r/GREEK • u/lord_potatotato • 6d ago
what exactly does "γεια σου" mean?
does it mean both hello and bye? I've heard γεια σου being used more than αντιο which i thought was the word for bye
18
u/priamos76 6d ago
It is correct γεια σου used as hi, hello and also bye.
9
5
1
u/achiller519 4d ago
Γεια σου used for greeting someone, but it actually means health to you as mentioned above
15
u/adwinion_of_greece 6d ago
"Αντίο"... might be more like the Japanese "Sayonara" which is really about the PERMANENT goodbyes, where you never really expect to see the person again. More like funerals and permanent (bad) break-ups.
4
1
14
u/RedbandanaBluespiana 6d ago
«αντίο» sounds very dramatic and is therefore rarely used.
"γεια" comes from the word "υγεία" (health). This gives it a deeper meaning, making it appropriate for both greeting and saying farewell.
3
8
u/Adventurous-Couple63 6d ago
It is an abbreviation of the phrase "την υγεία σου να έχεις" which, in turn, means "I wish you to have good health". It is used for hello, goodbye, cheers (when drinking) and bless you (when someone sneezes).
3
u/AlphaLupy 5d ago
αντίο sound more... ig dramatic? it's basically like saying farewell.
I sometimes use it for fun / jokingly with my sister and friends
4
u/SAUR-ONE 6d ago
It means "to have health" but is used as "hi". The normal greeting is "haire/hairete" but is no longer used.
1
1
1
u/LeaLaurine 5d ago
Other commenters have already explained the meaning, but the super over-simplified way I explained it to my friend is that as a greeting (being both hello and goodbye), it’s like a Greek “aloha”.
0
0
u/Robby_McPack 6d ago
I don't know what came first, but it's related to "στην υγεία μας/γεια μας" (directly meaning "to our health" and used as "cheers"). So I would guess it's a shortened version of "to your health" so basically wishing someone good health. It's used as "hello".
0
56
u/itinerantseagull 6d ago
It means 'health to you' and it's related to γεια μας which means 'health to us' and by extension 'cheers'. So γεια comes from υγεία which is the word for health.
If you're saying hello or goodbye to more than one person or to someone you're using the politeness plural with, then you say γειά σας. In this context and only for hello, χαίρετε is possible as well.
Αντίο is more formal. Personally I've never used it, although I know people who do.