“Thank you” in Greek is ευχαριστώ (efcharistó). It’s one of THE most important words you should know, no matter what your language goals are. Similar to English, Greek also has other phrases for “thank you,” such as “thanks a lot,” and “thank you very much.”
I’m a long-time learner of Greek and am familiar with the core words of the language. My experience includes taking an intensive course in 2019 and writing beginner-level articles for Fluent in 3 Months. This article is part of our beginner Greek series, aiming to familiarize you with different ways of saying “thank you” in Greek.
Here are the phrases we’ll cover, along with English translations and how to pronounce these words meaning “thank you” in Greek:
| English | Greek | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| “Thank you” | Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó) | |
| “(We) thank you” | Ευχαριστούμε (Efcharistoúme) | |
| “Thanks a lot” | Ευχαριστώ πολύ (Efcharistó polý) | |
| “Thank you very much” | Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ (Efcharistó pára polý) | |
| “Thanks” (informal, to one person) | Σ’ ευχαριστώ (S’efcharistó) | |
| “Thank you” (formal or to a group) | Σας ευχαριστώ (Sas efcharistó) | |
| “Thank you from the bottom of my heart” | Ευχαριστώ από καρδιάς (Efcharistó apó kardiás) | |
| “Thanks a million” | Χίλια ευχαριστώ (Chília efcharistó) | |
| “Thank you for everything” | Ευχαριστώ για όλα (Efcharistó gia óla) | |
| “I appreciate it” | Το εκτιμώ (To ektimó) |
How to Say Thank You in Greek
While ευχαριστώ (efcharistó) is the most common way to say “thank you” in Greek, there are several other phrases you can use to express your gratitude, depending on the situation and the level of formality.
Let’s look at them in more detail.
Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó): The Most Common Way to Say “Thank You” in Greek
Ευχαριστώ means “thank you” or “thanks.” It’s widely used, both in formal and informal situations. You can use it on its own, or combine it with other words to give context. Here are some examples:
- Ευχαριστώ για τις ευχές γενεθλίων. (Efcharistó gia tis efchés genethlíon.): “Thank you for your birthday wishes.”
- Ευχαριστώ για το δώρο. (Efcharistó gia to dóro.): “Thanks for the gift.”
If you’re giving thanks on behalf of a group of people, you can say ευχαριστούμε (efcharistoúme). This word means “we thank you” or “we are grateful.”
Ευχαριστώ Πολύ (Efcharistó Polý): “Thank You Very Much” in Greek
Add πολύ (polý), which means “very” or “much,” after ευχαριστώ, and you have the Greek expression for “thank you very much.”
Here are some examples to put it into context:
- Ευχαριστώ πολύ για την βοήθειά σας. (Efcharistó polý gia tin voítheiá sas.): “Thank you very much for your help.”
- Ευχαριστώ πολύ για το υπέροχο δώρο. (Efcharistó polý gia to ypérocho dóro.): “Thank you very much for the wonderful gift.”
Ευχαριστώ Πάρα Πολύ (Efcharistó Pára Polý): “Thank You Very Much” in Greek
Another way to express your gratitude in Greek, ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ (efcharistó pára polý) is even stronger than ευχαριστώ πολύ. This phrase is perfect for situations when someone has gone above and beyond to help you or has done something exceptionally kind or generous.
For example, the sentence below means “Thank you very much for your exceptional hospitality.”
- Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για την εξαιρετική φιλοξενία σας. (Efcharistó pára polý gia tin exairetikí filoxenía sas.)
Fun fact about the Greek word for hospitality you see above: φιλοξενία (filoxenía) is the combination of two words: filo (“love”) and xenía (“foreigner.”) A cool Greek word to talk about hospitality!
Σ’ ευχαριστώ (s’efcharistó): When You Want to Thank One Person in Particular
Σ’ ευχαριστώ is a shortened version of σε ευχαριστώ (se efcharistó), which means “I thank you.” You won’t hear it as much as ευχαριστώ (efcharistó), but when you do, it will be in situations when someone is thanking one specific person.
- Σ’ ευχαριστώ, φίλε μου. (S’ efcharistó, fíle mou.): “Thank you, my friend.”
