“The bill, please” is one of those classic phrases that it’s good to know when you go abroad to eat and you want to finish lunch or dinner or a drink with friends, maybe quickly with the waiter or maybe just trying to ” to empathize “in the atmosphere of the country.
In modern Greek “The bill, please” is said “Το λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ”, which for those not very practical with reading Greek characters, is pronounced like this: “to logariasmós, parakaló”.
Two other useful phrases in modern Greek
Another phrase that can be of great help in these contexts, especially during shopping is the classic question “How much is it?”. To say “How much does it cost?” in modern Greek you have to say “Πόσο κάνει;”, that is pronounced “Póso káni”, with the “n” slightly elongated.
To understand the answer to this question and therefore understand at what price the purchase was made, you might need to learn how to count in modern Greek, at least until 30: is always true that it is enough to do the number with your hands to make people understand (or get you to understand) in the prices but … it is not always said that the prices “said by voice” correspond to those indicated with the hands or in the labels, moreover it could help you in various contexts of travel in Greece.
Therefore, the numbers in modern Greek are:
Zero = μηδέν = midén
One = ένας = énas
Two = δυο = dyo
Three = τρία = tría
Four = τέσσερα = téssera
Five = πέντε = pénte
Six = έξι = éxi
Seven = επτά = eptá
Eight = οκτώ = októ
Nine = εννέα = ennéa
Ten = δέκα = déka
Eleven = έντεκα = énteka
Twelve = δώδεκα = dódeka
Thirteen = δεκατρείς = dekatreís
Fourteen = δεκατέσσερα = dekatéssera
Fifteen = δεκαπέντε = dekapénte
Sixteen = δεκαέξι = dekaéxi
Seventeen = δεκαεπτά = dekaeptá
Eighteen = δεκαοχτώ = dekaochtó
Nineteen = δεκαεννέα = dekaennéa
Twenty = είκοσι = eíkosi
Twenty-one = είκοσι-ένα = Eíkosi-éna
Twenty-two = είκοσι-δύο = Eíkosi-dýo
Twenty- three = είκοσι τρία = eíkosi tría
Twenty-four = είκοσι-τέσσερις = Eíkosi-tésseris
Twenty-five = είκοσι πέντε = eíkosi pénte
Twenty-six = είκοσι έξι = eíkosi éxi
Twenty-seven = είκοσι επτά = Eíkosi eptá
Twenty-eight = είκοσι οκτώ = eíkosi októ
Twenty-nine = είκοσι-εννέα = Eíkosi-ennéa
Thirty * = τριάντα = triánta
* Note: The number thirty in the list is actually written as reported in the modern Greek number scheme but is pronounced “triàda”.
List of other phrases for the restaurant in modern Greek
Other phrases that could be useful to you in the restaurant (which by the way is called “εστιατόριο” and are pronounced “estiatório”) are:
A formula, perhaps more polite and kind in modern Greek than “The bill, please”, which we suggest is: “Μπορώ να έχω τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ;” pronounced “Borò na echo ton logariasmo, parakalo?” and that means “could I have the bill, please?”
- A simple “thank you”, or “Ευχαριστώ”, pronounced “Efaristò”
- A simple “hello” to use for greeting (both just arrived and leaving): “Γειά σου”, pronounced “Ia su”
- A phrase for the toast, the classic formula to say with a full glass, in modern Greek is called “Στην υγειά μας!”, Literally “To our health!”, And is pronounced “Stin yi-eà mas”. Equivalent to our Italian “health” as use.
- Even learning to say “I don’t understand” can help: it says “Δεν καταλαβαίνω” and is pronounced “Den katalaveno”.
- Asking to order can certainly be served at the restaurant, so be aware that “Can I order?” and “Can we order?” we say “Να παραγγείλω;” and “Να παραγγείλουμε;” and they pronounce “Na parajeilo;” and “Na parajeiume”
- Note: in Greek the question mark “?” is writed as “;”.
Do you want to learn more about modern Greek? Take a basic book to learn it, those for english speaker, it will be easier than it seems, at least for the level you will need to travel.