Learning Greek can be a rewarding endeavor, especially as you advance to the B1 level. At this stage, you are expected to have a solid grasp of the basics and start diving deeper into the nuances of the language. This article will introduce you to essential Greek words and phrases that will help elevate your proficiency to the B1 level. From everyday vocabulary to more complex expressions, this guide will serve as a useful resource for expanding your Greek language skills.

Common Phrases and Expressions

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable with basic greetings and polite expressions. Here are some phrases that you will frequently encounter:

1. **Καλημέρα** (Kaliméra) – Good morning
2. **Καλησπέρα** (Kalispéra) – Good evening
3. **Καληνύχτα** (Kalinoíchta) – Good night
4. **Τι κάνεις;** (Ti kánis?) – How are you?
5. **Είμαι καλά, ευχαριστώ** (Íme kalá, efcharistó) – I am fine, thank you
6. **Παρακαλώ** (Parakaló) – Please/You’re welcome
7. **Ευχαριστώ** (Efcharistó) – Thank you
8. **Συγγνώμη** (Signómi) – Sorry/Excuse me

These phrases will help you navigate daily interactions and show politeness, which is crucial in Greek culture.

Essential Verbs

Understanding and using verbs correctly is a cornerstone of reaching B1 level proficiency. Here are some essential verbs and their conjugations:

1. **Είμαι** (Íme) – To be
– Εγώ είμαι (Egó íme) – I am
– Εσύ είσαι (Esí íse) – You are
– Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό είναι (Aftós/Aftí/Aftó íne) – He/She/It is

2. **Έχω** (Écho) – To have
– Εγώ έχω (Egó écho) – I have
– Εσύ έχεις (Esí échis) – You have
– Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό έχει (Aftós/Aftí/Aftó échi) – He/She/It has

3. **Κάνω** (Káno) – To do/make
– Εγώ κάνω (Egó káno) – I do/make
– Εσύ κάνεις (Esí kánis) – You do/make
– Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό κάνει (Aftós/Aftí/Aftó káni) – He/She/It does/makes

4. **Πηγαίνω** (Piyéno) – To go
– Εγώ πηγαίνω (Egó piyéno) – I go
– Εσύ πηγαίνεις (Esí piyénis) – You go
– Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό πηγαίνει (Aftós/Aftí/Aftó piyéni) – He/She/It goes

5. **Θέλω** (Thélo) – To want
– Εγώ θέλω (Egó thélo) – I want
– Εσύ θέλεις (Esí thélis) – You want
– Αυτός/Αυτή/Αυτό θέλει (Aftós/Aftí/Aftó théli) – He/She/It wants

These verbs form the basis of many sentences and will be extremely useful in various contexts.

Vocabulary for Daily Activities

Enhancing your vocabulary is essential for improving your fluency. Here are some words and phrases that you might use in your everyday activities:

1. **Τρώω** (Tróo) – To eat
– Εγώ τρώω (Egó tróo) – I eat

2. **Πίνω** (Píno) – To drink
– Εγώ πίνω (Egó píno) – I drink

3. **Διαβάζω** (Diavázo) – To read
– Εγώ διαβάζω (Egó diavázo) – I read

4. **Γράφω** (Gráfo) – To write
– Εγώ γράφω (Egó gráfo) – I write

5. **Μαγειρεύω** (Magirévo) – To cook
– Εγώ μαγειρεύω (Egó magirévo) – I cook

6. **Περπατάω** (Perpatáo) – To walk
– Εγώ περπατάω (Egó perpatáo) – I walk

7. **Οδηγώ** (Odigó) – To drive
– Εγώ οδηγώ (Egó odigó) – I drive

8. **Δουλεύω** (Dulévo) – To work
– Εγώ δουλεύω (Egó dulévo) – I work

These verbs will help you describe your daily routine and activities more accurately.

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs enrich your language and help you express yourself more precisely. Here are some common adjectives and adverbs you should know:

1. **Καλός** (Kalós) – Good
– Καλό (Kaló) – Good (neuter)
– Καλή (Kalí) – Good (feminine)
– Καλός (Kalós) – Good (masculine)

2. **Κακός** (Kakós) – Bad
– Κακό (Kakó) – Bad (neuter)
– Κακή (Kakí) – Bad (feminine)
– Κακός (Kakós) – Bad (masculine)

3. **Μεγάλος** (Megálos) – Big
– Μεγάλο (Megálo) – Big (neuter)
– Μεγάλη (Megáli) – Big (feminine)
– Μεγάλος (Megálos) – Big (masculine)

4. **Μικρός** (Mikrós) – Small
– Μικρό (Mikró) – Small (neuter)
– Μικρή (Mikrí) – Small (feminine)
– Μικρός (Mikrós) – Small (masculine)

5. **Γρήγορα** (Grígora) – Quickly
6. **Αργά** (Argá) – Slowly
7. **Πολύ** (Polý) – Very
8. **Λίγο** (Lígo) – A little

These adjectives and adverbs will help you describe people, objects, and actions more accurately.

