# na'sai kala



## wonderment

Hello there,

A friend signs a note with "na'sai kala" and I'm wondering if it means "best wishes" or "take care."  Is this a common way for friends to sign off letters?  What are some friendly and sweet ways to begin and end a letter in Greek? 

Many thanks for your help.


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## Tetina

Hi, wonderment.

Na 'sai kala means "be well/good". I guess it's something equivalent to "take care" (cf. also http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=643687). It's a common way to close a conversation (sometimes we use it instead of "welcome" as an answer to "thank you") or an informal letter. Though is used more verbally and less in written. 

To begin a letter in Greek we use "Agapimene (m)/ Agapimeni (f) mou" for friends (or even boyfriends/ girlfriends). 
To end a letter you can use:

filika = friendly
me agapi= with love
me poly agapi =with lots of love
filia / filiakia= kisses
polla filia = many kisses
polles efches = many wishes
thermes efches = best wishes
and many more.... These are some I could think for the time being. Maybe others could add more.

_the letters in red shows the stress_

Na 'sai kala


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## balgior

Hello!

I would like to add that sometimes we use "Να' σαι καλά" instead of "Ευχαριστώ", to thank someone or to say "you' re welcome" instead of "Παρακαλώ", after someone has thanked us...

edit: oups, Tetina has mentioned this


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## anthodocheio

"Na 'sai kalá" for me is more like "All the best". 

I wish you to be well, for the future as "take care", for something nice you did for me as "thank you"...

Do you understand?


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## wonderment

Dear Tetina, balgior, and anthodocheio,

Ευχαριστω πολυ for your kind and very helpful reply--for teaching me.  You are a star!

Να᾽σαι καλα,
Karen


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## parakseno

wonderment said:


> Να᾽σαι καλα,



Or you can use the plural "Να'στε καλά" (να είστε) to wish it to all of them.


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## pavlo

Literaly means "be well" and can be used instead of "thanks" but also can have a note of irony. For example "for waiting over an hour" (if u had an apointment with someone).


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## wonderment

Ah yes, I meant to say "Να῾στε καλα"--one and all. Ευχαριστο, parakseno.

Hmm...now I'm wondering about the difference in informality between να᾽σαι καλα and παρακαλω as ways to say "you're welcome." Do the Greeks have a preference for one or the other? Is παρακαλω similar to the Italian "prego" used to say "you're welcome" as well as "please"?

I think να᾽σαι καλα seems such a gracious way to say "you're welcome"--to wish well when someone has thanked you. It would be odd in Enlish to say "be well" in response to "thank you."  "It's my pleasure" is not quite the same. 

pavlo, this expression of irony will come in handy someday. It's funny--we sometimes use the expression "Thanks. A lot" in the same ironic way. Thanks (no irony intended). 

Να᾽στε καλα, 
(What I really want to say: Be well and have good days!)

Karen


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## anthodocheio

wonderment said:


> Is παρακαλω similar to the Italian "prego" used to say "you're welcome" as well as "please"?


 
Yes Karen! You are right. It's used to say "you're welcome" as well as "please".



> Hmm...now I'm wondering about the difference in informality between να᾽σαι καλα and παρακαλω as ways to say "you're welcome." Do the Greeks have a preference for one or the other?


 
I believe is more formal to say παρακαλώ for "you're welcome". I personally when I say να'σαι καλά I feel like saying "thank you for thanking me". "I don't deserve being thanked but you are very welcome"...


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## wonderment

Ευχαριστω, anthodocheio. Good to know!


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## VISEL

Hi anthodocheio,
can you list us the situation when παρακαλω (paracalò ) is used ?
In a ferry italy-greece  the speaker says: paracalò, paracalà as "attention please". is it correct?
When the phone rings  the people answer "paracalò" , right ?
There are others situations  then these ?

efcaritò.

ps: signomi for my primitive english.


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## anthodocheio

Hi VISEL!

I'm looking the words "prego" and "pregare" at the diccionary and I believe the meanings are almost the same.

It is a way to answer the phone by saying παρακαλώ, yes..

As for "attention please", this must be something like "Την προσοχή σας παρακαλώ" = "(May I have) your attention please".
"Paracalá" doesn't exist as a word... I don't know...


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## Tetina

VISEL said:


> Hi anthodocheio,
> can you list us the situation when παρακαλω (paracalò ) is used ?
> In a ferry italy-greece the speaker says: paracalò, paracalà as "attention please". is it correct?
> When the phone rings the people answer "paracalò" , right ?
> There are others situations then these ?
> 
> efcaritò.
> 
> ps: signomi for my primitive english.


 

Some occassions of _parakalo_ that I  can think of:

welcome as an answer to thanks
asking a question or a favour
answering the phone
when you enter a shop or office to ask infos the employee will ask you what you want saying only "parakalo".
When they ask your attention to anounce something.
When you disagree strongly with somebody and you don't want to hear another word.


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