# Cheers



## brazil_ana

Hello everyone!!

Well, I'm a passionate Greek learner, yet I cannot translate almost anything I'd like to say... could you help me out with the following:

Cheers,

Ephkaristó thoso poli (for now)!

Ana

*Moderator's note: The posts on this thread have been edited and split from a thread where multiple questions were asked.*


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## Tetina

Cheers,= Geia [depends where you use it, I put it generally]= _Γειά_


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## brazil_ana

Ephkaristó,

Geia 

Ana


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## jaxlarus

If you mean *cheers *as a drinking toast interjection, then it would be:

Γεια μας! 
Στην υγειά μας! 
Εις υγείαν! 
Τσιν-τσιν!


If cheers = cheerio, goodbye:

Αντίο!
(Άντε) γεια!
Τα λέμε!

If cheers = thank you:

Ευχαριστώ!


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## brazil_ana

Oh that's nice! Thanx a lot!


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## wonderment

If you're using 'Cheers' to close a letter or note, and you mean by it 'With good cheer' or 'Cheerfully' or 'Be happy', I think Χαιρετε fits in that context. But I'm new to modern Greek so maybe we should check with ever helpful Tetina.


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## jaxlarus

Well... *Χαίρετε *is used mostly as a formal greeting upon seeing someone. It can be used when greeting goodbye, of course, but it is still quite formal. After all, it is expressed in courtesy plural. 

Using it in singular, "*χαίρε!*", would be reminiscent of the Latin *ave *or even the fascist *heil*! Cf "Χαίρε, ω χαίρε Ελευθεριά!" - last verse (line) of the Greek national anthem, part of a poem by Dionysios Solomos, Hymn to Liberty.

Using *χαίρετε *to close a letter or note is not, to my knowledge, common.


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## Tetina

I agree with Jaxlarus. "Χαίρετε" is a nice way to say hello or goodbye but not in written. As for "Χαίρε"... it's way too formal.
I think the best for new learners is to keep it simple so you avoid any misunderstandings. 
"Αντίο" is good but we avoid it because it implies a sense of permanent or long time separation.
"Γειά" is the most common, used any time in any case, verbally or written and with nice meaning because actually you are wishing the other good health. What more could you ask for?
If you want to make a toast then Jaxlarus gave the most commonly used words.


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## wonderment

Thank you both for the correction. I come to modern Greek with lots of baggage from ancient Greek. The subjunctive doesn't send me into fits of paroxysm, but phonology and semantic change over the centuries do. A few of my classicist friends do use χαιρε to close informal notes and letters, as a term connoting friendliness, good cheer, and wishing joy for the other. After all, the original meaning of the verb is to rejoice, and it was used as a greeting for hello/goodbye, much like the Latin 'Vale' and 'Salve' (wishing good health). So I'm learning to shed assumptions...

If I say χαιρε to someone I meet on the streets of Athens, would he think that I have fascist leanings?

Γεια then!


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## Tetina

> If I say χαιρε to someone I meet on the streets of Athens, would he think that I have fascist leanings?


 
By no means! We don't characterize people from one word, especially foreigners! The contrary, we are very glad to hear you trying to speak our language.
I would prefer though to hear "χαίρετε" because even so you use courtesy plural when you don't know somebody.

P.S. The truth is that the plural ("χαίρετε") is used widely even among friends, family or even when you are greeding one person. Grammatically speaking the correct form would be the singular "χαίρε" .... I cannot explain why we use the opposite.


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## jaxlarus

wonderment said:


> If I say χαιρε to someone I meet on the streets of Athens, would he think that I have fascist leanings?



He he!  

By all means, no! As Tetina said, they'd be delighted to hear you speak Greek and won't make such an association what so ever!

I use *χαίρετε *quite often myself to greet friends hello, but I'd never use it to close a letter, even an extremely formal one. 

Τip: *Xαίρετε *is also an excellent choice when you can't decide between καλημέρα / καλησπέρα / καληνύχτα, i.e. when it's too late for the one and too early for the other 

The reason we don't use the singular form is simply because *χαíρετε *became a fixed expression losing its original _salve_ meaning, the way *γεια *stopped meaning _health _and became a simple _hi_!


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## wonderment

Thanks so very much, Tetina and jaxlarus. You are, as ever, helpful and kind. 

Γεια,


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## jaxlarus

Always a pleasure, wonderment.


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