# khaire



## moonlight7

Hi,
Does this word "khaire" is used in Greek right now and what does it mean? "Be happy" or "be well" or "rejoice"?
I found this in the book that I am revising, and I wounder if it is true:
"In Greek, people in begone times greeted each other with ‘khaire!’ that meant ‘rejoice!’."


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## Perseas

_Χαίρε_: imperative -- 2nd person singular-- of the ancient verb _χαίρω_ (= _rejoice at/take pleasure in something..._). _
Χαίρε_ was a form of greeting (_welcome, fare well, be of good cheer..._). Today it is not used (except for stylistic reasons), however the 2nd person plural _χαίρετε_ is a very common greeting, especially in formal situations.

You can also look at the link under _χαίρω_.


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## moonlight7

Thanks, *Perseas*! Could I say that it is a word from Ancient Greek?
"In *Ancient Greek*, people greeted each other with word ‘khaire’..."


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## Perseas

moonlight7 said:


> Thanks, *Perseas*! Could I say that it is a word from Ancient Greek?


Yes. It was used even by Homer.


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## Scholiast

χαἰρετε!

Pardon me butting in here, but I am moved to wonder about two things. I know classical Greek, but not modern demotic. Perhaps Perseas or someone else here can satisfy my curiosity?

Does anyone know when χαῖρε/χαίρετεdied out as an everyday greeting? And if the plural χαίρετε is indeed still used in formal contexts, is this (a) because of a "classicising" tendency in the stylistic level for formal purposes; or (b) because of a tendency to use of the "polite" plural rather than the "intimate" singular, comparable with English "you" (as opposed to "thou"), French/Italian _vous/voi_, German _Sie_ &c. Or maybe a bit of both? Fascinating.


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## Tassos

Scholiast said:


> And if the plural χαίρετε is indeed still used in formal contexts,



It is also used in informal contexts. If you go for a visit to someone's home - even if he's a good friend - it's something you might say as a greeting (to "mark" the occasion so to speak). My father always uses it when he makes phonecalls.



Scholiast said:


> is this (a) because of a "classicising" tendency in the stylistic level for formal purposes; or (b) because of a tendency to use of the "polite" plural rather than the "intimate" singular, comparable with English "you" (as opposed to "thou"), French/Italian _vous/voi_, German _Sie_ &c. Or maybe a bit of both? Fascinating.



In formal contexts, certainly because of (b). 
In informal contexts, I don't know, maybe beacause of (a) if you consider that it is used more by older people or in situations informal yes, but not _too_ informal (for example if you are meeting your best friend in a kafeteria to have a cup of coffee or something, you won't use it)


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## sotos

Scholiast said:


> χαἰρετε!
> 
> Does anyone know when χαῖρε/χαίρετεdied out as an everyday greeting? .



It possibly died out at the same time when plural was introduced in addressing a single person (πληθυντικός ευγενείας), around mid 19th c. A european influence. So, χαίρετε may be equivalent to χαίρε in formal situations. 
I use χαίρε sometimes for greeting friends. It sounds well and attracts attention.


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## Scholiast

Tassos and  Sotos, ευχαριστω, και καλα Χριστουγενα.


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