Σας Ευχαριστώ (Sas efcharistó): Thanking a Group of People
Similar to σε ευχαριστώ (se efcharistó), σας ευχαριστώ (sas efcharistó) is a particular way of saying thanks. It’s either the formal version of σε ευχαριστώ, thanking one specific person you address formally, or thanking a group of people.
- Σας ευχαριστώ όλους για αυτή την υπέροχη έκπληξη! (Sas efcharistó ólous gia aftí tin ypérochi ékplixi!): “Thank you all for this wonderful surprise!”
Ευχαριστώ Από Καρδιάς (Efcharistó Apó Kardiás): “Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart”
This heartfelt expression literally translates to “thank you from the heart,” similar to the English expression “thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Χίλια Ευχαριστώ (Chília Efcharistó): Expressing Countless Thanks
Although it’s not as common as the other words for “thank you” in Greek, you might occasionally see this phrase. Although it’s similar to saying “thanks a million” in English, χίλια (chília) is the Greek number for 1,000. So we can say that the Greek way of saying “thanks a million” is “thanks a thousand!”
Ευχαριστώ Για Όλα (Efcharistó Gia Óla): “Thank You for Everything”
Ευχαριστώ για όλα means “thank you for everything.” It implies that a person has done multiple things to win your gratitude.
You can hear this expression in phrases like:
- Ευχαριστώ για όλα όσα μου έχετε διδάξει. (Efcharistó gia óla ósa mou échete didáxei.): “Thank you for everything you have taught me.”
- Ευχαριστώ για όλη την βοήθεια και υποστήριξή σας. (Efcharistó gia óli tin voítheia kai ypostírixí sas.): “Thank you for all your help and support.”
Το Εκτιμώ (To Ektimó): “I Appreciate It” in Greek
An indirect way of saying thanks, το εκτιμώ (to ektimó) means “I appreciate it.” Here are some example sentences combining ευχαριστώ and το εκτιμώ:
- Ευχαριστώ που φροντίσατε το παιδί μου. Το εκτιμώ. (Efcharistó pou frontísate to paidí mou. To ektimó.): “Thank you for taking care of my kid. I appreciate it.”
- Ευχαριστώ που με βοηθήσατε με τις αποσκευές μου. Το εκτιμώ πολύ. (Efcharistó pou me voithísate me tis aposkevés mou. To ektimó polý.): “Thank you for helping me with my luggage. I really appreciate it.”
How to Say “You’re Welcome” in Greek
Here are the most common responses to “thank you:”
Παρακαλώ (Parakaló): “You’re Welcome”
Παρακαλώ is the typical response to “thank you” in Greek. It’s used in both formal and informal situations. Here are two examples for each:
Formal:
- Ευχαριστώ πολύ για τη βοήθειά σας με τα έγγραφα. (Efcharistó polý gia ti voítheiá sas me ta éngrafa.): “Thank you very much for your help with the documents.”
- Παρακαλώ, κυρία. (Parakaló, kyría.): “You’re welcome, madam.”
Informal:
- Ευχαριστώ για το δώρο, με ξέρεις καλά! (Efcharistó gia to dóro, me xéreis kalá!): “Thanks for the gift, you know me well!”
- Παρακαλώ, φίλε μου! (Parakaló fíle mou!): “No worries, my friend!”
Τίποτα (Típota): “No Big Deal”
Τίποτα is another common response to “thank you” in Greek. Its literal translation is “nothing,” implying that the favor is no big deal. Keep in mind that this phrase is informal, and it’s best to use it with friends.
If you want to make it slightly more formal, you can say Δεν ήταν τίποτα (Den ítan típota), which translates into “it was nothing,” but means “no worries” or “no big deal.”
Χαρά Μου (Chará Mou): “My Pleasure”
Χαρά μου means “my pleasure.” You can use it when you want to convey a feeling that you’re happy to help!
Now You Know All About Efcharistó (And More!)
As a Greek learner, you’ll use phrases like ευχαριστώ (efcharistó), σας ευχαριστώ (sas efcharistó), and παρακαλώ (parakaló) in almost every interaction, including your Greek lessons.
You’ve now covered one of the most important phrases, and it’s time to check out more online Greek resources!
