέον | /ˈpleon/ | adverb | more, -er (forms comparatives); already |
| 250 | πόλεμος | noun · masculine | war |
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