Prepositions and Conjunctions

Prepositions and conjunctions are essential for constructing sentences and connecting ideas. Here are some you should be familiar with:

1. **Σε** (Se) – In, at, on
2. **Με** (Me) – With
3. **Για** (Gia) – For
4. **Από** (Apó) – From
5. **Και** (Ke) – And
6. **Ή** (Í) – Or
7. **Αλλά** (Allá) – But
8. **Όταν** (Ótan) – When
9. **Επειδή** (Epidí) – Because

These words are crucial for forming coherent sentences and expressing complex ideas.

Numbers and Time

Understanding numbers and how to tell time is crucial for daily interactions. Here are some basics:

1. **Ένα** (Éna) – One
2. **Δύο** (Dýo) – Two
3. **Τρία** (Tría) – Three
4. **Τέσσερα** (Téssera) – Four
5. **Πέντε** (Pénde) – Five
6. **Έξι** (Éxi) – Six
7. **Επτά** (Eptá) – Seven
8. **Οκτώ** (Októ) – Eight
9. **Εννέα** (Ennéa) – Nine
10. **Δέκα** (Déka) – Ten

To tell time:

1. **Τι ώρα είναι;** (Ti óra íne?) – What time is it?
2. **Είναι μία η ώρα** (Íne mía i óra) – It is one o’clock
3. **Είναι δύο η ώρα** (Íne dýo i óra) – It is two o’clock
4. **Είναι τρεις η ώρα** (Íne tris i óra) – It is three o’clock

These basics will help you manage appointments and understand schedules.

Useful Nouns

Here are some common nouns that will be useful in various contexts:

1. **Σπίτι** (Spíti) – House
2. **Αυτοκίνητο** (Aftokínito) – Car
3. **Φαγητό** (Fagitó) – Food
4. **Νερό** (Neró) – Water
5. **Άνθρωπος** (Ánthropos) – Person
6. **Παιδί** (Paidí) – Child
7. **Κατάστημα** (Katástima) – Shop
8. **Χρήματα** (Chrímata) – Money
9. **Δρόμος** (Drómos) – Street
10. **Κήπος** (Kípos) – Garden

These nouns will help you talk about common objects and places you encounter daily.

Conversational Phrases

To engage in more complex conversations, here are some phrases that might come in handy:

1. **Πού είσαι;** (Poú íse?) – Where are you?
2. **Τι κάνεις σήμερα;** (Ti kánis símera?) – What are you doing today?
3. **Πώς ήταν η μέρα σου;** (Pós ítan i méra sou?) – How was your day?
4. **Θέλεις να πάμε για καφέ;** (Thélis na páme gia kafé?) – Do you want to go for coffee?
5. **Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό;** (Póso kostízi aftó?) – How much does this cost?
6. **Μπορείς να με βοηθήσεις;** (Borís na me voithísis?) – Can you help me?

These phrases will help you maintain conversations and make social interactions smoother.

Advanced Vocabulary

As you advance, you will need to know more specific and advanced vocabulary. Here are some words that you will find useful:

1. **Επιχείρηση** (Epichírisi) – Business
2. **Πανεπιστήμιο** (Panepistímo) – University
3. **Υπολογιστής** (Ypologistís) – Computer
4. **Πρόγραμμα** (Prógramma) – Program
5. **Αεροδρόμιο** (Aerodrómio) – Airport
6. **Ιατρείο** (Iatrío) – Clinic
7. **Συνάντηση** (Synántisi) – Meeting
8. **Διαδίκτυο** (Diadíktio) – Internet
9. **Τηλέφωνο** (Tiléfono) – Telephone
10. **Συμβόλαιο** (Symvólaio) – Contract

These words will be particularly useful in professional and academic settings.

Conclusion

Reaching the B1 level in Greek is a significant milestone that opens up new opportunities for communication and understanding. By mastering these essential words and phrases, you will be well-equipped to handle more complex conversations and express yourself more clearly. Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—every error is a learning opportunity. Καλή επιτυχία! (Good luck!)